Pocket watches with chains: styles, how to wear one and how to care for it
For three centuries, a gentleman’s timepiece lived in a pocket, attached to a chain. The wristwatch took its place in the 20th century, but the pocket watch never quite disappeared: it is still worn at weddings, with three-piece suits, by collectors and by people who simply like the ritual of opening a case to read the time.
A short history
Portable timepieces appeared in Europe in the 16th century, worn as pendants or carried in the hand. They moved into the pocket as clothing changed, and the waistcoat, which became fashionable in the late 17th century, gave them a natural home. Watches grew thinner and more accurate throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and by the late 1800s the railways, which needed precise timekeeping, had made a reliable pocket watch an everyday tool for many workers.
The shift to the wrist came in the early 20th century, accelerated by soldiers who needed to read the time without reaching into a pocket. By the middle of the century the pocket watch had become a dress accessory and a collector’s item.
Case styles
| Style | Description | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Open face | No cover over the dial; the crown is usually at 12 o’clock | Practical and easy to read |
| Hunter (full hunter) | A hinged metal lid protects the dial; the crown is usually at 3 o’clock | The most protective and formal |
| Half hunter | A lid with a small window, often with the hours engraved around it | Read the time without opening |
| Skeleton | Open dial or case back showing the movement | Decorative, popular today |
The name “hunter” is often said to come from riders who needed a watch that could survive a fall. Whatever the origin, a cover protects the crystal well.
Movements
- Mechanical, hand-wound: the traditional choice. You wind it with the crown, usually once a day.
- Key-wound: older watches, mostly 19th century, are wound and set with a small key. Collectors love them; daily users find them fiddly.
- Quartz: battery-powered, accurate and inexpensive, the best choice if you want the look without the maintenance.
Chains and how they attach
The chain does two jobs: it keeps the watch from falling and it is part of the look.
- Albert chain: a chain with a swivel clasp for the watch at one end and a T-bar at the other, which passes through a waistcoat buttonhole. The name is associated with Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband.
- Double Albert: two lengths of chain from a central T-bar, with the watch in one pocket and a small object, traditionally a fob or a vesta case, in the other.
- Belt or bolt-ring chain: clips to a belt loop or a trouser button, for wearing without a waistcoat.
- Fob: a short ribbon or strap with a decorative end, hanging outside the pocket.
Chains come in silver, gold, gold-plated or steel. Match the chain to the case: a silver case with a silver chain, a gold case with gold, unless you deliberately mix metals.
How to wear a pocket watch
With a waistcoat: the watch sits in one of the lower waistcoat pockets, and the T-bar goes through a buttonhole in the middle. The chain should hang in a gentle curve, neither tight nor dangling.
Without a waistcoat: use a shorter chain clipped to a belt loop, with the watch in the front trouser pocket or the small coin pocket of jeans.
At a wedding: pocket watches are a classic gift for the groom and best men, and they suit morning suits and three-piece suits particularly well. Engraving the inside of the lid is a common touch.
Buying a vintage watch
Older pocket watches are widely available, but buy carefully:
- ask whether the watch runs and keeps reasonable time;
- check whether it has been serviced recently;
- look for cracks in the enamel dial, which are expensive or impossible to repair;
- check that the case hallmarks match the description if it is sold as silver or gold;
- make sure the crystal is intact and the lid closes firmly.
A watch that “just needs a service” may need much more. Price a service with a watchmaker before buying a non-running watch.
Caring for a pocket watch
- Wind it at the same time every day, gently, until you feel resistance. Never force the crown.
- Open the lid properly: press the crown to release a hunter case rather than prising it open.
- Keep it away from magnets, such as phone cases and speakers, which can disturb a mechanical movement.
- Have it serviced by a watchmaker every few years: oils dry out, and a dry movement wears quickly.
- Store it in a soft pouch, with the chain separate, so the links do not scratch the case.
A pocket watch rewards a little attention. Wound each morning and serviced now and then, a good one will keep time for generations.
