Wrist Watch Parricide

Parricide is the killing of a close relative, which is what we're seeing the cell phone do to the wrist watch these days.

It's interesting that when the watch was new it was considered impolite to carry one in social situations, let alone refer to it. At dinner parties, checking the time was an insult to one's hostess.

Today, it's equally offensive to carry an active cell phone to a dinner party and worse to use one. The distraction of the ring, or the call, is the offense of the newer generation. I'm not aware that anyone has ever done a survey to establish whether the men talking on their phones at a party had fathers who were known for checking their watches while the coffee was being served, but I'll bet there's a correlation.

The wrist watch is definitely dying (as is the camera, but we don't wear cameras). Unit sales have been declining 5-10% annually, principally at the low end, where the cell has its biggest impact, for a couple of years. Why spend money on a watch when you already have the time available from multiple sources? The only justifications are as a fashion statement or as jewelry.

High quality pocket watches have not been worn by the average man for more than fifty years but there is still a market for beautifully made mechanical versions. The same will continue to be true for high quality wrist watches, like the pictured post-War Patek Philippe World Time, for the forseeable future. But the end is in sight.