Pocket watches - what the great variety can offer

Ever since the first pocket watches came out back in the 16th century, they have been regarded as symbols of stature and affluence. In the olden days, gentlemen often sported several collections of these watches which they wore with great care and style because it lent an undisputable air of sophistication and power. There were also several models and collections that were used by the more ordinary classes of people and military uses. As such, they became extremely popular throughout the world and till World War I; they were the only form of individual watches that were available. A typical pocket watch design consists of a round analogue dial with hands for minutes, hours and sometimes seconds. These dials were extremely compact and could fit in the palm of the hand of the individual. To provide protection to the watch from inadvertent falling while bending, running and so on, they came with a chain which could be attached to the waistcoat or the lapel of the coat. This ensured that the watch remained attached to the clothing and thereby could not slip and fall out.

There are various kinds, designs and styles in pocket watches that have been made popular over time because of a need for adaptation to various challenges. As such, these include different types of dials and chains, different dial covers and also the complete absence of covers. As such, each of these designs catered to a specific host of needs and they made for very high utility products. Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of pocket watches. The first type is the coverless pocket watches which mean that they do not come with any protection of external cover for the dial. These were some of the earliest watches and they came with various paintings on the dial and different chains and themes. They offered users the comfort of simply looking at the time without having to open any clasps or covers. They were great for urban and conventional use and some of the jeweled models were items of great luxury and style.

The second kind was the hunter case pocket watches. These are basically designs that have different types of dial covers on them and they basically offer protection to the dial face making them usable in non conventional and outdoor environments and activities such as hunting (and so the name) and so on. As time progressed, the dial covers and the designs became increasingly intricate and some hand carved models are still considered to be works of art which are seldom found anywhere else.