If you look down at your left wrist, there is a very high chance that you will see your watch there staring up at you. However, you probably have never even thought about why. In fact, each time you take your wristwatch off or put it back on, you are more than likely to reach mindlessly for your left arm, but is there a reason for this habit, and does everyone really wear their watch on their left wrist?

If we look back at the history of watches, people used to wear their pocket watches in a leather pouch strapped to their wrist for ease of use. As these watches were fragile and very easily broken, they used to attach them to their non-dominant wrist as there was less chance of them getting in the way of tasks and getting broken.

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A watch on the left wrist is easier to adjust

Roughly 88% of people in the world are right-handed, so it makes sense that the majority of people that you see will still wear their watch on their left wrist as this is their non-dominant wrist and they will still be able to check the time while doing tasks such as writing or carrying something. Another reason that right-handed people will wear a watch on their left wrist is that in order to set the time, they can use their dominant hand to pull the crown out and adjust the hands of the watch easily without having to remove the watch from their wrist.

As James Bond style smart watches become more prevalent in society, the need to have your dominant hand free to control your wristwatch is now more necessary than ever. But not everyone sticks to this social norm: Left-handed people often wear their watch on their right wrist as this is their non-dominant wrist, and some golfers and sportsmen who are right handed wear their watches on their right wrist as there is less chance of the crown poking into them when they are playing sport.

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2 Replies to “The Real Reason People Wear Their Watch On Their Left Wrist

  1. I wear mine on the right. And this is quite funny. My first watch I got when I was around 8. My aunt drove me to town and we went to the store. I found one I liked and when I tried it on they putted it on my left. I didn’t think much.
    My aunt drove me home, but because she was in a rush she just let me out the car. When I came in, my parents and two sisters were already there. Of course I showed them my watch and my mom asked “What do you notice on us”. Indeed they all wore it on their right. She was like “Wear your watch on the right like we do” so I moved mine over and wear it there ever since.
    I also have a friend who works in a watch store. She noticed that often kids my nature put their watch on the right, but are then corrected by their parents.
    I would have a little experiment for you:
    Put the watch on your right hand for two weeks. I am quite sure you get used to it and would even keep it. Also several people will comment on it.
    For example my girlfriend switched and never moved back.

  2. tried that once as a kid i hurt my left wrist and wore my watch on the right i found it very uncomfortable and was glad when my left wrist was ok to swap back,i think i left my watch off after two days come to think,though my right wrist is a bit fatter than my left and have nearly always worn a bracelet on my watch,might explain it

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