One of the first things that confuses newcomers in the world of watches is on which hand the watch should be worn.
When I started asking people about this issue, it seemed that everyone had an opinion of their own regarding which wrist we should wear our watch.
The most common answer I got was that if you’re a right-handed person, your watch should be on the left wrist and vice-versa. Usually, People tend to wear watches on their non-dominant hands. And since around 90% of the population are right-handed, watches are mostly worn on left wrists.
But which hand does a watch go on? Is it really that complicated?
As surprising as it is, I even heard that men should wear watches on the left hand whereas women should wear them on the right (like who even comes up with this stuff?!)!
I asked my mom whether it was true or not, she just kept staring at me with eyes full of despair. (Or was that disappointment? It's hard to differentiate anymore)
Last but not least, apparently there is a hidden psychology of wearing a watch on the right hand as well (We do live in an interesting world!). However, we’ll get to that part later.
So, now to the million-dollar question. Is there a ‘RIGHT’ wrist for a watch?
We've talked with our friends, colleagues, known associates, and anyone eligible to get a solid idea. Needless to say, it helped a lot.
Most importantly, we could finally conclude this issue. Let’s get into it then!
TL;DR
If you don’t wish to read briefly and want to know the result, this part is for you. We will provide our honest answer to the question, ‘Which hand does a watch go on?’ right away.
We will recommend you to wear the watch on the opposite wrist of your writing hand.
If you write with your right hand, then you should wear it on the left wrist. And vice-versa. This is one of the best and simplest solutions that we found.
Now, let's go into the details. As most of the people around us are right-hand oriented, they tend to wear the watch on their left hand according to the non-dominant theory. However, we did find 5 people who wear watches on their right hand despite being right-handed.
Most timepieces are made so that it creates some problems if you prefer to wear them on the right wrist. Only a few brands such as Rolex, Tudor, etc create ‘left-handed’ watches (which ironically go on the right hand).
In addition, if you're willing to find one of the best watches for your collection or everyday wear, watch-friendly reviews are here to help you out!
Now, if you’re looking for a solution you probably have realized that it’s not a simple question that could be answered with left/right.
I mean, it could.
But coming to that conclusion isn’t that easy.
Nevertheless, let’s discuss a few points that can help you make the decision, shall we?
Ease of Use
Watching the time
One of the fundamental functions of a watch is to check the time. And if you’re not comfortable being able to check the time whenever you feel like it, that precious watch on your wrist serves almost no purpose.
For example, I tend to check the time most frequently during my exams. Since I write with my right hand, it’s very hard to turn the wrist and check the time while writing. This is why I prefer wearing the watch on my left hand.
In addition, I’ve tried wearing it on the right (just because I can!), and even though it doesn’t feel uncomfortable wearing it, checking the time is very much so!
Using watch functions
Changing the time or date in a watch means turning the watch crown up or down to set it correctly. Nowadays, watches are not limited to time telling only. There are lots of stuff that a watch can do besides telling time.
And since most watches have the crown on the right side beside the number 3, trust me when I tell you that it's not comfortable at all. It feels very out of place and imbalanced when you try to operate the crown.
I used one of my chronograph watches from FOSSIL for the ‘left-handed’ experiment, and it was really difficult to turn the crown/push the buttons. Arguably, you won't need to ‘set’ the time/date often, but nowadays there are so many additional functions that may compel its user to press the buttons more frequently.
One of my friends prefers to wear his watch on the right hand despite being a right-handed person. Since he uses a CASIO G-shock, he’s used to pushing the buttons like that.
However, if you possess an analog watch or any kind of watch with a crown, it will surely be a bit of a hassle at the least!
Comfort
This should be THE most important factor you should be considering before deciding which wrist deserves to bejeweled with your precious timepiece.
I feel comfortable in every aspect of wearing the watch on my left hand. It just feels very properly placed, and it’s not only easier to watch the time but also to use the crown/buttons.
On the other ‘hand’ (yes, this was intentional), my wife is a lefty and she prefers to wear her watch on the right hand. She uses pretty simple basic analog watches so the buttons are not used very frequently. However, I think she’s probably more concerned about how the watch looks on her hand or matches her dress rather than the features it provides.
Moreover, she even wears her nose pin on the right side of her nose whereas most people wear it on the left. So, I think these stuff depend significantly on you being left-handed/right-handed.
To sum it up, this should cover the aspects required to help you decide which wrist your watch should go on.
There’s another small question that we ended up finding during our research. And that is-
Is there any psychology of wearing a watch on the right hand or left hand?
I have seen several people saying lots of things. Frankly, a lot of them don’t even make sense. I mean, wearing a watch on your right hand could mean you’re absent-minded.
That’s a load of crap if you ask me. So, we figured that without explaining this question or concern any further you should get to know the answer.
And, the answer is NO! There is no psychology behind a user’s decision to wear a watch on his right hand.
If anyone is telling you otherwise, ignore that.
Additionally, if you're interested to know how to properly wear your watch, feel free to check this video out!
Which hand does a watch go on: Our Conclusion
Now you know one of the best solutions regarding the simple yet confusing question that keeps bothering us every day. So, what's next?
Try your watch on both wrists before deciding if you wish to. If you agree with our ideology, then feel free to follow our recommendation. (We'd be honored!)
If not, wear your watch however you feel comfortable. Because at the end of the day, that’s what matters!
