Are cell phones the new pocket watch?

[Dread Scott]

If you use a wristwatch, then you can surreptitiously check the time in meetings, classes, conversations, and - if careful- no one is the wiser. Not so with a cell. Of course, with a cell many traditional manners fall by the wayside.

Of course, I have a cell... but I use it for calls almost exclusively. I've also taken to often leaving it in the car - I don't really need/want to be getting calls all the time. Most everything can wait until I check messages.

Daily, I wear a pocket watch (you have to be a little subtler with this than a wristwacth for secret time- checking), and occasionally wear a wristwatch.

I have noticed a distinct trend for using cells for everything, especially by college age folks and younger.

 

[MPicciotto]

I carried a cell phone around the college campus (Being on call for work) and was the ONLY student with a cell phone at the time. So I was considered important, or a big cheese or something and everybody gave some form of respect for me because of that phone. Now that they are common when I return to college next spring I suppose I'll have to be sporting a decent fedora and some respectable clothing if I hope to gain any respect. Ah such is the life of a lounger...

Matt

 

[Edward]

I use the phone for time only if I don't have my watch on, which is rare. Actually, I spend all day in front of a computer screen, so I mostly follow time by the clock on there...

I'm not a fan of using the phone as a repalcement for the watch - as has already been said, when it's buried in my pocket, I don't want to be faffing after it.....

A while back, I stopped wearing my last quartz watch.... I now have about five or so wrist-watches that I wear regularly. One 60s timex, one early 2000s Vostok; the others are various fakes that I picked up in China. All automatic movement. The Chinese fakes are actually lovely watches: I picked them up as equivalent in quality to watches at maybe GBP40 for less than a third of that (strong pound, always good when on holiday!), and as watches I genuinely like for their own sake - the brand name printed on them was incidental (FWIW, a couple of less-blingy Rolex styles, an IWC, an Omega, and a German make I've never heard of, but is a beautiful watch). I have my eye on a few more watches, mostly Russian-made, by Vostok and the likes. Lovely, quality watches without the big price tag.

Also eventually going to buy a couple of pocket watches for full formal wear. Ironically, I already have vintage chains, but not the watches!

 

[Ace Fedora]

I'm another of the guilty ones, although I stopped wearing a wristwatch before getting a cell phone-with-easy-time-display. I didn't like the tan lines on my wrist, plus I have some circulation problems, which occasionally cause my hands and wrists to swell up -- can get painful with a strap, especially those that don't adjust easily.

I sometimes carry a pocket watch, unfortunately it makes me look like I'm carrying a chain wallet.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Deep dark confession time..

I use my cell as a watch....

I have a brain issue with telling time...I had a very difficult time learning to tell the time on a handed clock. I can -do- it...but it still to this day takes concentration when its not something -obvious- like on the hour times...

So using a digital clock is just -more efficient and easier- for me...when possible.

It is probably related somehow to my inability to learn times tables by rote memorization as well....


D...the numerically impaired computer geek

 

[Roadrunner]

That's what I do. I can't wear anything on my wrist, it drives me crazy.

 

[Miss Sis]

Lost my watch a few years ago and have never bothered replacing it. Just use my mobile.

The BF has promised to buy me a vintage wristwatch when I find one I like. But I am extremely picky and haven't found one yet. Also he wants it to be a good brand so it is an investment and that makes it even harder to decide!

I still probably wouldn't wear it everyday though as I wouldn't want to damage it. (At the moment I work mainly with children of Pre-school age and they can be a bit rough on things)

 

[megagene]

Definitely in my case. I never wear a watch. I've used my phone as a clock for several years now.

 

[KY Gentleman]

I can't stand cell phones but I am never without mine. I do use it as a pocketwatch only because it eliminates having to carry yet another item with me.

 

[Doh!]

I was in a Starbucks last week, and a woman in her 30s asked me the time. I was wearing a watch like I always do so it was no trouble at all. However, I thought it was odd that she didn't at least have a cell phone which would have given her the time.

Bottom line: I always wear a watch so never use my cell as a timepiece.

 

[Maguire]

I find myself using my cellphone to adjust the time on my pocketwatch constantly. Sometimes i'll take out my watch, attempt to read the roman numeral and with the other hand take out the cellphone to read the time there. I don't know why i do both but its like an automatic response. go figure. I'll stick to wearing a pocketwatch regardless, but as far as being useful, cellphones are replacing everything it seems.

 

[RitaHayworth]

I have several friends that have stopped wearing watches and when ever they want the time, they pull their cell phones out. Am I the only one who has noticed this trend? Cell phones have almost replaced everything else from cameras to desk top computers so I guess why not the good old wrist watch.

Im guilty of this too....I have stopped wearing a watch and use my phone if I need to know the time, now it feels strange wearing a watch.

 

[HamletJSD]

I wear the wrist watch only if I happen to stumble across it while getting ready to go out ...

In stark contrast, should you ever see fit to part me from my iPhone, you're going to have to pry it "from my cold, dead hands" ...

 

[DerMann]

Another thing that bothers me about the use of cell phones as watches is that they're all off by a little bit, which means that most people are on different schedules. People assume that they're getting time from "SUPER ACCURATE TIME SATELLITES" and thus never correct their phones.

My pocket watch keeps excellent time, and I have it set about five minutes faster than my college's clock tower. I'll hopefully never be late for class.

 

[MPicciotto]

As my parents, my wife, my co-workers, and the vast majority of my friends all use the same network I do all of our phones give us the same time.

Matt

 

[David V]

I ride into work on the train everyday.It's the local so only a few of the people at each staion will get on. I sit on the upper level and read the paper, occasinally glancing out the window. One day we pull into a station and I look out at the folks waiting for the express. There is one fellow reading a paper. He looks up at the train, reaches into his pocket and take out his cellphone and looks at it. Sees that it is not time for the express. Puts the cell back in his pocket and returns to reading the paper. He was wearing a wrist watch.

I always carry my phone but only turn it on to make a call.

 

[RIOT]

Would it be an exception if you downloaded the 'Luxury Timepiece' App on the iPhone?

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I was just thinking how clever the premise of this thread is and what a great way to interpret how a modern phenomenon is seen by vintage enthusiasts.
Very well done!

 

[Bassman]

I do use my cell phone as a watch and use it as a phone only when absolutely neccessary, usually ignoring its vibrations.

 

[Darhling]

No, I almost always wear a watch, so much so I got a permanent watch tanline. To me, to compare a watch to a cellphone is to compare a beautiful dress with a hospital gown. Two very different items that is meant for also two very different things but still covers the body. Not comparable in my humble opinion.