How pocket watches got cool again, from ‘watchtok’ to Peaky Blinders – first invented in 1510 and treasured by James Dean, pocket-sized timepieces on a chain (still) make great conversation starters

Oct 18, 2023

When everyone has a smartphone anyway, why not make your watch a real conversation starter? From vintage gangster movies to the #pocketwatch TikTok trend, nothing quite says suave like a dial on a chain, as evidenced in this Hamilton model. Photo: Handout

The Horological Society of New York staged an exhibition of pocket watches this summer, while a vintage piece by British watchmaker Roger W. Smith recently sold for a cool US$4.9 million

When everyone has a smartphone anyway, a watch primarily serves as a marker of style – and from vintage gangster movies to the #pocketwatch TikTok trend, nothing quite says suave like a dial on a chain

Earlier this year the Horological Society of New York staged “Pocket Genius”, an exhibition spotlighting over 50 pocket watches. The pieces on display spanned from the 1690s – when they were mounted on a chain or leather fob and worn inside a waistcoat pocket – to contemporary classics of the 1990s.

In June this year, a pocket watch handmade by British watchmaker Roger W. Smith, a man of such stature in horological circles he’s known to leave enthusiasts starstuck, sold at auction by Phillips for a cool US$4.9 million.

A Breguet pocket watch from the exhibition “Pocket Genius” at the Horological Society of New York. Photo: Handout