what wrist does a man wear a watch?

A watch is one of the most intimate items a man can own. It’s a timekeeper, but it also reveals a lot about a person. 

Wristwatches have always been a symbol of power, status and prosperity. If you’ve ever worn a watch, then you’re aware of just how much your watch tells people about you. A watch can reveal an untold amount of information about your character—and not just what time it is. It shows whether you’re punctual, reliable, responsible, organized, reliable, adventurous, stylish.

When it comes to which wrist a man wears their watch. The answer for most men is to wear their watch on their non-dominant hand. In most cases, this is the left hand because most of the population (90%) is left-handed.

Which wrist to wear your watch on?

The majority of people wear their watch on their non-dominant hand. More than 90% of the population are right-handed. Most of these people will wear their watch on their left hand.

Wearing your watch on your non-dominant hand helps prevent your watch from getting damaged. If you are using a hammer, for example, this can cause a serious shock to the watch. These types of shocks can damage the movement of your watch in the long run.

Some people do prefer to wear it on their dominant hand. They find it more comfortable and practical. When they are in the middle of a task like wiping their desk down. All it takes is a flick of the wrist and you can see the time.

It’s good to know that this is not a rule and you are free to choose how you want to wear your watch.

Why do men wear Watches on their left hand?

As mentioned above, the left is the non-dominant hand for 90% of people. Most watches are designed for the left. You can tell by looking at the placement of the crown, which can be found beside the number ‘3’ on the watch face.

Wearing your watch on the non-dominant hand helps protect your watch from getting damaged. This is due to the fact that most tasks are done with your dominant hand.

Viewing the time is easier too. When you are using your dominant hand to take calls or write something, with just a flick of the wrist you can see the time.

Some men are in jobs that require physical work like mechanics, builders and drivers. What they do is invert their watch to the inside of the wrist to protect it from getting damaged when doing two-handed work. This can also give easy access to view the time while doing the task.  

Why do men wear Watches on their right hand?

The most probable reason for this will be because they are left-handed and their non-dominant hand is their left hand. The other crowd of people will be the ones that are right-handed and wear it on their right hand. There is nothing wrong with this and it all comes down to your own preference.

I myself am left-handed but wear my watch on my left hand. I have noticed that the watch I take to work is pretty banged up. It can’t be any other reason other than me doing rigorous tasks with my left hand.

They’re some of the opinion that it looks feminine to wear your watch on the right hand. There is no evidence to back these claims.  

What is a left-handed watch?

A Left-handed watch, also known as ‘Destro’ which means right in Italian as it’s worn on the right hand. They have the crown beside the number ‘9’ on the watch face. This is because it is easier to adjust the time when the watch is worn on the right hand. On a right-handed watch, where the crown is beside the number ‘3’, it is almost impossible to change the time if you wear it on your right hand. You will have to take the watch off in order to do this.

The crown of a watch is the cap that goes over the dial and contains all the moving parts. The crown is made of metal, usually steel, and can be a separate piece from the case or it can be part of the case. In some watches, the crown is held in place by a spring-loaded detent. This keeps the crown in place but allows it to rotate freely so that the watch can be read easily.

Left-handed watches don’t have to be worn on the right hand. Some manufacturers specifically design it like this, but to be worn on the left hand. The reason for this is to stop the crown from digging into the back of your hand. 

Major watchmaker brands like Tag Heuer, Tudor, and even Omega make beautifully crafted left-handed watches. If you are after a luxury watch and you are left-handed, There’s no need to worry. The luxury brands do make these watches and there are plenty to choose from.

History of Left-Handed Watches

In 1952, Charlie Chaplain the famous movie star was left-handed and wore a left-handed watch. He ordered a Rolex Oyster From Rolex. At the time, Rolex was not making left-handed watches. This was a custom order and it was specifically made for him. Later on, it was sold at an auction in New York for $51k.

Tag Heuer came out with the Monaco watch which had their first automatic chronograph design. The crown was placed on the left side. It was said that it was very complicated to have the chronograph module, the pushers and the crown all on the same side. To solve this issue they placed the crown on the left side.

The ‘King of cool’ Steve McQueen wore the Tag Heuer Monaco in the 1971 film ‘Le mans’. This design will always have a special connection with Steve McQueen and this film. There were six Heuer Monaco watches, the last of them was sold at an online auction for $2.2 million in 2020. The last time one of the six Heuer Monacos came up for sale at a public auction was in 2012. The watch sold for close to $800k.

In the Tudor Pelagos line, there were many custom orders made for left-handed watches all the way through the seventies. These types of watches gained a lot more popularity and other brands started to make them too. 

Left-handed watches are more focused on being Tool Watches and not like dress watches. They are used day to day for timekeeping functions.