PRACTICAL OR FASHIONABLE
BY KITTY CRINO ILLUSTRATION BY MIA PISHOTTI
From sundials and water clocks developed by ancient Egyptians to the invention of portable spring clocks in the 15th century to the creation of a time-telling mechanism so small one can wear it on a wristband, the evolution of watches is a fascinating one to follow, and it still continues. Just 40 years ago, people were lining the streets outside of shops waiting to get their hands on the latest Casio digital wristwatch; today, rather than being seen as a necessity to tell time on the go, watches have grown to dominate the technology and luxury jewelry industries and are more commonly worn for their data tracking abilities or simply as a fashionable accessory. This shift in utility is likely a result of the invention of the cell phone, as many have become accustomed to checking their phones to tell the time, adults and children alike. However, watches are not yet obsolete.
One thing is for certain: there is a watch for anyone. No matter their age, gender, or financial standpoint, different watches hold different purposes for people worldwide. University students utilize digital watches to effectively time their lab procedures…and to count down the seconds until that 90-minute lecture is finally over. Athletes utilize Apple watches to track their every movement—from monitoring one’s heart rate, to counting calories burned, to running speed, to laps swam. Modern-day rappers utilize diamond faced watches to showcase how much disposable income they have made through their music. Though younger generations may only wear a watch because it has their favorite characters on it, older generations may wear a watch to add a sophisticated, eye-catching accessory to their ensemble.
Lily Millwater, a fourth year student studying fashion merchandising at Ohio University, just recently bought her first watch, and it is nothing short of marvelous: a vintage, silver metal, round-faced watch with pink gems adorning the band. Millwater purchased this piece for only $8 at her local thrift store in an effort to complete her vintage silver jewelry collection, and it was exactly what she had been looking for.
“I really like old jewelry, like from the ‘60s and ‘70s; all of my rings are really old. And I also just felt like my wrists were really bare. I always wear the same necklace everyday and the same rings, and I didn’t have anything for my wrists,” she said. “I am only wearing it for aesthetics. It doesn’t work. It doesn’t have a battery so it doesn’t tell time, but I think it’s really cute.”
One of the most intriguing aspects of the evolution of watches has been the concept of a heightened status being tied to the heavily embellished watches we see public figures flaunt on the internet. Millwater believes some people can pull off a very specific aesthetic, sporting luxury watch brands such as Rolex or Patek, but she ultimately prefers the concept of a high-end digital watch because luxury watch brands tend to look “flashy and gaudy.”
However, everyone can have their own individualized style that watches can fit into in varying ways, said Mijeong Noh, a tenured retail and fashion merchandising and consumer sciences professor at Ohio University.
“Even though high-end luxury items could easily be perceived as nothing more than expensive items that are used to show off status, many customers also continue to shop at those places because these brands invest a lot of time and effort into ensuring that their items are of high quality and utilitarian,” Noh said.
Noh said she owns several watches varying in design and purpose. Beside a watch’s obvious use for staying on schedule, Noh has a few specific pieces she employs to dress up an outfit for special occasions or professional events.
“I think everyone has a different outlook on what purpose(s) fashion serves in people's lives,” Noh said. “Some people use fashion as an outlet for self expression while others may prioritize utility over anything else.”
