What Side Do Men Wear Watches? – Atlas Watches London

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Since the wrist watch’s popular emergence during World War 1, men have been asking themselves the all important question…What side do men wear watches? Some men insist it’s the left side, others the right and some even switch between the two. This article discusses the difference in opinions, including our own, and why some people prefer the left or right.

Left Side

It’s clearly apparent that as a general rule of thumb most people, including myself, wear their watch on the left hand wrist and therefore the left hand is generally considered the ‘officially correct’ wrist.

The reason for the popularity of the left side is largely down to your dominant hand. Right-handed people generally wear their watch on the left side as this hand is less used and therefore the watch is less likely to pick up dings and scratches during day to day activities. As about 90% of the population are right-handed it is more common to see left side watches.

As most people are right-handed, most watches have been designed to comfort the non-dominant left hand wrist and as such the crown and crown guards are usually found on the right hand side of the watch for ease of setting and winding.

“I want to wear my watch on my left side but the crown digs into my hand”

If your preference is to wear your watch on your left wrist but find the crown digging in, there’s still options for you! Some brands have developed ‘Destro’ watches that feature the crown and crown guards on the left-hand side. These watches were actually designed for left-handed people to make setting and winding a watch more comfortable when sat on the right wrist however we think that using a Destro watch on your left wrist also comes with many benefits including no more irritating crown digging into your hand.

Right Side

Equally if a man is left handed they tend to wear their watch on the right side for the same reason as above-it’s just easier to wear your watch on your less dominant hand as it’s less likely to pick up dings and scrapes and won’t get in the way of activities such as writing.

“I’m right-handed, can I still wear a watch on my right hand?”

Of course! There’s not really a right or wrong answer. Some people just wear the watch on whatever wrist they feel like that day. Ultimately it just comes down to preference and what makes you feel comfortable. We say just do what feels right.

As mentioned in the left side section, most major watch makers including Rolex, Zenith, Tudor and Heuer offer left-handed friendly models called “Destro” (Italian for right) that feature the crown and crown guards on the left-hand side of the watch making it much more comfortable for right side watch wearers to set and wind the watch.

If you’re in the mood to be flash and want your special piece to be noticed, wearing the watch on the right-hand side is a good shout. With 90% of the population being right-handed, even if you’re a lefty, you’ll be shaking people’s hands and using your right hand more when interacting by default and there’s surely something powerful about shaking someones hand with a mighty fine piece on your wrist.

So… What side do men wear watches?

Men wear watches any side they want! There is no specific side or rule for watch wearing. No need to overthink it. Just be comfortable and enjoy wearing your piece.