Wearing a pocket watch sans waistcoat

**kiltimabar** · 27th October 09, 04:02 PM

At one time the key for winding the watch was hung from the short chain instead of a fob, that is, when watches needed keys to wind them. There still are "keys" made as fobs purely for decoration, such as Phi Beta Kappa keys.

**Jock Scot** · 27th October 09, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by kiltimabar

At one time the key for winding the watch was hung from the short chain instead of a fob, that is, when watches needed keys to wind them. There still are "keys" made as fobs purely for decoration, such as Phi Beta Kappa keys.

Quite right, how could I forget the watch key!

**McMurdo** · 27th October 09, 01:56 PM

There are different chains some would not be long enough to go from one to another so they would go from the button hole. The fob on my pocket watch chain is simply the one that came with it, however there are others with meaning.

**Macman** · 27th October 09, 04:10 PM

My fob is a 1981 silver dollar, which is the year my mom gave my dad the watch. It's also my daughter's birth year.

**Jack Daw** · 28th October 09, 08:27 AM

About 2 weeks ago I won a bid on eBay for a "double Albert" pocket watch chain with fob. I hope it will be in the mailbox when I get home this weekend.

**Friday** · 29th October 09, 11:12 AM

Could you wear the watch in the top of your hose in place of the Sgain?

**Ian.MacAllan** · 29th October 09, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by Friday

Could you wear the watch in the top of your hose in place of the Sgain?

Sure you can, if you don't mind losing it. A couple weeks ago I lost a very nice little knife that I was wearing in my hose top; the garter broke without my noticing it in time.

I think a short fob is intended mainly just to give you a good grip on the watch, and elaborations on it are mainly decorations.

My father had a gold watch and chain and a gold (plated) pen knife which he used to anchor the remote end of the chain in an opposite waistcoat pocket. The watch did not survive him but I have the chain and knife.

.

**Strings** · 29th October 09, 09:53 PM

Ian is absolutely right...

A sgian is easy to "anchor" in a stocking: it's fairly light (I have heavier pocket knives), and elongated. A pocket watch, round and heavy, would be almost impossible to keep in the stocking...

I used to occasionally stick my Zippo in my stocking, and it would tend to pop out as well...

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 30th October 09, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Friday

Could you wear the watch in the top of your hose in place of the Sgain?

probably the worst thing you could do to your watch. Look at the blade of an older sgian dubh some time. See all that rust damage? That's what will happen to the innards of your watch if kept tucked in the top of your hose.

**macwilkin** · 30th October 09, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by MacMillan of Rathdown

probably the worst thing you could do to your watch. Look at the blade of an older sgian dubh some time. See all that rust damage? That's what will happen to the innards of your watch if kept tucked in the top of your hose.

Besides the fact that it isn't really a pratical place to keep something you need to look at on a regular basis.

T.