Pocket Watches with PC

[TNScotsman]

So I'm looking forward to celebrating Christmas Eve service and dinner after in PC this year as it's the first Christmas I have the outfit. The church service is in the evening, and while people don't wear tuxedos, there is a long history of PC being worn to the service by several members so I'm in line with accepted practice for the event. I wore the kilt with an Argyll jacket and waistcoat last year and got several compliments on being kilted, it's a great group of people.

I'm curious about thoughts on the wearing of a pocket watch with PC. While it's generally ignored today, the very traditional view is that you never wear a wristwatch with black tie. For a pocket watch, I've seen discussions that it should be entirely concealed, but others feel it's OK for the chain to be draped from a button hole on the waistcoat. What are the thoughts of my fellow XMarkers?

[Holcombe Thomas]

I wear a pocket watch with a PC and don't worry much about the old rule of not wearing watches with formal attire. I don't wear suits to work nowadays and thus have little opportunity to wear the pocket watch unless for the rare formal occasion. (FWIW, I also wear the pocket watch if wearing a tuxedo.)

Holcombe

[Steve Ashton]

I'm one of those who do not wear a timepiece of any sort with Black Tie.

It seems that those who do wear a pocket watch do not wear it to tell the time but to show off their watch chain and fob. I used to wear a watch chain but these days try to keep Black Tie as simple and elegant as possible so pare down the accessories as much as I can.

[TNScotsman]

I'm one of those who do not wear a timepiece of any sort with Black Tie.

It seems that those who do wear a pocket watch do not wear it to tell the time but to show off their watch chain and fob. I used to wear a watch chain but these days try to keep Black Tie as simple and elegant as possible so pare down the accessories as much as I can.

I'm certainly leaning towards keeping my watch discreetly tucked into a pocket and not showing off the chain. Personally I don't mind the look of a nice chain, but at the wedding I was in wearing PC I kept a watch with fob tucked into my waistcoat pocket and not showing. In that case I needed a watch as the best man, if only to confirm how late things were running while we waited to be called for the start!

[Father Bill]

I've never worried about wearing a watch with any variation. It's normally covered by my shirt cuff (a lot of guys wear too short a shirtsleeve) but I won't wear any watch that might be considered 'gaudy', and with more formal or traditional wear, I use a simple watch with a dark wristband. Thus, it's out of sight most of the time, and if it does peek out, it's unlikely to be noticed.

[PiperPadre]

I'm certainly leaning towards keeping my watch discreetly tucked into a pocket and not showing off the chain. Personally I don't mind the look of a nice chain, but at the wedding I was in wearing PC I kept a watch with fob tucked into my waistcoat pocket and not showing. In that case I needed a watch as the best man, if only to confirm how late things were running while we waited to be called for the start!

Agreed. There are discreet ways to wear and use it. I only use pocket watches - and for varied reasons. The wrist band or watch, no matter the material, always ends up creating a bad reaction on my skin. Also, I don't like to look at my phone more than necessary and therefore don't want it to be my watch.

I always need a watch for my solo pipe competition times and use it liberally with with my tweed waistcoat.

[CameronCat]

>> ...No watch with evening clothes rule is an entirely new one to me...

-- As it is to me. Although I have no horse in this race, I wonder if, by extension, "society" has decreed that
cell phones (mobiles) are not to be present when wearing formal attire.

[Panache]

I'm one of those who do not wear a timepiece of any sort with Black Tie.

It seems that those who do wear a pocket watch do not wear it to tell the time but to show off their watch chain and fob. I used to wear a watch chain but these days try to keep Black Tie as simple and elegant as possible so pare down the accessories as much as I can.

I agree with Steve.

At a formal event, unless you are an organizer, why do you need a timepiece? The presence of one sort of indicates there are other things you have to do instead of being in the moment of the formal event.

Cheers

Jamie

[BadenochWolf]

At a formal event, unless you are an organizer, why do you need a timepiece? The presence of one sort of indicates there are other things you have to do instead of being in the moment of the formal event.

Hear, hear!

[Troglodyte]

The trouble with evening waistcoats, is that they are cut lower on the breast and higher at the waist than their day-time cousins, and so there is limited space to hang a watch-chain with the desired degree of panache.

My pictures show some options with both a single- and double-breasted waistcoat, and with single- and double-strand chains.

They illustrate how a long single strand chain can be looped around one of the buttons for security while forming a pleasing drape that echoes that of the sporran chain, and draping from pocket to pocket without the loop.

Another option is the double-strand chain which is held in place by a T-bar passed through a suitable button-hole, and this allows for a decorative fob or medallion, but these really require more frontage than an evening waistcoat provides.

The shorter, single-strand chain of graduated links, is probably the simplest and best option as the reduced amount of chain is easier to accommodate and it is more discrete.

There was a time when watch-chains were readily available specifically for evening use, and these tended to be much finer and with ornate links - and on a white waistcoat with white tie and tails, these can look superb. But with Highland dress, which tends to be bolder and sturdier than other kinds, a watch-chain that is in balance with the rest of the outfit and that tones with the buttons is probably the best choice.

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