Wearing a pocket watch sans waistcoat

[RB51]

A bit of a deviation on this thread, if Macman will permit, but is there any convention on the wearing of a pocket watch with a waistcoat? In some pictures I've noticed that the chain only loops from the button hole to one side of the waistcoat, and at other times it starts in one pocket, loops through the button hole and then onto the other side. And pardon my ignorance, but what are the fobs for? Are they usually purely decorative, or might they have some meaning to the wearer?

Thanks for any enlightenment.

Laurie

[Jock Scot]

A bit of a deviation on this thread, if Macman will permit, but is there any convention on the wearing of a pocket watch with a waistcoat? In some pictures I've noticed that the chain only loops from the button hole to one side of the waistcoat, and at other times it starts in one pocket, loops through the button hole and then onto the other side. And pardon my ignorance, but what are the fobs for? Are they usually purely decorative, or might they have some meaning to the wearer?

Thanks for any enlightenment.

Laurie

Right then I am no expert on watch chains other than I have seen more than a few. If you regard the "T" bar as probably the normal fixing, there are others, you can have a single chain and fob, a double chain with or without a fob and generally they are known this side of the Atlantic as "Albert"(named after Prince Albert I think) chains. With the double Albert you will have your watch on one side and often a semi precious stone with perhaps with your crest, seal engraved on the other side,T bar in the middle. There is also just a chain that goes from left pocket to right pocket in a loop,not sure what they are called.

The fob could be a seal stone, a "piece of eight", gold sovereign, medal for winning a golf match, coin holder, hand lens, compass and all manner of little personal trinkets.

[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.

[Jock Scot]

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!