Wearing a pocket watch sans waistcoat

[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.

[Macman]

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.

[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!

[Jack Daw]

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]

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

[Ian.MacAllan]

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]

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]

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]

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.