What Hand Do You Wear a Watch On?

what hand do you wear a watch on

What hand do you wear a watch on? You have finally bought that important watch you’ve admired online for a long time, but what hand do you wear a watch on?

As you know, we all grew up believing certain things to be indispensable and we accepted them as normal in our society. There are some rules of social acceptability like proper dress etiquette, impeccable habits, and speech eloquence that we all have to conform our life to.

We have all come to believe that most of these rules were cast in stone with society having high expectations which have left us no choice but to accept them as the final way of life. Anyone who dared challenge them was viewed as a rebel.

And today, one of those rules is wearing a watch.

Currently, there have been questions about what hand do you wear a watch on. However, the fashion industry has the belief that the left hand is the perfect hand for us to wear our watch.

So this article will explain why, how, and every other thing you need to know about wearing your watch.

What Hand Does a Watch Go On for a Man?

Mens Watches Ultra-Thin Minimalist Waterproof-Fashion Wrist Watch for Men Unisex Dress with Stainless Steel Mesh Band-Red Hands
Source: Amazon

If you think you know the answer to the question, “what hand does a watch go on for a man” then you should think again. This is because there’s no right or wrong answer.

It all depends on which hand is the person’s dominant hand.

So to simplify it better, a man should wear their watch in their non-dominant hand. This means that if your dominant hand is the right hand, you should wear your watch on your left wrist.

And if you’re a left-handed man, then you should wear your watches on your right wrists.

Since most people are right-handed, wearing a watch on the left hand became the norm. But why left wrist. This is because most watches are designed to be worn on the left wrist.

However, the reason for the left wrist will be discussed later.

What Hand Does a Watch Go On for a Woman?

Ladies Black Automatic Watches for Women Elegant Two Tone Gold and Silver Tungsten Steel Band Mechanical Self Winding Wrist Watch with Waterproof Sapphire Crystal Date
Source: Amazon

The ladies are not left out on this. But like the women wear their engagement rings, there is watch-wearing etiquette for them too.

Note that there’s a social rule that said we should wear our watch on our left wrist, even though in fact, we can wear our watch on whichever wrist we prefer. But this rule of wearing a watch on the left wrist has kept us seeing it as the norm.

However, it is believed that around 90% of the world’s population is right-handed. This makes it even more logical to wear a watch on the left wrist.

This has made the buttons on most watches to be on the right-hand side of the watch case.

Remember that right-handed women make use of their right hand more, especially while handling domestic duties. So for women to wear a watch on the right wrist could be cumbersome for them.

However, left-handed women can still wear their watch on their right wrist, as long as the left hand is their dominant hand.

Why Wear Watches On Your Left Hand?

Timex Dress Watch and Timex Men's Standard Chronograph 41mm Watch
Timex Standard Chronograph Watch | Source: Amazon

One of the key reasons why wearing watches on the left hand has become the norm is that most of us are right-handed, and we tend to use our dominant hand more. Remember that it is easier to accidentally scratch or break our watch whenever we wear it in our right hand.

Note that if you’re a right-handed person and you wear your watch in your right hand, there’s a possibility that your watch may get in the way. It may even be harder to twist your wrist.

Your watch will sit uncomfortably as you perform your tasks using your right hand.

What Hand Does Your Apple Watch Go On?

SNBLK Compatible with Apple Watch Band 38mm 40mm 41mm 42mm 44mm 45mm, Bling Bracelet Stainless Steel Metal Wrist Strap Compatible for iWatch Series 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 SE Women, 38mm/40mm/41mm, Silver
SNBLK Strap for Apple Watch Band | Source: Amazon

Just as you wonder what hand you wear a watch on, that’s how lots of people ask “what hand does your apple watch go on”?

When it comes to Apple watches, they are set up by default to be worn on the left wrist. But this can be changed in settings that is if you prefer it on your other wrist.

Note that Apple watches don’t need to be told which your dominant hand is.

In case you want to do this, follow the steps:

  • Just go on the watch app
  • Then tap on general
  • Next is to tap on watch orientation, you will see the options of changing the wrist. You can choose whether the digital crown should be on the right of the watch or the left side.

But note that the proper wrist to wear your watch on is your non-dominant hand, in your case your left hand. However, Apple always advertises its Apple Watches with the digital crown placed to the right.

So I would advise you to wear your Apple Watch on your left arm with the buttons facing to the right side.

Is it OK to Wear a Watch On Your Right Hand?

We all know that there’s a whole lot of weirdness when talking about whether to wear a watch on the right hand, it says something about your sexuality. It also comes up when you wear almost every piece of jewelry uncommonly.

People will start feeling that you’re gay, and when you wear it in the usual way, then it means you’re straight.

What the heck! Some people think that men shouldn’t wear any jewelry besides a watch! However, there’s nothing to this belief.

My advice is that if you’re left-handed, then wear your watch in your right hand. But if you’re a right-handed person, then wear your watch on your left.

Doing this will prevent your watch from being damaged while you’re going about your day-to-day activities and make it easier to check the time.

Benefits of Wearing Watch On Right Hand

There are benefits of wearing the watch in the right hand, but these benefits can only be true when you’re left-handed.

Please note that it has become a norm to wear your watch on the left hand because about 90% of the world’s population is right-handed. So to benefit from wearing the watch in your right hand, you must be a left-handed person.

The benefits of wearing the watch in the right hand are simple, it helps in protecting the watch from getting damaged if you’re a left-handed person. This is because you’ll be using your dominant hand (left hand) for more activities, so wearing a watch on the same wrist would put it in danger of getting chipped, scratched, and tarnished.

Why Ladies Wear Watch On Right Hand?

Fossil Women's Georgia Quartz Stainless Steel and Leather Three-Hand Watch, Color: Rose Gold, Grey (Model: ES3077)
Fossil Women’s Georgia Quartz Watch | Source: Amazon

There are reasons why ladies wear watches on the right hand, even though watches were designed to be worn on the left-hand. Sometimes at parties, ladies wear their watch on their right wrist as a fashion.

Most ladies wear watches as a symbol of sophistication and class. While some wear it as a fashion statement.

Watches help in telling them time accurately, which is an important factor for women to manage their time.

However, below are 9 reasons why ladies wear watches in their right hand.

1. It is a fashion statement

2. It is a symbol of sophistication and class

3. It keeps track of time and data

4. It is an investment for them

5. It is more convenient for them while driving

6. It gives them a versatile look

7. They can easily read the time

8. It is easier for them to adjust the watch knob

9. It Prevents Damage

Psychology of Wearing Watch On Right Hand

BUREI Men's Fashion Minimalist Wrist Watch Analog Date with Stainless Steel Mesh Band (Gold Dark Black)
Source: Amazon

A lot of people believe that there’s a Psychological effect in wearing the watch in the right hand. Some feel weird seeing a man with a watch on their right hand, as they label him as a ‘weak’ or ‘lady-like’ kind of man.

But note that it is more about personality than gender. When you are seen wearing a watch on your right hand, especially as a man, people might take you for being gay.

Some might think that you’re absent-minded since it has become a norm to wear theirs on the left, so they may think you don’t take your time to dress. They think you’re always in a hurry and don’t know which hand is appropriate for you.

Conclusion

So what hand do you wear a watch on? As for me, you don’t need to follow the norm of wearing your watch on the left wrist, whether you are a left or right-handed person.

The important is that you feel good wearing it. Remember that the non-dominant hand for most people is the left-hand side since lots of people are right-handed.

Since we grew up seeing people wearing their watches in their left hand, it has led us to believe that wristwatches are supposed to be worn in the left hand. So in case you want to go out wearing your wristwatch, ensure you feel free to wear it comfortably on your non-dominant hand whether it is your left or right hand.

You can also join some world-class celebrities like Justin Bieber and David Beckham, who wear their watches on their right wrist.

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