Why Wear a Necklace Watch Instead of a Wristwatch?

Why Wear a Necklace Watch Instead of a Wristwatch?

Chloe Z

People choose a necklace watch because they dislike anything on their wrist, already wear plenty of bracelets, or want a watch that works as jewellery. It's slower to read and less suited to water than a wristwatch, so most people treat it as a second watch. If you check the time constantly, keep your wristwatch.

Six good reasons to wear one

1. Your wrist stays free

Some people simply can't get on with a watch against their skin. Metal feels cold, straps feel tight, and the case gets in the way. A pendant solves all of this.

2. Your desk stops being a problem

If you type all day, a watch can rub at the wrist or tap against the desk. With a pendant, nothing touches the keyboard.

3. You've got room for bracelets

If you enjoy a full stack of pearl and gemstone bracelets, a watch has to fight for space and can scratch them. Moving it to your neck ends that problem.

4. You don't need to worry about wrist size

Very slim or larger wrists can be hard to fit. A necklace doesn't care, though you'll want to check the chain length.

5. One piece does two jobs

It finishes an outfit in the way a necklace does, and it tells you the time. The Oval Pendant (£55) has a chunky chain that needs no help from anything else.

6. There's real history behind it

Women wore watches around the neck centuries before the wristwatch caught on. We tell the story in from chatelaine to chain.

Four reasons to stick with a wristwatch

  1. You check the time every few minutes. A glance beats lifting a pendant, especially as the dial looks upside down from above.
  2. You need to read it precisely. Small pendant dials aren't made for timing anything to the second.
  3. You're around water a lot. Only one of our pendants is listed as splash resistant, whereas our Camellia wristwatch is rated to 30 m.
  4. You bend, lift or use machinery. A pendant swings forward and can catch.

The two compared

In daily life Necklace watch Wristwatch
Checking the time Lift, then read Turn your wrist
Getting the fit right Chain length Case and band size
Washing your hands Unaffected Depends on the rating
Showering and swimming Take it off Depends on the rating
Typing No contact Can rub or knock
Bending forward Swings Stays put
Our prices £55 to £65 From £55

A note for nurses and healthcare staff

If you work in healthcare, please take some care. Many NHS trusts ask clinical staff to be bare below the elbows, which rules out a wristwatch, but that doesn't mean a necklace is acceptable. Trust policies, such as Royal Wolverhampton's uniform policy, can treat necklaces as jewellery too, and the rules vary. Check your own trust's policy first. We can't recommend a necklace watch for clinical settings.

You can have both

At these prices, there's no need to choose. Keep a simple wristwatch for working days, and add a pendant for evenings and weekends. A Leather Strap Tank Watch (£55) with a Rectangle Pendant (£55) comes to £110, and two pieces take 10% off automatically, so you'd pay £99.

Try the switch

See all our necklace watches, or read our practical guide to pendant watches.

 

Necklace or wrist: questions

Is a necklace watch less accurate?

Not because of where you wear it. Ours run on quartz, which keeps accurate time.

Is it awkward to read?

A little at first. You lift it and turn it towards you, and a high-contrast dial helps.

Will it get in the way?

It may if you lean forward often. Tuck it inside your top, or choose a slim pendant.

Which pendant should I try first?

The Rectangle. Its slim shape goes with the most clothes.


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