Jewelry Diamonds And Gems

Who says the pocket watch has gone out of style? There’s a reason it will always be among the cool gifts for men, and the reason is this: it’s appeal is universal and timeless. Proof of this is the fact that online stores continue to sell pocket watches and personalized pocket watch accessories alongside with more contemporary items, such as personalized coaster sets and computer briefcases.

Fobs in Fiction

Then again, the pocket watch never really left consumer consciousness. While now largely supplanted by the more convenient wristwatch, it remains an important part of pop culture. In fact, it is frequently given starring roles in fiction. For example, O. Henry’s short story The Gift of the Magi spins around a pocket watch and the chain for it. In the American Sci-Fi TV series Voyagers, the time travel device known as the Omni is disguised as a pocket watch. In Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice trails after the White Rabbit after she sees it fish a pocket watch out of its waistcoat pocket. Meanwhile, a pocket watch with a musical tone serves as an essential plot device in the film Life. The same purpose is served by the pocket watch in Robert Bloch’s short story, That Hell-Bound Train. And what of various hypnotism scenes in film? Many of these scenes employ the use of a pocket watch to induce a trance. The watch is swung back and forth, this way and that, until the subject closes his eyes.

No White Elephant

Undeniably, the pocket watch is a crucial staple of literature, if not of fashion. In some countries, even, the pocket watch is not only a timepiece, it is a cultural symbol. Employees who retire are given the traditional gift of a gold-plated pocket watch. That the little pocket watch could be so celebrated is not surprising, though. In railroad-dependent days of yore, pocket watches were required equipment for all railroad workers. They helped prevent the occurrence of train wrecks and other accidents. In other words, these little timepieces not only helped people keep track of time, they saved lives and industries as well!

So, who says the pocket watch has become obsolete?