# right handedness and wristwatches **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 19, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974 "2000-08-19T16:46:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/1 "2000-08-19T16:46:36Z")
…or left handedness, for that matter. Why do we wear our wristwatch “on the opposite side”. Is it purely for convenience’s sake (i.e. the wristwatch would get in the way if you were writing, for example)? But then again, wouldn’t the same apply to other pieces of jewelry like bracelets, for instance? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/2 "2000-08-19T16:51:14Z")
So while you’re busy looking like you’re taking notes at a meeting you can kinda check the time to see if it’s time to leave yet…😃 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/3 "2000-08-19T16:55:27Z")
anything worn on your secondary wrist is less likely to get hit and damaged. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/4 "2000-08-19T17:23:37Z")
So what about us freaks (me, for one) who wear the watch on the primary arm? I think it’s just because most people always wear their watch on the left, so I did; even though I’m left-handed… ---
**Author:** ![fredicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/779978/32.png) [@fredicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fredicus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/5 "2000-08-19T17:33:06Z")
I rarely wear a watch, but when I have it’s always been on my right wrist, even though I’m right handed. [slight hijack] Is a reasonable sense of time so very rare ? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/6 "2000-08-19T18:20:49Z")
Back when watches had to be wound daily, the left-hand location made winding easier (for a rightie.) A few digital watches ago, I developed a rash under my watchband. I switched to my right wrist, and I’ve worn it there ever since. I was once told that the chi energy flows much better with the watch on the right. I have no opinion about that. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/7 "2000-08-19T18:51:10Z")
This answer only makes sense for watches with belt-buckle style closures, but that being said, it could have to do with the need for a fair amount of coordination needed in putting the watch on. I for one am so completely right-body dominant that I can’t imagine trying to put my watch on my right hand because I just know it would take my pathetic T. rex-quality left hand fifteen minutes to accomplish the feat. I have to say I disagree with **sailor** ’s statement that “anything worn on your secondary wrist is less likely to get hit and damaged” at least in the universal nature of his assertion. My dominant wrist is attached to my dominant hand and arm (respectively) and as such tends to be the one I have the most control over. If, say for instance, I am about to fall off a ladder, my dominant arm will be the one with which I try to gain purchase while my nondominant arm will be the one tending to flail about in an effort to maintain balance, and thus more at risk of randomly slapping into something. My $0.02. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/8 "2000-08-19T19:25:18Z")
My watch migrates from wrist to wrist depending on my whim or activity. Flying or on the motorcycle I wear it on the left because the left arm is the free arm. If I’m not doing anything that “requires” it to be on my left wrist, my watch has an equal chance of being on either wrist. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/9 "2000-08-19T19:34:16Z")
The watch is on the left wrist so you can adjust it with your right hand. It really isn’t that complex. Heck, it still applies to digital watches. ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/10 "2000-08-19T20:39:08Z")
I’ll join the freak club – I am right handed, and I wear my watch on my right forearm ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/11 "2000-08-19T20:41:55Z")
I’m lefthanded and I wear it on my right arm, solely because it’s uncomfortable to write or operate things with it in the way. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/12 "2000-08-19T21:32:09Z")
\>\> Back when watches had to be wound daily, the left-hand location made winding easier AskNott, has it ocurred to you that watches are made like that _because_ they were worn on the left and not the other way around? If people preferred wearing their watches on their right wrist, the winding knob would be on the other side. It is much easier to put on a watch on your secondary wrist because you can use your primary hand. Most people are right handed. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/13 "2000-08-19T21:36:21Z")
Lots of interesting answers. Thanks gang. I found it odd that some of you would switch: I thought this was more of a permanent thing. Also be interested to hear from ambidextrous people. ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/14 "2000-08-20T04:14:16Z")
I wear my watch on my right wrist, and I’m left handed. It’s a digital watch, and I can’t press the buttons with my right hand. Kind of that T-Rex dexterity KneadtoKnow mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/15 "2000-08-20T19:21:33Z")
I’m a lefty. I used to wear my watch on my left wrist, but it got banged up and scratched from bumping into things. So now I wear my watch on my right (secondary) wrist, and there’s hardly a scratch on it. ---
**Author:** ![barflyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@barflyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barflyer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/16 "2000-08-20T21:29:07Z")
I put my watch on either wrist, and often change it. I originally did this when I worked outside, and didn’t want a freak white line on one arm, that would look dumb when I went swimming. Now I switch just because I don’t like the feel of the watch all the time. I’ll also switch my wallet, glasses and keys to alternate pockets. Note, I am strictly right handed, and became helpless when I’ve sprained a right finger playing volleyball. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/17 "2000-08-20T22:41:38Z")
I’m right-handed and normally have my watch on that wrist. I also have some problems with the watch irritating my wrist, mainly if my wrist gets wet. When that happens, I either take my watch of or switch to the left wrist until the irritation clears up. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/18 "2000-08-20T23:17:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Am I the only “switch-wrister” ? Nope. > [@](#): > > my watch has an equal chance of being on either wrist. ---
**Author:** ![TampaFlyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@TampaFlyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TampaFlyer)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/19 "2000-08-21T21:41:37Z")
If a guy wears his watch on his primary hand, it could get all sticky when he “entertains” himself. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974/20 "2000-08-21T21:52:11Z")
If you wear your watch on your right wrist, it means you are gay. You flamer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handedness-and-wristwatches/29974.md?page=2)