When you’re looking for gifts for men, do you find yourself feeling a little underwhelmed when it comes to choices for something truly personal, something to be kept and treasured for a lifetime? It can be a real challenge to find the perfect gift that speaks to the heart of the person receiving it. Something that symbolizes the occasion and has the ability to evoke special memories many years after it has been received. One gift idea that meets all these criteria is a pocket watch. Pocket watches have long been not only a practical item to own, they have represented the social status and wealth of men – the more ornate, the more jewels used in the internal workings and the more costly the metal, such as gold and silver, the higher the status a man had in society. Pocket watches have also been treasured items being handed down, father to son, father to son for many generations in a family. For this reason pocket watches or fob watches tell stories; stories of the family tree, the lives and loves (or lack thereof) of fathers to sons, whether the family was wealthy or poor and all the memories that are handed down with them.
Nowadays, fob watches are not only heirlooms, they have resurfaced as a popular choice for men to wear at formal occasions and when a vest or waistcoat is worn. They are often given by the bridegroom to his groomsmen as a thank you and a memento of the wedding day. They make a perfect choice as a gift because they can be engraved with dates or a name or message to truly personalize and memorize the occasion. As an accessory, a fob watch not only looks great, it makes for wonderful talking point, whether it is generations old or new to a single owner. And because they now come in so many designs and styles they are worn by every type of personality from the very traditional to the most contemporary of men. The hunter or half hunter style fob watches have a spring loaded cover that closes over and protects the watch face. The designs are often very ornate and can include jewels and ceramic artwork as well as plainer designs for someone more conservative in their taste. Numerals can be plain or roman and open face fob watches have no cover.
A little more on pocket watches:
These delightful time pieces date back to the 16th century when a German inventor, Peter Henlein, developed a time piece using the engineering invention of mainspring rather than weights as the source of power. They quickly gained popularity and spread throughout the 17th century to the point that these little clocks were made small enough to be worn in a pocket and the fashion spread across Europe and North America. It was Charles II of England who was responsible for popularizing the fashion of having pocket watches small enough to be worn in the pocket rather than as a pendant. Glass protection for the watch faces added to value of these items and saw designers clamour to create the luxurious timepieces so sought after by the aristocrats of the period.
If you are looking for something unique and lasting, you really should check out the latest in pocket watches.
