So, there I am, in my office at school, doing my morning online routine and I come across an article on Gizmodo.com with the headline “Make Your Wristwatch Useful Again.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Since when are wristwatches NOT useful?  Are they non-utilitarian because they “only” tell the time?  What, not multitasking?  Ugh, that’s soooo last-century!

Sorry Adrian, but I must respectfully disagree with your opinion that a watch on your wrist is redundant thanks to the clock on your phone.  See, the thing about a watch is that it’s about more than “just” telling the time.  It’s a reflection of several aspects of the wearer’s personality: fashion sense and style (or lack thereof), utility, pragmatism, ostentatiousness, attention to detail, and an eye for quality.

In compu-speak, it’s like the difference between computer users who regularly use keyboard shortcuts and those who don’t.  Sure, the mouse is easy to use and convenient and right there on your desktop next to the keyboard.  But when I’m in the throes of writing a paper or a blog entry, the last thing I want to do is stop writing, for whatever reason.  I want the least amount of distraction and the maximum amount of efficiency in my workspace.  Using keyboard shortcuts for simple commands like bolding text or saving or printing can help keep me in my writing flow, leaving my hands on the keyboard where the belong instead of shuffling back and forth to a peripheral.  The same can be said for using a wristwatch instead of a phone for timekeeping.  In one motion, it’s easy for me to tell the time with minimum effort.  I don’t have to reach into my pocket, pull out a device, and push a button when the time of day is already on my wrist, ready to be viewed at a moment’s notice.

Of course, it could just be that I’m just a traditional kind of guy when it comes to stuff like wristwatches.  The way I see it, my watch is more than just a part of my wardrobe.  My watch silently speaks volumes about me.  There have been several occasions that I have left the house without a watch on and felt totally out of my element, just like I do when I accidentally leave my phone at home.  So, I guess what I’m saying is that my “old-school” wristwatch is useful.  It always has been and it always will be.  I don’t need it to tell me the weather or control my iPod or change slides on a Keynote presentation.  I need it to tell me the time, quickly and accurately.  I have my phone for everything else.