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5 Reasons Why You Might Wear Two Watches (“Double-Wristing”)

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Astronaut Alexei A. Leonov wearing two wristwatches. Public Domain Image: National Archives

What do the Godfather and Star-Lord have in common?
Besides being iconic movie characters, they are played by actors who double-wrist. What is double-wristing? Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of it. It’s a newer name for a practice that’s been around for years.
Marlon Brando and Chris Pratt are among the many people who’ve double-wristed. In other words, they’ve worn two watches at the same time. And they aren’t alone.
The reasons for double-wristing vary as widely as the double watch user. From Billie Eilish to Diego Maradona, people around the world have been spotted sported dual watches.
But—and here is the big question for many—why? 
The “Double Writsting” Debate
The debate over double-wristing is real, especially among watch connoisseurs. Some see it as superfluous and pretentious while others see it as innovative and fashionable.
Arguments aside, one thing seems to be clear. Double-wristing has been around for a long time and it isn’t going anywhere.
So, back to that looming question: why would anyone wear two watches?
Actually, there are a few reasons.

Reasons for Wearing Two Watches

Doubling Down On Style

Fashion trends come and go, but the fact that style is the ultimate way of self-expression has been a steady anchor of social societies since the dawn of fig leaves. Some fashion trends like bombasting are happily in the past. And some people wish trends like double-wristing would be too.
But, luckily for the fashion-minded and watch-loving folks, sporting two timepieces seem to be here for the long haul.
You don’t have to be an actor or fashion icon like India’s Amitahb Bachchan to look suave at your next soirée. Simply don a watch on each wrist and let your timekeepers tell the world you know your style.
Want to look like Carrie Underwood? Simply slap on two watches and you’re on your way.
Celebrity watch collectors like Bradley Cooper, Ellen DeGeneres, and Rocky himself—the iconic Sylvester Stallone—all attest to the sleek style of a well-made and worn watch. But why only wear one watch when you have two wrists and can be twice as fashionable?

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Dual Functionality

For the more functionally-minded folk, there are also great reasons to double wrist. Want to wear a smartwatch that keeps your appointment, texts, and music smiling up at you, yet still have a watch face that only tells time?
Strap on your favorite smartwatch on one wrist and your beloved mechanical one on the other.
It’s the best of both worlds. You can even wear two watches on the same wrist.
In fact, German watchmaker Sinn is taking double-wristing to new heights by offering a watch with a dual strap system that allows you to wear their mechanical watch AND a smartwatch on the same strap. 

But what if you can’t choose between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker? Easy. Wear both.
Mind. Blown.

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Sentimental Value

We love our watches. And sometimes, they take on a deeper meaning, as with the case of Princess Diana.
In 1981, Lady Di was seen wearing two watches at Guards Polo Club in Windsor. The reason? One of them belonged to her then-fiancé Prince Charles. The princess wore it as a tribute to him in hopes it would bring him good luck while he played.
Missing that special someone whose watch sits in your drawer, but still wants to stay abreast of your appointments and contacts? No worries. Wear them both and keep your heart happy.

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Tracking Two Time Zones

Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf. Public Domain Image: Wikimedia

While there are plenty of watches on the market that display two time zones – including Dual Time that display two different times at the same time on the dial, GMT watches that display the second time using a GMT hand that looks like an extra second hand. There are also smartwatches that can display dual time. However, some people are more traditional and just prefer having two separate watches, normally one on each wrist.
One of the most well-known personalities representing this trend is the late Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., a former United States Army general.  His habit of wearing two watches came to be common knowledge – he was often in the public eye during the Gulf War and many TV viewers were puzzled by his watches on either wrist.
He was quoted as saying

I always wore two watches during the [Gulf] war. The one on my left arm was set on Saudi Arabian time and the Seiko on my right arm was set on Eastern Standard Time. That way I could quickly glance at my watches and instantly know the time in both Saudi Arabia and Washington, D.C.

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  • KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
  • GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
  • SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
  • A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.

Just Because

Do you need a good reason to hold an adorable puppy? Never.
And sometimes, like Johnny Depp, we do it while wearing two watches. Why? Just because.
You don’t have to have a reason to want to wear two watches. That’s one of the beauties of double-wristing. There are no qualifiers. Don’t care about fashion? Don’t have any sentimental watches? Got more than one watch you adore?
It’s all good. Simply slap on your two favorite watches and go. Just because.
It’s that simple.

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Would You Wear Two Watches?

It’s clear that double-wristing is a real thing. I mean, it’s even on got its own spot on UrbanDictionary.com.
But the question is, could it be your thing?
Whether you value fashion, functionality, sentimentality, or you want to just because it totally can be.
And the best news is that there’s no wrong way to double-watch. Wear a mechanical watch and a smartwatch. Wear two of the same kind. Wear both on one wrist or one on each wrist. We’ve even seen people wear a watch on their wrist and the other on their ankles (though we don’t recommend it on rainy days).

Best Value
Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant
  • A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
  • KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
  • GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
  • SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
  • A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
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  • A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
  • KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
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Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant
  • GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
  • A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
  • KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
  • WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
  • GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*

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