The strange reason why men are wearing broken watches

Do you believe style should be prioritised over substance?

Wearing a sleek watch isn’t just about donning a fashionable accessory to complete an equally chic outfit.

It’s also about having a practical device close at hand that will help you keep track of the time as you go about your day… right?

Well, there’s now a trend among watch collectors to purchase stylish timepieces that don’t actually work, making them void of any useful function altogether.

So, what is the point of wearing a watch that, to put it frankly, is broken?

According to The Wall Street Journal, it’s all about prioritising style over substance.

Men’s fashion editor Jacob Gallagher explains that men who follow this trend may have been inspired by artist Andy Warhol, who often wore a Cartier Tank watch that didn’t tell the correct time.

“I don’t wear a Tank watch to tell the time,” Warhol stated in 1973. “Actually I never even wind it. I wear a Tank because it is the watch to wear!”

While some may view the practise of wearing an inoperative watch as strange, others would argue that there is logic in keeping up appearances.

Stephen Viscusi, author of On the Job: How to Make it in the Real World of Work, is of the opinion that wearing a wristwatch could be a make or break decision when applying for a job.

“My advice to you millennials who use your phones as timepieces is simple: cut it out! Go buy a wristwatch!” Viscusi wrote for Huffington Post.

“It may be a gimmick, but believe me, it will separate you from everyone else your own age interviewing for the same job.”

While the notion of wearing a luxurious wristwatch may not be feasible for those unwilling to dish out thousands of pounds on a gadget that has no function, others may work around this by renting watches for a fraction of the price.

Shlomo Gelernter, a real estate broker from Manhattan, explained to The Independent that he wears flashy watches every single day by leasing them temporarily.

“It’s just like having a nice car, or a nice house. People’s perception of who you are changes instantaneously, without even speaking a word to you, when they notice a luxury timepiece on your wrist,” he said.

Whether you think wearing a broken watch that looks the part is worth the price or you’re of the opinion that it’s completely illogical, one thing’s for certain: it definitely is an expensive pastime.