Behold the pocket watch reborn

Mine was the first generation to turn against the daily delivered newspaper. When I was a lad pretty well everyone had a newspaper every day. But I have never had one delivered. For me a newspaper is something to buy as and when, to enjoy as a special treat but not a daily source of news. The TV news, and latterly the internet, has always provided the updates I needed, well ahead of the papers. Why would I subscribe to yesterday's news on a regular basis?

I know lots of people do still get newspapers regularly, but I would be very surprised if people my age and younger aren't much less likely to have a paper pushed through the door than the generation before.

With a more recent generation, I think something similar is happening with wristwatches. My children don't wear watches. It's not that we've deprived them - they have had several, but they just don't bother with them. Apart from the general convenience of ask-an-adult, a lot of this has to do with mobile phones. If you always have your phone with you, you've got the time. Why bother with a watch as well? It's a kind of return to the pocket watch. It's only a matter of time before watch chains and waistcoats make a comeback, though, of course, these will be phone chains.

If you are over 25 you might disagree. I think the cut off point is somewhere around there. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if watch wearing is declining in the under 25s. Watch out, erm, watch manufacturers.

Image from Wikipedia