Watch Fact of the Day
📅 Sunday, October 25, 2026
Different brands. Different watches. The same familiar pose.
Open a watch catalogue and look past the polished cases and beautiful dials.
Notice the hands.
Again and again, they point upwards in that familiar open V: somewhere around 10:10.
Coincidence? Hardly. Those hands are helping present the watch before you have read a word of the advertisement.
🎯 A Watch’s Best Angle
Around 10:10, the hour and minute hands spread across the upper dial, creating a visually balanced arrangement.
In a 2014 NPR interview, Timex design director Giorgio Galli explained his preference in terms of showing the dial clearly. For him, the appeal was the composition rather than a deliberate smiling face. TPR
Think of it as a product’s preferred camera pose: an arrangement chosen to show its design at its best.
That is a strong explanation for the convention’s appeal. It does not establish one definitive moment when the entire industry adopted it.
👀 Making Room for the Name
Seiko provides a particularly clear example.
The company says it has used 10:08:42 for catalogue photographs of its analogue watches since 1964. That arrangement separates the three hands and keeps the brand name and logo visible. It also gives the upward-facing hands a pleasing appearance. seikowatches.com
So “10:10” is useful shorthand for a family of carefully chosen settings—not a universal instruction to the second.
Nor does that pose guarantee every marker, date window, or subdial will remain uncovered. The best arrangement depends on the watch.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW YouTube VIDEO
🙂 Is the Watch Really Smiling?
The smiling-watch explanation has more behind it than advertising folklore.
A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Psychology compared photographs showing watches at 10:10, 11:30, and 8:20.
Participants rated the 10:10 watches more positively, and a separate experiment found that the arrangement resembled a smiling face.
The researchers also reported more favourable purchase-intention ratings for 10:10. That measures a response to photographs, rather than demonstrating increased real-world sales. frontiersin.org
A pleasing layout may also feel friendly.
🧭 So Why Did the Convention Begin?
The evidence supports several reasons for using it: visual balance, clear presentation, visible branding, and a potentially positive emotional impression.
It does not justify saying the convention began purely for symmetry—or dismissing the smile as a myth.
A designer’s explanation, a brand’s photography rules, and a psychology experiment answer different questions. Together, they make the story more interesting than a single marketing secret.
💡 Did You Know?
Seiko’s preferred setting includes the seconds hand.
At 10:08:42, all three hands contribute to the composition. Even the slender hand you might barely notice has a role in presenting the dial. seikowatches.com
⭐ Why It Matters
Watch advertising reminds us how much design can communicate through a tiny adjustment.
The product stays the same. Move its hands, and the balance of the photograph changes.
Next time you see a watch advertisement, take a second look. Where are the hands guiding your eyes?
Sometimes, the time on a watch tells you how it wants to be seen. ⌚
Join the Conversation
Had you noticed the repeated time in watch advertisements? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Read Next
Watches & More — Discover the story behind the watch.
Explore more Watch Facts • Visit Watches & More • Visit our companion site
Category: Watch Culture
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to keep these watch facts accurate, but the world of horology is full of myths, disputed stories, and fascinating trivia. Consider these facts a starting point for discovery rather than the final word. If you have corrections or additional insights, let us know—we’re always happy to keep the record ticking in the right direction.
🕐 Discover more watch facts, reviews, and buying guides at WatchesAndMore
Explore watches in the W&M Watch Database.
📚 Sources & Further Reading
Further reading: seikowatches.com
