For many years I thought a watch would be an obstruction in my playing. Until last week… I wore an old Tag Heuer with a metal band and after an hour of playing realized I had left it on. If you play with a watch let’s see it. #watchnerd
Interesting question actually. I figured I was the only one who thought about this. I didn't vote, but my answer is sometimes. It depends on the watch. My larger, heavier watches, I take off when I play. I've got my grandfather's vintage watch that's nice and thin and light. I'll wear that when I play. I also like bringing him along when I play because I know he'd be super excited for me.
I play with a pocket watch. It looks a little like an iPhone. OK, maybe a lot. I haven't worn a watch on my wrist since my watch broke in college - and that was quite a long time ago - I discovered that the world was full of clocks, and I didn't need a watch to know what time it was. Now there's a clock by my bed, in my kitchen, in my car, etc. If I still went to an office, there's one on the computer there. And, now since I (like most folks on the planet) carry a phone, if I ever have any further doubts about the time, I have a clock that is synced to within a gnat's eyelash of perfect in my pocket.
Maybe. I wear a watch most days and I can’t tell you the last time I actually used it to tell time. But they are nice accessories. I sometimes wear the Alpinist my dad wore in school in the 50s. Hasn’t worked as long as I’ve had it but it looks baller. I also have a still functioning Chairman Mao watch with his hand waving. It’s stupid and awesome at the same time.
Oddly enough, I'm left handed but play right handed. So my watch (Fitbit Sense) is on my plucking/right hand. The band is rubbery, so it doesn't scratch anything. I usually turn the display to sleep mode for gigs. So from a distance it probably just looks like a black bracelet. I hit the button on the side a few times per set to see how we're doing on time.
I never wear a watch. Ever. For any reason. I actively resent being constrained by temporal considerations.
I used to play with a piano player that needed to be told when to break. She also needed to be told that the gig is over and I'm not playing another half hour because there's three people in the house. Yep, I wore a watch then. I still play with her, but it's at my house and I can kick her out any time I want without a watch.
Garmin 955. I wear it 24/7 for biometric collection. The phone it is connected to is off while I'm performing since it's a fully functional smart device and will send the data to the app when I turn it on.
It’s my retirement watch I gave myself the first time I retired about 12 years ago. Pretty much only comes off when I shower or go to the pool.