Times change when it comes to watches

AFIFTH of 18 to 24-yearolds, who have grown up in a digital age, can’t tell the time from a conventional watch or clock that has hands. Not that this is a great handicap in a world where time never stands still and progress is constant. Let’s be fair. Put me in front of a water clock from Ancient Egypt and I wouldn’t be able to tell the time, either.

We’ve had sundials, the hourglass and candle clocks in the past. The pendulum clock invented in 1656, remained the most accurate until the 1930s. Portable timepieces were devised in Europe in the 16th century and Elizabeth I had what was called an arm watch, being too large for a wrist. The tradition of clock face and hands was set until the first digital watch was introduced in the 1970s. At first they were expensive but soon cheap versions appeared as giveaways in cereal packets.

The traditional Rolex remains synonymous with wealth and proves time can be expensive. Paul

Newman’s Rolex sold for more than £13m at auction three years ago, although you can get a James Bond Submariner for upwards of £200,000.

If you are thinking of investing in one of those, it would be as well to learn how to tell the time with hands and a clock face, although for that price you would probably get a horologist thrown in to teach you.

All this to measure time, a concept that Wikipedia explains thus: “Time is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to compare the duration of events or the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change of quantities in material reality or in the conscious experience.”

Which is heck of a way of saying time is what you think you have lots of as a child, but realise is flying by as you pass middle age.

Time can be confusing and I hate

I hate it when I have been on my cycling machine for half an hour and look down to see it’s only been

four minutes it when I have been on my cycling machine for half an hour and look down to see it’s only been four minutes.

There are those who believe the best creature to tell the time is a watch dog and that ducks wake up at the quack of dawn.

The idea of time travel is fascinating and a friend of mine has spent years trying to solve the problem. So far his device has only been able to bring back herbs from the future. Unfortunately not people. Which is why he calls it a thyme machine.

On reflection, the tendency for younger generations to opt for a digital timepiece is eminently sensible as they are rugged, accurate and easy to read and just the accessory for world travellers stopping off at Runnymede.

“King John signed the Magna Carta here,” said the guide..

“When was that?” said Hank from Des Moines.

“1215.”

“Heck, Mildred,” said Hank, looking at his digital watch. “We missed it by 40 minutes.”