{"id":2356,"date":"2021-09-20T11:51:06","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T11:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/?p=2356"},"modified":"2022-01-22T04:07:24","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T04:07:24","slug":"why-are-new-watches-always-set-to-10-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/why-are-new-watches-always-set-to-10-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Are New Watches Always Set to 10:10?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"boldgrid-section\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-xs-12 col-sm-12\">\n<p class=\"\">Now you can listen to us read this article!<\/p>\n<div class=\"ast-oembed-container \" style=\"height: 100%;\"><iframe title=\"Why Are New Watches Always Set To 10:10\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/I0yzfGFWvWk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;ve <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/should-you-ever-buy-a-watch-without-papers\/\">ever bought a new watch<\/a>, seen a watch commercial, or looked up a photo of a clock on Google, you&#8217;ve likely noticed that they\u2019re almost always set to 10:10. This may leave you to wonder, why in the world do <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/ways-to-get-watches-cheap\/\">watch<\/a> manufacturers all set their new watches to this specific time?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><b>New <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/9-ways-to-know-if-an-omega-watch-is-an-original\/\">watches<\/a> are almost always set to 10:10 for aesthetic purposes. In this position, the minute and hour hands are symmetrical, which is pleasing to the eye. Additionally, when the hands are in this position, they don&#8217;t block the brand&#8217;s logo or other clock features, such as the calendar.<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, I&#8217;ll go over the main reasons why new <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/how-many-watches-should-a-man-own\/\">watches<\/a> are almost always set to 10:10. We\u2019ll also discuss whether or not the placement has any historical significance. Moreover, we\u2019ll look at why <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/why-are-apple-watches-hated-so-much\/\">Apple<\/a> sets their watches to 10:09 instead!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reasons Why New Watches Are Usually Set to 10:10<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are four main reasons why <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/are-watches-cheaper-in-malaysia\/\">watch<\/a> manufacturers may set their watches to 10:10. I\u2019ll discuss these in detail below.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Makes Them Look Symmetrical<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having one hand on the 10 and the other on the 2 makes the <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/are-watches-cheaper-in-hong-kong\/\">watch<\/a> look symmetrical, which is very visually pleasing. Therefore, setting a clock to 10:10 looks great in ads.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, symmetry isn&#8217;t the only reason why setting a clock to 10:10 is visually pleasing!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They Look Like They Are Smiling&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another reason has to do with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pareidolia\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pareidolia<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is the science of how people see faces in everyday objects.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many scientists think we evolved this trait as a survival instinct. It permitted us to quickly identify faces in our environment to determine whether they were friend or foe. Additionally, it helps us quickly identify <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news\/2021\/jul\/07\/so-happy-to-see-you-our-brains-respond-emotionally-to-faces-we-find-in-inanimate-objects-study-reveals\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">others&#8217; emotions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to decide whether they are happy, sad, angry, etc.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since our brain is programmed to be so good at finding faces, it often mistakenly identifies facial features in inanimate objects, which is why we regularly see faces in our foods, household objects, cars, and more.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/benefits-of-wearing-a-watch\/\">Watch<\/a> manufacturers were likely aware of our innate ability to find faces in inanimate objects when they decided to set their clocks to 10:10.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You see, when you look at a clock set at 10:10, the hands form an upward v-shape, reminiscent of a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/factmyth.com\/factoids\/watches-are-typically-set-to-10-10-in-ads\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">smiley face<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, if you set the clock at another time, such as 8:20, it looks like the clock is frowning.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, setting clocks at 10:10 is a <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/8-ways-to-know-if-a-watch-will-increase-in-value\/\">way to subconsciously make the watch<\/a> look friendly, resulting in more positive emotions! Pretty weird, huh?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shows Off the Brand\u2019s Logo&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many clock manufacturers put their brand&#8217;s logo in the middle-upper portion of the clock, usually right underneath the 12.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of this, they often position their clock&#8217;s hands in the 10:10 position because they won&#8217;t block their logo.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, the clock hands &#8220;frame&#8221; the logo, which draws the viewer&#8217;s eyes directly to the brand&#8217;s name, which is ideal for advertising purposes.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doesn\u2019t Hide Additional Watch Features&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/can-a-watch-cause-an-allergic-reaction\/\">watches<\/a> don&#8217;t just have hands and numbers. They also have other helpful features on their display, such as a calendar, date box, or moon cycle feature.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often, these additional features are located near the 3 on the clock. Therefore, when they put new <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/are-watches-cheaper-in-japan\/\">watches<\/a> in the 10:10 position, they don&#8217;t block these features.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This puts all of the <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/why-are-watches-called-watches\/\">watch<\/a>&#8216;s features on full display so that potential watch buyers will be able to see everything it has to offer!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does 10:10 Have a Deeper Historical Meaning?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"\"><b>Some people have speculated that the real reason <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/are-watches-cheaper-in-vietnam\/\">watches<\/a> are set to 10:10 is to commemorate the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln or John F. Kennedy.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, Ab Lincoln was shot at approximately <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/american-civil-war\/abraham-lincoln-assassination\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10:15 PM<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and John F. Kennedy was shot at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jfklibrary.org\/learn\/about-jfk\/jfk-in-history\/november-22-1963-death-of-the-president\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12:30 PM<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so setting the clock to 10:10 to commemorate these historical figures doesn&#8217;t make sense.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if historical figures have died at exactly 10:10, setting a bunch of <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/watch-on-wrist-intro-guide-and-tips\/\">watches<\/a> to the time of their death is a strange way to honor them, don&#8217;t you think?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, as far as anyone knows, there\u2019s no historical significance of setting <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/4-ways-to-know-if-a-tudor-watch-is-an-original\/\">watches<\/a> to 10:10, just aesthetic ones! Sorry, Honest Abe.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Does Apple Set Their Clocks to 10:09?&nbsp;<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apple is one of the few companies that doesn\u2019t set their products to 10:10. Instead, they put all of their <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/7-reasons-apple-watches-are-so-expensive\/\">apple<\/a> watches to 10:09.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><b>Apple sets their clocks to 10:09 for a couple of reasons. The most practical reason is that setting watches to 10:09 actually makes them look even more symmetrical than 10:10. However, <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/watchranker.com\/set-to-10-10\/\"><b>some believe<\/b><\/a><b> that it\u2019s Apple\u2019s way to distinguish itself from the watchmakers of the past.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You see, Apple is well known for its innovative products and is often seen as a trendsetter in the technological industry.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, there are some people who believe that they set their clocks to 10:09 as a subtle way of saying, &#8220;we aren&#8217;t the same as all those other <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/ways-to-tell-if-a-titan-watch-is-an-original\/\">watches<\/a>. We are better.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So basically, it&#8217;s a way to show that they respect the watchmakers of the past while also demonstrating that they\u2019re ahead of the competition!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Apple hasn&#8217;t explicitly confirmed this theory, it does seem like something this young, confident company would do! However, for now, all we can do is speculate and appreciate!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion&nbsp;<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/are-apple-watches-cheaper-duty-free\/\">watches<\/a> are usually set to 10:10 for aesthetic reasons since it makes the clock look symmetrical. Also, the hands form a smiley face, which subconsciously makes us think the clock is good.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, the hands don&#8217;t block any important features such as the logo or calendar while in this position.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While some believe that <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/are-watches-cheaper-in-other-countries\/\">watch<\/a> manufacturers set their clocks at 10:10 to commemorate historical figures, there\u2019s no evidence of this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the only companies that don&#8217;t set their watches to 10:10 is <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/8-ways-to-know-if-an-apple-watch-is-an-original\/\">Apple<\/a>. They put them at 10:09 instead!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sources<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/american-civil-war\/abraham-lincoln-assassination\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">History: Abraham Lincoln&#8217;s Assassination<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jfklibrary.org\/learn\/about-jfk\/jfk-in-history\/november-22-1963-death-of-the-president\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JFK Library: NOVEMBER 22, 1963: DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news\/2021\/jul\/07\/so-happy-to-see-you-our-brains-respond-emotionally-to-faces-we-find-in-inanimate-objects-study-reveals\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Guardian: So happy to see you: our brains respond emotionally to faces we find in inanimate objects, study reveals<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/watchranker.com\/set-to-10-10\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Watch Ranker: Why Are Watches Always Set To 10:10? (But Apple Show 10:09)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/factmyth.com\/factoids\/watches-are-typically-set-to-10-10-in-ads\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fact\/Myth: Watches and Clocks Are Typically Set to 10:10 in Ads<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Now you can listen to us read this article! &nbsp; If you&#8217;ve ever bought a new watch, seen a watch commercial, or looked up a photo of a clock on Google, you&#8217;ve likely noticed that they\u2019re almost always set to 10:10. This may leave you to wonder, why in the world do watch manufacturers all [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2359,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-scaled.jpeg",2560,1714,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-300x201.jpeg",300,201,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-768x514.jpeg",768,514,true],"large":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-1024x685.jpeg",1024,685,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-1536x1028.jpeg",1536,1028,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-2048x1371.jpeg",2048,1371,true],"wcicon":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-48x48.jpeg",48,48,true],"wcsquare":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-300x300.jpeg",300,300,true],"wcsmall":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-250x167.jpeg",250,167,true],"wcstandard":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-550x368.jpeg",550,368,true],"wcbig":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-800x536.jpeg",800,536,true],"wcfixedheightsmall":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-269x180.jpeg",269,180,true],"wcfixedheightmedium":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-448x300.jpeg",448,300,true],"wcfixedheight":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-747x500.jpeg",747,500,true],"wccarouselsmall":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-210x150.jpeg",210,150,true],"wccarousel":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-400x285.jpeg",400,285,true],"wcslider":["https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/10-past-10-1100x500.jpeg",1100,500,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Jasper Highfield","author_link":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/author\/exceptionaltiming_fzy3cb\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Now you can listen to us read this article! &nbsp; If you&#8217;ve ever bought a new watch, seen a watch commercial, or looked up a photo of a clock on Google, you&#8217;ve likely noticed that they\u2019re almost always set to 10:10. This may leave you to wonder, why in the world do watch manufacturers all&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2356"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6210,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356\/revisions\/6210"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}