What is and isn’t considered to be jewelry is always debatable. Some ornaments, however, are universally agreed to be jewelry. So do watches fit into this category?
A watch is considered to be jewelry, as it is an item worn for personal adornment. A watch is worn to improve your appearance, officially classifying it as jewelry.
But does this go for every watch? There’s actually a considerable difference depending on what type of watch you have. And does every watch brand, no matter how cheap, produce watches considered to be jewelry? In this article, we’ll find out!
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Are Wristwatches Considered To Be Jewelry?
The most common type of watch we see today is the wristwatch. This is the watch we wear on our wrists, and we typically wear them to enhance our appearance.
However, wristwatches are also functional. They tell the time, and in the case of luxury watches, they sometimes have interesting complications.
For example, some wristwatches can tell the time in different timezones, and others may have a timer and stopwatch.
But in all honesty, the vast majority of people wear a wristwatch because they look good.
A wristwatch is considered to be jewelry because it’s an item you wear for personal adornment. Wristwatches are worn to enhance your outfit and appearance, which fits the descriptions of jewelry.
Now, of course, we all wear a watch for a different reason, but in the general sense of things, we wear a watch to look better.
Whether you want to look better for yourself or for others is another question, though. Maybe you just wear it just purely for yourself, or perhaps you’re wearing one to impress others.
One thing to keep in mind is that the term jewelry is quite subjective. Many people only regard something as jewelry when it contains certain precious stones or jewels or sports a high price tag.
Others see any decorative piece that enhances your appearance as a piece of jewelry.
This could mean that for some, a cheaper watch such as an Invicta won’t be seen as jewelry. Luckily, most people will see any watch as a piece of jewelry, simply because they look great!
Jewelry doesn’t always have to be expensive. There are so many amazing-looking watches out there for very affordable prices.
Are Pocket Watches Considered To Be Jewelry?
Before wristwatches were a thing, everyone used to have a pocket watch. But the convenience of a wristwatch kind of led to the downfall of pocket watches.
Sadly, these beautiful timepieces are seen less and less. But that doesn’t mean that they are no longer regarded as jewelry!
Pocket watches are seen as jewelry. A pocket watch is an accessory to your outfit, enhancing your overall appearance. This makes a pocket watch fall under the jewelry description.
Once again, a pocket watch doesn’t have to be expensive in order to be seen as jewelry. A pocket watch is a beautiful timepiece that carries a part of history with it. Moreover, pocket watches are an addition to your outfit, classifying them as jewelry.
Whether your pocket watch is multiple thousands of dollars or under $100 doesn’t really matter. The fact of the matter is that it enhances your appearance, making it an official piece of jewelry.
It should also be noted that not everyone has a watch for aesthetic purposes. Some simply want a tool that keeps the time and nothing more. Even in that case, a pocket watch is still seen as a piece of jewelry.
Are Smart Watches Considered To Be Jewelry?
A common sight nowadays is a smartwatch. Smartwatches have a long history, dating all the way back to 1972. The very first digital watch was introduced in 1972 by the Hamilton Watch Company.
This then spiraled into watches that could be connected with computers and even into watches that ran on certain computing systems. Nowadays, we’re all familiar with the smartwatches such as the Apple Watch or Fitbit.
These watches are more like a mobile phone on your wrist than an actual watch. Therefore, it’s usually not seen as jewelry anymore.
A smartwatch is not considered to be jewelry as it’s mostly worn for its functionality. In order to be seen as jewelry, the primary purpose has to be to improve your look, which is not the case here. Insurance companies also don’t recognize smartwatches as jewelry.
Now, this is something quite controversial, as a smartwatch is still a watch. However, even though it has the word ‘watch’ in its name, it has many more functionalities than your average watch.
In fact, the functions that a standard watch has is only a fraction of what a smartwatch has.
All these functionalities overshadow the actual watch-like features.
When it comes to insurance companies, they don’t see a smartwatch as a watch but rather as an electronic device.
Still, this doesn’t mean you can’t wear a smartwatch to improve your appearance. They definitely look great. But they just aren’t seen as jewelry.
Does Every Watch Brand Fall Under The Jewelry Category?
Jewelry is often seen as luxurious, extravagant, and expensive. But does that always have to be the case? Do watches have to be expensive or have to contain precious stones or jewels in order to be jewelry?
Any watch that you wear to enhance your appearance is a piece of jewelry. However, jewelry can be subjective, and some people wouldn’t consider cheaper watches without precious stones or jewels to be jewelry.
Because the definition of jewelry can be so subjective, there really is no right or wrong. Even cheaper watch brands, such as Timex, Invicta, or Seiko, produce watches that can be seen as jewelry.
After all, these watches are made to look great and enhance your appearance.
The watches from these brands don’t necessarily contain any jewels or incredibly high materials. Even most watches from designer brands such as Calvin Klein or Tommy Hilfiger do not include those types of materials. But still, they are considered to be pieces of jewelry.
Watches from brands such as Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, or TAG Heuer are almost always seen as jewelry. These watches are luxury watches, and luxury watches are made with high-end and exotic materials. On top of that, they’re often decorated with precious stones or metals.
And besides the materials used, a watch with a price tag of around $5.000 is pretty much always seen as a piece of jewelry, regardless of who you ask.
Now, the price isn’t the deciding factor here, but it does prove to be a handy guideline.
Do Watches Fall Under Jewelry With Insurance Claims?
One of the most important reasons to know whether your watch is considered to be jewelry is for any potential insurance claims. One of the worst things that can happen is that your watch gets stolen, and your insurance company will not reimburse you.
Depending on your insurance company’s policy, a watch may or may not be considered jewelry. Every insurance company has different guidelines and different rules it has to follow, depending on country and state.
Insurance companies can be quite tricky when it comes to classifying watches as jewelry. Your best course of action would be to call your insurance company and ask them about their watch policy.
Most of the more affordable insurance policies will likely not cover watches, but there might be options for different plans that do include watches.
There’s also the option to have a separate policy purely for your watch. This could be a great option if you don’t really have any other pieces of jewelry or if you have a rather expensive luxury watch.
Another benefit of a separate watch policy is that the price of your watch is better covered. A general jewelry policy might only cover a portion of the costs, whereas a separate watch policy will cover the watch’s value.
