Before watches, there were clocks. Before clocks, there was simply mechanism to tell and measure time. Sundials told time by shadows. Hourglasses measured time by predictable rates of sand moving through a narrow channel.

Now it is very difficult to make a decision among the many choices we have from watches and means of telling time.

From the classical to the sporty, not to forget fashion watches, the tendency is  to combine as many characters & Styles as possible.