Why is it always 10:10 in Adworld?

[spire]

With Christmas coming, we are besieged with ads for watches. Almost without exception they show the time as 10:10 or thereabouts. (Have a look, or do a Google image search for 'watches'.)

Can anyone explain this?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Apparently it is done so that the watch looks like it has a happy face, I kid you not!

10:10 seems to have become a standard 'happy' time to put the watch too when photographing it.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Apparently it is done so that the watch looks like it has a happy face, I kid you not!

Yeah, who wants a watch with a mardy face ....

 

[spire]

Apparently it is done so that the watch looks like it has a happy face, I kid you not!

Well, I'd heard that (and that it looks like a tick), but often the pictures are of a watch on its side, so it doesn't really apply.

 

[Beebo]

my guess would be that symmetry is deemed to look better, an upward angle is better than a downward angle and the two hands frame the makers name.

Also in car adverts the number plates use letters and numbers that can be flipped to look the same when reserved, so the same advert can be run for left and right handed cars.

 

[ASC1951]

It genuinely does look better. There are some shapes and proportions that universally appeal to the human eye - cf.golden ratio.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Yeah, who wants a watch with a mardy face ....

Yeah, like, 4:40!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Well, I'd heard that (and that it looks like a tick), but often the pictures are of a watch on its side, so it doesn't really apply.

When I did photography, it is what we genuinely were told (although side on as you say ruins it unless you adjust it, so I wonder if it is actually some sort of urban myth). I have no doubt about the pleasing angles, etc too, so I suspect it is actually down to a combination of things.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Yeah, like, 4:40/8.20!

Oh, look, there's one!:

http://www.watchesboutique.com/images/A692.30338.14SBB.jpg


Is it looking sad or just serious?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

2:25 here

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Whilst this just looks silly! :

http://static.inqmind.co/content/2012/04/mondaine-evo38-watch/mondaine-evo38-watch_616.jpg


8.31? That's WAY OUT THERE MAN!!

 

[EltonFrog]

Years ago, back in the early eighties, I used to work in a jewellers shop. We always had the watches on display at 10:10, just looked nicer.

 

[EltonFrog]

Funny the OP should bring this up, I've got an Omega Seamaster going on EBay in a minute and as part of my research I looked up the watch on the Omega site

www.omegawatches.com/gents/seamaster/planet-ocean/22015000

It's interesting to note that Omega have set the time to 10:08 so as not obscure the "2" incator with the minute hand.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I have one of these on my bedroom wall. Had to order the black version specially no less (the default picture seems to be the white and red version by the way):

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...l&id=B59D598B5150A1425FF4075455A9C73036AAE10A


It has a metal case, everything..... although it wasn't that expensive at the time I got mine by the way.

 

[EltonFrog]

I have one of these on my bedroom wall. Had to order the black version specially no less (the default picture seems to be the white and red version by the way):

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...l&id=B59D598B5150A1425FF4075455A9C73036AAE10A



It has a metal case, everything..... although it wasn't that expensive at the time I got mine by the way.

I like them, very nice.