Why is it always 10:10 on a presentation watch ?

You may have noticed, but all our watches They display 10:10 in store and on our website. But why do Charlie Paris watches always display 10:10? There are two main reasons for this, and we will detail them in this article. 

The historical reasons: Greenwich Mean Time and Louis XVI

This initial explanation dates back to the introduction of Universal Time. The Greenwich Meridian is the zero point. From this point, the globe is divided into two hemispheres of 180 degrees, and a day lasts 24 hours. This agreement was signed by 24 countries after several weeks of negotiations in October 1884 at precisely 10:10 AM. All watchmakers, including Charlie Paris, therefore set their watches to this precise time in reference to this significant event.

Another historical explanation, and a significant one at that, is that Louis XVI, the celebrated King of France, but also, and above all, a great watch enthusiast, mounted the scaffold before being beheaded at precisely 10:10 AM. To pay him homage, watchmakers displayed watches stopped at that exact time. Since then, everyone has forgotten the exact time of Louis XVI's death, but the practice remains! 

The "V", positive position

The second explanation is simply a matter of harmony. We are rarely aware of it, but our eye is sensitive to the aesthetic codes that govern the world of advertising. When the clock displays 10:10, the hands point upwards, forming the "V" for victory; this is necessarily a positive sign. If the hands were aligned, they would have presented a strict image and imposed a certain rigidity. At 8:20, it would have given an impression of sadness and defeat. But when they indicate 10:10, the hands allow the brand name and logo, usually located around the 12 o'clock marker, to be highlighted.

You will see that this position also allows perfect visibility of the chronograph counters.