Meaning the needles of a watch: why do they turn left to right?

Whichever watch you choose, the clockwise always rotates from left to right. But why? That's what we're going to see through this article.

To understand the direction of rotation of the needles It is necessary to go back to The Greek antiquity ...

It was during this period that the Sundials. The Greeks lived in the Northern Hemisphere, where the sun travels the sky from east to west through the south. As a result, the shadow on the sundial moved from left to right. They had also distinguished that their shadow moved in the same direction and what could be more natural than using a movement known for their inventions.

When the first clocks were created between the 12th and 15th centuries, it was most likely out of habit and to follow the discoveries of the Greeks that this meaning was chosen.

Want to learn more about the history of time measurement?  Check out our article on the history of French watchmaking!

But then, basically, it wouldn't change anything if the hands of the watches turned the other way?

Not sure... Imagine if the sundials and then the clocks had been invented in the southern hemisphere, where the sun follows an east-west trajectory through the north: the shadow on the dial would have moved in the opposite direction, and therefore, the opposite direction of the clock hands would have been used to make the watches. Logic, right?!

TheMade in France watchesCharlie Paris are no exception to the rule! Whether this is a waterproof watchA sports watchor even a automatic watchYou will have noticed but our needles rotate from left to right!