Smiling watch illusion
I have just remembered this cheap little trick a friend of mine, Boris told me once. Try looking at any watch store window, or if you are inpatient, and wish to check this right now, you can use Google image search. Enter the search term “watch”, and search for wrist watches or clocks. You will notice that 90% of the results (if not all of them); all the analog watches have their hands set on the exact same time – 10:10 (or 22:10 if you prefer). This is NO accident. Sellers do their best to comfort the buyers. Even if it takes making watches smile back at you. Unbelievable, is it? Well, marketers will do just about anything to sell their stuff. Even stranger is that this cheap trick actually works!
Sad watch illusion
Look at the both images in this article. If you liked these two watches, which one would you buy first? Just to remind you, they are both the same. Its just that the second image was rotated by 180 degrees. Weird, huh?
(28 votes)
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woa! thats cool!
OMG!!! SOOOOO cool! I would buy the smilin’ one.
Very interesting!
That’s pretty darn cool, but how is it an illusion? Anyhow, that is really cool!!
Well because i read the article before looking at the images, i think they dont have any diference, but it is still cool the efect.
Oh mine. That’s true. I searched through images on Google shopping. All analog watches are set to 10:10.
not really an illusion stupid person
and the “person” above is stupid
The new site is great. I always knew there was something subliminal about the placement of the hands on watches in ads. Thanx for clearing that up.
kewl
I wonder why that happens. That is very kool, though.
Clocks are sets on 10:10 to make the brand visible that is usually in the upper half of the watch… and to make smiling watches of course ;D
i cant believe ive never noticed that
That is not why they do the 10:10 “trick.”
The simple reason is because in MOST cases, the name of the watch maker is over the center point of the watch face. So putting the hands at 10:10 simply frames the name.
Of course, it became a “convention” so that even if the name is below the center point, the watch image is still pointing at 10:10.
It’s not to make you think that the watch is smiling or happy to see you.
Also, for the majority of watch displays in stores, the watches are active, so they just tell the time. Otherwise, you may end up buying a broken watch, or the jeweler would have to open the watch up and put in a battery (unless it was a wind-up or self-winding).
Where you do see the 10:10 is on any watch print ad.
this is amazingly cool
with that 12 on it kinda decieving
wow, I’ve never noticed it!
You are right: The “smiling” watch seems more “pleasant” to me :)
And I’ve googled it. It really is 10:10 in most cases
hahaha why would anyone ever even think of that! But if it actually works then well done to whoever came up with the idea!
In fact, 10:10 is the standard position if you want to display all the main watch features: brand name, day/date (usually at 3, 4, 9 or 12 postion), possible special features like “automatic”, “officially certified chronometer”, or simply “swiss made”. No smiling position intended.
Hmmm… but do they ever set the watch to 01:50??
Dude! That’s insane! Go to http://www.rolex.com and look around for pictures, every single one is ’smiling’!!!
its not that its when timex started making watches they did the so u could see the company name better…
http://www.globalgiants.com/archives/fotos/TIMEX-WATCH.jpg
http://www.zgwatches.co.uk/images/timex_watches/mens_timex_watches/T2M428.jpg
yes i’ve searched and 90% use the smiling trick and i would buy the smiling one! But the watch is funny because the 12 is supposed to be at the top and the other numbers are like I,II,III…etc. and not like 1,2,3…etc, like the 12 is!
OMG you’re right! that’s awesome! how could your friend found out?
i think the sad face looks like a peace sign!