Why is it called a "watch"?

Maybe because people watch them, as in watch the clock. It makes as good a sense to me as any explanation.

@phoenyx You’re on to something here! From now on its wristclock to me.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and do no research whatsoever just so I can say that way back in ye Olden Days the City Watch (or police type people) would wander the streets at night ringing their bells and saying things like, “9 o’clock and alls well!” This told the people what the time was and that everything was well enough that some dude was still walking the streets and not being mugged.

So, having something you could carry around that would tell you the time was like having your own personal “watch” with you.

Yeah, that sounds pretty good. I expect this answer to be in Straight Dope any day now.

@mrentropy I still like your answer even if it isn’t true. :)

Here is an etymology for you: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Etymology-Meaning-Words-1474/Watches.htm

Maybe because it’s just easier to call it a watch rather than a chronometer, ticker, or timepiece.

“Excuse me sir, could you tell me the time that is on your chronometer?” WTF?

@DrasticDreamer Thanks :)

@Bluefreedom You buy a watch at Wal*Mart; you buy a chronometer at a fancy jewelry store.

@mrentropy. What was I thinking? Apparently my shopping standards are completely substandard. I will make sure my next chronometer is a Rolex purchased at De Beers.~

There are so very many English words that aren’t compounds of similar objects.
While you’re asking why a Watch is not Wrist + Clock, why not ask why Clock is not Time + Counter.

Words are weird. You may want to try German, though, there are a lot more compounds (Watch, for example is Arm + Band + Uhr; Uhr meaning Clock).

@mrentropy and @pdworkin – You guys both got it in one. GA all around.

how else do you read it?

But can anyone explain why watches run in English but walk in Spanish?

@Darwin come Baxter you know I don’t speak Spanish…

PS, time also flies, very multi traversal

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

@Darwin more inclined to sweeter fruits actually, they have a hard time digesting the potassium so if they have a choice… kiss my ass Bill Nye…

I favour an etymology slightly different from @pdworkin. According to the OED, the word first appeared not as “wristwatch” but as just “watch” meaning “alarm clock” in 1542. Then it developed to “dial or clock face”, then “small time-piece”. Perhaps it developed from the verb “watch” meaning “to be or remain awake”.

It may relate to maritime terms, “watch” being a way to denote the time of day. When I was in the Navy, we spoke of four-hour watches, morning (0800 to 1200), noon (1200 to 1600), dog or afternoon (1600 to 2000), evening (2000 to Midnight), and mid or midnight (Midnight to 0400). This may relate to a more ancient way of reckoning time of day. I have seen ancient references to “the morning watch”, and similar references.