Why most Watch Ads show the time as 10:08?

10:08, 8 minutes past 10, is roughly the time analog watches are set to in most advertisements, though actual times shown vary between about 10:08 and 10:10. There are several reasons offered by watch companies, many of them psychological, and none of them verifiable as the actual origin of the practice:

• The form of the hands has a positive effect on the viewer: the short hand pointing at 10 o'clock and the long hand pointing at 8 minutes is reminiscent of a check mark, which commonly means "ok" or "fine." Some observers further identify this appearance with a smiling face.


• The position of the hands does not obscure the date on watches with a date-function at 3 o'clock or any other functions at 9 or 3 o'clock.


• The position of the hands does not obscure the company logo, which is often printed under 12 o'clock.


• The hands are nearly symmetrically balanced on the face of the dial at 10:08. The minute hand is 48° right of vertical, while the hour hand is 56° left of vertical. Exact symmetry would be achieved at 120/13 minutes past 10:00, approximately 10:09:13.8. Other symmetrical times would not meet the needs above.


• At 10 o'clock in the morning, the day is young. There is still time to accomplish many things.


• 10 o'clock is the time at which people typically wake up if they are able to sleep in. 10:08 is thus associated with weekend, leisure and relaxation.

Oddly enough, 10:08 is also the time at which a 12-hour digital display will have the maximum number of digit "segments" turned on. However, digital watches in commercials are more often set to 10:58.

Not all watch companies use this type of setting in their ads, though the majority do.

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