A pocket watch can mark the minute your child was born without spelling it out for anyone else. In the Tattoos by Chris gallery you’ll see one we made here in Irlam for a dad to mark his daughter’s arrival. If you’re planning your own, start with the dial. The case, flowers and lettering can all take their cue from those two hands.
How do you get the birth time right on the dial?
Write the time in numbers when you enquire, even if you send a picture of a watch. Say the time is 4:40 pm: the long minute hand points at the eight, and the short hour hand sits two-thirds of the way from four to five. A short hand pointing straight at four might look close in a drawing, but it’s the wrong position for that minute.
An ordinary twelve-hour dial shows 4:40 am and 4:40 pm exactly the same way. If that distinction matters to you, you could add “PM” as a tiny inscription on the watch case, or keep it as a detail only you know. If the exact minute is uncertain, an engraved date on a closed watch lid is another way to tell the story.
What will fit on your forearm?
Cut a circle of paper the size you picture the watch face and hold it against your arm. That’s just the dial: the rim, winding crown and any chain need room outside it. If the paper already fills the spot you like, tell us whether you’d sooner lose the chain or give the whole piece more space.
For a small dial, simple hour marks leave the hands easy to pick out. If you love the crowded look of an antique watch, send a straight-on photo of a face you like and tell us which detail you’d miss most. On a larger black and grey piece, a rose can frame the case while leaving the numbers clear. At the stencil stage, look at it with your arm relaxed: can you read the time, and does twelve sit where you expected?
Send Chris your idea
A useful first message might read: “I’d like an open pocket watch set to 4:40 pm on my outer forearm. I’ve got about 12 cm of space from top to bottom. The time is the important bit; I’d like a rose if there’s room.” If you’re using a family watch, a photo of its face and a second one of any engraving are more useful than a picture of someone else’s finished tattoo.
Enquire about your pocket watch tattoo at The Viper Pit, 84 Liverpool Road, Irlam, Salford, M44 6FN. Choose “Tattoo” on the form and include your time, placement, rough size and budget so we can discuss the design and confirm a quote before you book.