Rav Moshe paskened (Igros Moshe, OC 1:111) that it is forbidden to wear a watch in a reshus harabim on Shabbos. Since I do see some men doing so anyways (in places without an eiruv), I would like to be dan lkaf zchus them. Who is matir?
Secondly, I am wondering why a watch wouldn’t be muktza altogether, even to move in a house, if it has a battery (i.e. digital display, etc.)
A watch is considered a tacshit that a person wouldn’t take off to show to a friend (Look in the 5th or 6th perek of Shabbos) so therefore can carry it in a reshus harabbim
mw, That was about taking medicine on Shabbos. I still don’t understand why. Is there anything wrong with discussing (not paskening) a halachic issue? If so, perhaps no halacha should be discussed here.
I heard one limud zechus is that people wear it more as a form of jewelery than as a tool to tell time. If it’s jewelery, then it’s permitted to wear in the reshus harabim as it is similar to clothing. If it’s a tool, then it would problematic because of carrying. Since most people have a special watch for Shabbos, that might be enough for it to qualify as a jewelery. Though I heard a Rav once say that it’s hard to tell whether it’s more jewelery or tool, and one way to answer up the safek is if the person would be willing to wear his nice Shabbos watch even if it broken and is of no use to tell time.