Difference between revisions 25131129 and 29772720 on enwiki

< previous diff
next diff >
10:08
[[Image:Breitling_Montbrillant.jpg|thumb|The hands are set to 8 minutes past 10]]

'''10:08''', 8 minutes past 10, is the time analog [[watches]] are set to in most advertisements. 
⏎
⏎
There are several reasons for this, many of them [[psychology|psychological]]: 

* The form of the [[hands]] has a positive effect on the viewer: with the short hand pointing at 10 o'clock and the long hand pointing at 8 minutes their position is reminiscent of a [[tick (checkmark)|check mark]], which commonly means "ok" or "fine".
* At 10 o'clock is in the morning when, the day is young. There is still time to accomplish many things.
* 10 o'clock is the time at which people typically wake up at whenif they are able to sleep in. 10:08 canis thus be associated with weekend, leisure and relaxation.
* 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 hands are not, however,early symmetrically balanced on the face of the dial at 10:08. The minute hand is 48  &degrees; right of vertical (8 minutes times 6 degrees/minute). T, while the hour hand, however, is 56  &degrees; left of vertical (60 degrees at 10, but by 10:08 the small hand has moved 8/60 of the 30 degrees between 10 and 11, or 4 degrees. Perfe. Exact symmetry would be achieved at 10:09:13.8. Other symmetrical times would not meet the needs above. 

Digital watches in commercials are set to 10:58. Oddly enough, 10:08 is also the time at which a [[12-hour clock|12-hour]] digital display will have the maximum number of digit "segments" turned on. (⏎
⏎
However, it is not true for watches that can display hour's numbers above 12. E. g. 20:08)digital watches in commercials are more often set to 10:58.

[[Urban legend]]s are frequently heard to the effect that the watches are set to their hour to commemorate the hour at which some famous person (commonlydied: often [[Abraham Lincoln]] or [[John F. Kennedy]]) died. All such stories prove to be several hours off.

[[Category:Advertising]]
[[Category:Clocks]]