Decoding Taylor Swift’s obsession with watches

• Taylor Swift has intertwined time with her recent musical projects, starting with “Midnights.”
• Now fans can’t get enough of analog watches.
• She and her army of Swifties have even inspired small businesses to sell time-telling merchandise.

Being a Taylor Swift fan is about much more than memorizing new albums and spending thousands of dollars on concert tickets.

Swifties should also be on high alert whenever the musician waves at the old-school clocks.

Since releasing “Midnights” in 2022 and “The Tortured Poets Department” this year, Swift has visibly intertwined time into her musical work.

But the Grammy-winning star hasn’t gone digital — even in a world of iPhones, Apple Watches and AI.

Instead, the musician used almost exclusively analog technology – a choice that had a remarkable impact on companies and their younger fans.

Telling the Time with Taylor Swift

Time has always occupied a prominent place in Swift’s art.

Lyricly, she began to sing about significant moments on her debut album. You should remember lyrics like “2 am walking on your truck” from the favorite track of “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)” fans.

But Swift introduced time as a topic more heavily in 2022 and 2023, following the release of her 10th studio album.

During the “Midnights” era, Swift used clock motifs throughout the “Bejeweled” music video, highlighting them in their huge tour and included some such as Easter eggs (not yet decoded), or hidden clues, on his “Karma” and “Lavender Haze” Music Videos.

So when she was nominated for six Grammys this year, Swift arrived on the event’s red carpet wearing a custom-made, diamond-encrusted choker-shaped watch.

The Lorraine Schwartz watch was a fun homage to her nominated work and a subtle reference to a new project she would announce that night: her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”

But then Swift wore the necklace again, this time while out with friends in Notting Hill on Tuesday night. And fans think the “Anti-Hero” singer is up to something because of it.

Is she more powerful than Father Time? Perhaps.

Swiftie or not, you’ve probably noticed that most things Swift touches turn to gold.

She drew great attention to Kansas City’s small businesses during the last season of NFL, and her tour boosted economies around the world.

And that’s not to mention Swift’s impact on the vinyl record revival.

Forbes reported that “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” was the best-selling vinyl of 2023, with 1.4 million copies, and “The Tortured Poets Department” broke the record for biggest vinyl sales – more than 700,000 copies – at a single week.

These feats partly result from a popular tactic in which artists release multiple vinyl variants of their albums to increase revenue. Swift has been leading the charge.

Naturally, Swift also impacted the world of timekeeping.

Look no further than entrepreneur Victoria P., who created her watch-focused jewelry brand, Joiedevika, two years ago. She first sold her handmade, time-keeping necklaces at Los Angeles flea markets. As her designs became more popular, her business expanded to Etsy, Depop, and a personal website.

Speaking to Business Insider, Victoria said friends messaged her when they saw Swift wearing a watch necklace at the 2024 Grammys. And instantly, the requests poured in.

“I researched Google ‘watching taylor swift’ necklace and found necklaces at my ETSY store,” she said.

Victoria noted that her online stores have received a big boost in recent months, with Etsy sales this year already surpassing their 2023 total.

“I have a lot of clients asking me for watch necklaces to wear at Taylor Swift parties and events. It’s very interesting,” she told BI.

And she’s not the only one. Eugena Lee of Eugena’s Jewelry told BI that her watch necklaces have been especially popular this year. Avery Borders also said she noticed the “Taylor Swift Effect” in her small business, Mundus Magica Creations.

“I’ve seen some steammpun elements in the fashion industry lately,” Borders told BI. “But Taylor wearing a watch necklace has been really cool. I saw an increase in sales, an increase in interest, and an increase in inspiration on my part.”

Swift also made some money from watch-themed merchandise. Previously, she sold a “Folklore”-themed clock and a “Lover”-themed clock as official merchandise, and four of the “Midnights” vinyl variants she released created a clock when displayed together.

Brittany Cheshire, a 31-year-old Swiftie from Arizona, spent $120 on the four records. And no, she doesn’t own a record player.

“I was moving into my new house and was excited to decorate the walls in my office,” she told BI. “I needed a watch, and what’s better than a Taylor?”

She also purchased a $50 display from Swift’s official merchandise site that allows fans to mount the albums on the wall and turn them into working clocks.

“I completely understand that there are four from the same album. But for me, it’s more about the art,” Cheshire added. “I also have all four variants of ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ on my wall. The photos, the composition, everything is beautiful. I’m not just some crazy super Swiftie who has to have everything she puts out.”

But perhaps most importantly, Swift inadvertently helped young people learn to read analog clocks – something they have long been accused of not knowing how to do, even by Jimmy Kimmel.

“That’s it! I’m learning to see the time! Give me!” a TikToker commented on a video Swift posted about her vinyl watch variants.

“From teaching spelling to telling the hours, it’s official! Taylor Swift is the best teacher you could ask, ”wrote another fan at X.

So what exactly is Swift saying by wearing her sparkly watch necklace again?

Dedicated fans are scouring the internet for answers, with one woman saying she emailed a journalist asking them to check high-resolution photos to see what numbers Swift had her watch necklace set to.

The answer remains obscure and only time – without pun – will say. But the Swifties are determined to beat the clock.