Menu

Get the Tattooed app
Create an account

Pocket watches in tattoo work typically reference mortality and the passage of time, often tied to memorial pieces or reminders to value the present. Roses paired with a timepiece soften that message, adding themes of love or beauty that fades alongside it. The thorned chain wrapped through the piece can read as either constraint or the idea that time and beauty both come with a cost.

Where it sits

This design has a strong vertical flow with a rounded central watch face, which suits the upper arm, thigh, or back where the elongated chain and trailing thorn vine below have room to extend. The forearm could work but would likely require cropping the lower chain loop. Fine details like the Roman numerals and the engraved case pattern would blur at anything under mid-size scale.

Making it yours

Ask an artist for any of these.

  • Drop the top heart-shaped chain loop for a more compact vertical layout
  • Add colour to the roses while keeping the watch monochrome
  • Replace Roman numerals with a specific meaningful date or time
  • Remove the thorn vine and keep only the chain
  • Shrink the piece to fit forearm by cutting the lower rose cluster
Loading...