Here is some support for the asertion that men's wristwatches were not manufactured prior to WWI because they weren't considered masculine enough. This is from a Burlington watch catalor shortly after the end of WWI.

Note how many references repeat the theme of masculinity, and use the association to the military to support the macho idea.

Blimey, that is Butch isn't it! It's a bit like selling modern watches on their ability to go deep, deep underwater, or same watches as used by fictional spies

I like the use of the 'popular in Europe' and 'large cities' for the Octagonal pocket watches to help sell and air of urbane sophistication, to well, sell it.

Yes! I never realized men were so insecure about their masculinity in those days.

What do you mean those days?

That was a generation that had just gone through the Great War, You can just imagine how over designed, chunky and full of boasts the writing on the dial has to be...

..for us soft late 20c people who have never gone through a major war, or massive depression on the scale of the 1930s never mind cholera outbreaks, and the like. For which I remain grateful...

Anyway, here's my well mannish looking Wristy:

How cool! I think the old ones are really funky. It is hard to find wrist bands that work for them, though. Yours looks like one that I posted on the military timepieces forum a few days ago. The experts "up there" said they thought it was Japanese!