George V was a stickler for timekeeping. Had he been around in 2015 he would certainly have have approved of the Apple Watch because of one curious feature that has not been overly promoted. It turns out you can set the display of your new Apple watch to be early or late, depending on preference.
Back in the analogue days of the Nineteen Naughties, the present Queen’s great-grandfather, Edward VII had all clocks on the Sandringham estate set half an hour early. The reason? To make sure no one, especially the tardy Queen Alexandra, was ever late for an occasion. His son, George V, carried on the tradition and even extended it to Buckingham Palace and Balmoral. It became known as Sandringham Time.
Apple it now appears, has imbibed something of the two Kings’ pragmatic approach. Tell the display of your Apple Watch to be five minutes (or half an hour) ahead and you will never miss another appointment. The important thing is that this does not change the device’s time setting, which continues to synchronise and remind on cue. It is simply a stratagem to encourage better habits in inveterate latecomers. We all know at least one.
When you unpack your Watch, especially if you’ve splashed out on the gold Edition model, you can be content that there is a soupçon of royal pedigree hidden behind that smooth and ultra-modern glass face.