You’ve probably wondered what that tiny, seemingly useless pocket on the right front of your jeans is for. A lighter? Lip balm? Shopping cart tokens?

The real answer involves a little trip back in time to 1873.

The iconic jeans brand Levi Strauss & Co. officially introduced this pocket back then for a very specific purpose: as a protective pocket for a pocket watch.

Why a pocket watch, of all things?

In the late 19th century—the era of cowboys, gold miners, and railroad workers—wristwatches hadn’t been invented yet or were extremely uncommon. Men carried pocket watches.

The problem: Workers usually kept their watches in the waistbands of their suits. During strenuous physical labor on ranches or construction sites, the watches could easily fall out or get scratched.

Levi’s solution: An extra-small, close-fitting pocket right on the jeans. Because it’s so tightly cut, the valuable watch was perfectly secured inside and protected from bumps and dirt.

Why do we still have them today?

Hardly anyone wears a pocket watch on a chain anymore, but the pocket has remained. There are two main reasons for this:

Cult status and tradition: The design of classic 5-pocket jeans (two back pockets, two front pockets, and the small watch pocket) is simply legendary. If you were to remove the small pocket, many wouldn’t consider the jeans “real” jeans anymore.

New functions: Even though the watch is gone, we instinctively use it today for small items: coins, AirPods, hair ties, guitar picks, or, of course, the classic Zippo lighter.

Fun fact: At Levi’s, this pocket is still officially called the “Watch Pocket” in their internal design catalog.