While on my annual three-week vacation, filled with lazy days, time didn’t matter. When it did, I used a display on my cell phone to note the hour and minute. About a year ago, I shoved my many watches in a drawer.

It saves me money as I no longer shop for timepieces. I wondered if other readers were also shunning wrist jewelry. Many were kind enough to share their thoughts.

Susan Kern from Everett said her children live by their cell phone clocks, except for her son, who loves his clever GPS watch that guides him through the mountains.

“I own about two dozen watches, not counting the huge atomic clock that sits prominently on my desk at work, right next to my phone, which also tells time,” Kern said. “I own so many watches that I use them as fashion accessories and match them to my outfits. I’ve tried to give some of my watches to my children as gifts, but they sigh and give them back or I believe that they secretly give them to others, since I never see them wearing them.”

The timepieces, they are a’changing, Kern added, requesting a copyright on her material.

A watch makes a nice gift.

“I gave my last watch to a homeless person,” said Martha Augustson, 71, with Martha’s Design Center in Everett. She uses her cell phone to tell time.

“I no longer have a land phone for conversations, only for merchant services,” she said. “Cell phones freed me up so I can leave my business and still keep in touch with my customers. Thank you, someone, for computers and cells. Goodbye, watch.”

Not a watch guy, Joe Scott, 39, Everett, uses his cell phone to tell time.

“The cell phone frenzy is crazy,” Scott said. “I find the cell phone really convenient to have. And besides that, my wife can keep better track of me.”

There is no need to wear a watch, said Jennifer Bravo, 40, from Everett.

“I used to wear a watch all the time, but currently do not,” Bravo said. “It seems that everywhere I am there is a clock: In the car, at my desk, at home, and on the cell phone. I keep thinking I really should get that watch battery replaced, but then …”

Finally, a watch wearer.

“I do still wear a watch and use it quite often during the day,” said Marcee Grasso, 54, of Tulalip. “I also carry a cell phone and seldom even remember that there is a clock on the phone. Someone has to remind me. I use my phone for a phone where so many people use their phones to text, take lots of pictures, check e-mail, etcetera. I guess I’m just still a basic kind of person.”

Marilyn Rosenberg, 42, from Everett hasn’t worn a watch for a dozen years.

“Most of the time I use my cell phone for checking the time,” she said. “I’m not even sure why I don’t like to wear a watch. I own a few but they just sit on a shelf. Maybe I don’t want to break it or lose it.”

As a teacher, Bill Nicolay, 46, Lynnwood, always wears a watch.

“I have to know where I’m at in terms of time each period, but I don’t want to be leading by example when it comes to watching the clock,” he said. “So for me, there’s a practical reason to wear a watch.”

Firefighter Christian Davis, 35, said watches remain a regular piece of equipment in the line of duty.

All of her watch batteries are dead, said Susan Aylesworth, 58, from Edmonds.

“I don’t wear a watch,” she said. “If I’m out somewhere, I look at my phone. If I’m at work, I look at my computer. At home, I look at the TV if it’s on.”

Fred Hawley, 71, of Edmonds, doesn’t carry his cell phone all the time so he said he still wears a watch.

All five of her grown children tell time with their cell phones, said Barbara Johnson, 49, of Oak Harbor. She tells time with her watch but does have a cell phone for, well, phoning.

T.J. Hawkins, 47, Arlington, said she has a nice watch but hasn’t donned the thing since the battery pooped out.

“I’ve been reduced to sundials in the front yard,” she said. “Kidding.”

Back in the 1980s, Donna Shepardson, 37, Bothell, wore a Monopoly Swatch and a clear Swatch.

“They were fashion accessories only,” Shepardson said. “They usually weren’t even running because the batteries drained so quickly on me. Swatch replaced the batteries free for life but it did become a hassle and by then, Madonna had everyone wearing loads and loads of rubber washers halfway up their forearms anyway.”

She said she got into the habit of carrying a travel clock in her purse and so transitioned to the clock on the cell phone rather easily.

Oh my. Michelle Graves, 34, Everett, doesn’t wear a watch and doesn’t have a cell phone.

“My computer and phone at work both display the time,” Graves said. “I do have a watch that I bought for traveling. It looks like a bracelet with a clasp that snaps over the clock face. That way I can peek to make sure I’m on time for my flight or workshop, and still escape the gaze of the ticking clock.”

Joel James, 43, Marysville, wears quite a watch.

“What if I told you I wear it more for temperature, barometric pressure and time? I also carry a cell phone, but I use it more for Web access than talking, I think.”

His watch also has a compass, tells the altitude, has a timer and alarm clock and it’s submersible to something like 300 feet, James added.

Julie Davis’ husband bought her a beautiful gold and diamond watch.

“It’s not really just a piece of jewelry either,” said Davis of Arlington. “I find that I actually use it, because often, I have no pocket or belt to carry my cell phone around the office with me.”

In stores, when she can’t find a clock, Carol Benzel-Schmidt of Stanwood uses her watch.

“I don’t have a cell phone because for the year I did have one, I seldom used it and the one time my car broke down, I was in a dead zone and had to walk anyway,” Benzel-Schmidt added.

When he is kayaking, fishing, hiking or camping, Bill Brackin, 60, of Everett, wears a waterproof watch.

On normal work days, he uses a PDA-cell phone, his desk telephone, desk computer or the clock on the wall.

Blackberries are the way to go, said Tammi Bryant Olson, 38, of Mill Creek.

“I wear a watch but doubt the time on my watch and opt for the Blackberry time when it really matters,” she said. “Last week, as we prepared to open the doors for an event at the Everett events center, three of us had to discuss and debate who had the correct time, and synchronize our Blackberries so we would be sure to open the doors on time.”

There are times when being on time, no matter how you figure that out, is important.

Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.