In past times, what would a gentleman keep in his fob pocket?

The story behind the answer

Watch

A fob pocket is the small pocket—often in a waistcoat or on trousers—designed to hold a pocket watch. Before wristwatches became popular in the early 20th century, gentlemen carried pocket watches attached to a short chain or ribbon called a “watch fob,” which made the watch easy to pull out and prevented it from dropping.

Fun fact: that tiny extra pocket on many jeans today is a leftover “watch pocket” from this tradition. Memory tip: think “fob” = “fab watch”—the fancy little chain and the secure pocket went together, keeping time close at hand and safe from knocks.