We watch the hands go around a circular clock face as if the two have gone together since time first began.

But the clock is a very recent invention, and long before we had smartwatches and Rolexes, there were many different — and what we would now see as down right bizarre — methods for tracking the passing of time.

Around 5500 years ago, for instance, the Ancient Egyptians constructed gigantic obelisks — four-sides tapered columns — and used them to track the time of day according to the angle and length of the shadows they cast.

Around 2500 years ago, in Ancient Greece, they used the flow of water to tell the time. Water clocks worked by regulating the passage of liquid between two vessels in such a way so that the amount of water left would let them know the time, down to the exact hour and minutes.

All this is a long way of saying that the relationship between a circle and time is an entirely modern affair. And that, therefore, when it comes to choosing a design for your watch, there are many other shapes that can do just as good a job.

Check out these three popular alternative watch shapes to circles and choose to represent time in your own way.

Octagonal

A combination of the classic circle and stately square, the octagon is a popular alternative watch shape that has as much meaning behind it as it does appeal on the wrist.

The octagon is often used as a symbol for eternal life. And as such, the architecture of many religious buildings include octagonal structures, for instance, in supporting the all important dome at the top.

The Piguet Royal Oak, with its octagonal bezel, is perhaps the most famous example of an octagonal watch. But the shape has also been favoured by other big brands such as Omega, Patek, and Rolex. One particularly stunning and early example is Rolex’s 1930s 9ct gold octagonal vintage Oyster watch.

Square or Rectangular

Watches with square or rectangular dials and cases, with their sharp angles that run parallel to the strap and across the wrist, have been around nearly as long as watches themselves.

Popular among dress watches and timepieces that want to give off a more high-class look, square-faced watches, such as this vintage Longines wristwatch, also often sit better on the wrist and therefore make for more comfortable timepieces.

Another big reason many people and brands prefer squares to the standard circle is that they offer more surface area on the dial, allowing for a less cluttered and more functional design.

Asymmetrical

Asymmetrical watch designs, with their wacky shapes and weird angles, were not something the traditional gentlemen would have demanded. But it only took one man — Elvis — wearing one particular watch — the 1957 Hamilton Ventura — to change this fact forever.

Since then, the asymmetrical watch has been tried out by every brand at some point or other, particularly in the field of sports watches. Richard Mille, with its convexed rectangles and wrist-hugging curves, is probably the best modern example. But Hamilton, with its classy and trend-setting Ventura, still remains, arguably, the most impactful and iconic example of an alternative watch shape ever.