According to Grok it's called a watch pocket. It was added when people did not have watches on their wrists. This prevented the watch from getting scratched by other items in your pocket. And it seems I'm not the only person who uses it for change and keys.
When jeans became a fashion staple in the middle 1800s, people carried watched in their pockets instead of wearing them on their wrists as we do today. That small pocket was made for the watch.
For me it's useful for coins. They don't jingle when I walk. It's also useful for carrying a small folding knife.
According to Grok it's called a watch pocket. It was added when people did not have watches on their wrists. This prevented the watch from getting scratched by other items in your pocket. And it seems I'm not the only person who uses it for change and keys.
When jeans became a fashion staple in the middle 1800s, people carried watched in their pockets instead of wearing them on their wrists as we do today. That small pocket was made for the watch.
I always thought it was for a lighter. A zippo fits in there perfectly.