This is why all jeans have a small pocket inside the front pocket — the reality will astound you. We’ve been thinking about it. And no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t think of sensible use for this small pocket. The cellphone does not fit, and it is not appropriate for storing small amounts of money or bills. And what about the keys? You’re kidding; you’ll never get the key out.

But don’t worry; British paper The answer to the everlasting question, according to The Independent, is probably not what you think. You’ve undoubtedly puzzled about it from time to time. It makes no difference whether they are men’s or women’s versions; all jeans have two front pockets and two back pockets. They also have an odd compartment within one of the front pockets. But why is it there?

Surprisingly, we must travel back nearly two hundred years to find the genesis. That little thumbnail-sized pocket isn’t a new addition to jeans; rather, it was a sensible solution to a problem that no longer exists. The famed jean company Levi’s is responsible for the innovation.

According to The Independent, the first ‘extra’ pocket came into use in the 1800s. The reason? To facilitate the most common wearers of jeans at that time … cowboys. Cowboys would ride with their small pocket watch tied to a strap or inside their coats, but these two methods caused the watch to fall and break. So Levis started making jeans with a small pocket designed to keep the pocket watch from being damaged.

By having the clock in the pocket, the cowboys could ride without fear of the clock breaking. Smart! I really didn’t know that myself. Pretty incredible that the design has stuck with jeans all the way up to the modern-day. Cowboys might no longer be around, but their watch pockets certainly are!