Time Travel and the WATCH completely explained!

I have problems with a few things in the movie but the watch is not one. I don't understand why people get so hung up on the watch or time loops. I can only attribute it to one dimensional thinking. It can easily be explained by putting it into proper perspective. Putting into perspective in terms of the characters we watched when they met in 1972 at the premeire of Richard's play. Both Elise and Richard were living their SECOND LIVES, i.e. SECOND TIME LOOP. WE NEVER WATCHED THEM LIVE THEIR ORIGINAL LIVES IN THE MOVIE!

The movie we watched showed Richard's RETURN trip to 1912. The watch was simply part of Richard's outfit he put together in the 1980 of his FIRST TRIP to 1912. For anyone with a headache at this point I will give a timeline:

The timeline starts BEFORE THAT DEPICTED IN THE MOVIE. This is crucial to understanding about the watch!

TIMELINE:

1. (FIRST LIFE) In his original life in 1980 Richard is disillusioned with his life, career etc. He takes respite at the Grand Hotel where he becomes fascinated with a picture of Elise on the wall. He researches the photo of Elise, reads about her life but NEVER MET HER 8 YEARS EARLIER at the premiere of his first play. He never met her because at that point SHE HAD NEVER MET HIM. So Richard who is fascinated with Elise through her photo and career history ONLY remembers his professor from college who believes one can travel back in time. Richard follows the professors book for traveling back by assembling an outfit which included a watch appropriate for the period and a date upon which to travel back in time in order to meet Elise at the Grand Hotel. Unfortunately Richard was careless and left the modern penny in his jacket which took him away from Elise yet left her with the watch and memories of him.

2. (SECOND LIFE: THIS IS WHERE THE MOVIE STARTS!) Elise now living her SECOND LIFE and possessing the watch left by Richard's FIRST TRIP to 1912 pines away for him for 58 years until she puts enough information together to be able to meet him in 1972 at the premiere of his first play. This Elise meets Richard, says "Come back to me." and gives him the watch. The movie plays out and Richard sees from the hotel registry that he did indeed visit 1912 which emboldened him to MAKE HIS SECOND TRIP TO 1912 which ended his life in 1980. Elise meets Richard in this AFTERLIFE and they make their journey together. This is where the movie ends.

To buy into my explanation one must embrace the concept of a time loop. Time loops that are distinct based upon specific input.

FIRST TIME LOOP: We can theorize about the FIRST life of Richard after he met Elise. We know in her first life Elise died never having met Richard. However in Richard's first life he met Elise. We know that Elise fell in love with him (hence the second time loop) and that he "left" her yet we know nothing of the specifics other than the watch. We do not know what happened to the Richard of this time loop. Did he die in despair as in the movie (second loop)? Or did he go on with his life in 1980 assuming that was the year he traveled back from initially? WE SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW.

SECOND TIME LOOP: This is the entire movie and nothing more.