Question

it is half past nine in my watch

Answer 1

In English, “half nine” means 9:30 — as in half past nine: as in half of the whole 9 o'clock hour. ... Similarly, English has no structure like “quarter nine” to mean “quarter to nine (8:45) or “quarter past nine” (9:15). The expression “half nine” isn't a British thing — it's a traditional English thing.