The history of watches and watchmaking

Let’s take a look at the history of watchmaking from sundials to modern battery clocks. People have always been fascinated by the passage of time. From prehistoric man to the modern madness of technology, the world of watches has been enriched by a variety of different devices used to measure time. Sundials and water clocks were among the most common methods of recording and monitoring time before the mechanical clock was invented in the late 1200.13th-16th century. The oldest watch was made in 1530. In 1275, the first mechanical watch was invented in England. One of the oldest clocks is located in Salisbury Cathedral, completed in 1386. This clock has no indications just reminded of the time by ticking every hour. In the early 1300s, three mechanical watches were made in Italy. One was an astronomical clock, the second rang a bell every hour, and the third followed the hours, sunrise, and days of the month. As the years went by, blacksmiths continued to make clocks with loud bells to be heard in all mansions and cities. The 16th century brought the use of brass, copper and silver to replace the iron that had been widely used in previous years. The Swiss watch industry was born in the 1540s when the reformer John Calvin banned people from wearing jewelry. This development forced jewelry stores to learn another art, watchmaking. In 1574, the first known pocket watch was created with copper and religious representations on both the front and back. 17th-19th century: The pendulum

The pendulum clock was patented by Christian Huygens in 1656, but was first studied in 1602 by Galileo. This watch reduced the time difference to about 15 seconds per day compared to the pre-existing mechanical accuracy of 15 minutes per day! The motion of the pendulum depends on the force of gravity. Scientists, including Isaac Newton, studied the pendulum and were able to accurately measure the shape of the earth through the force of motion of the pendulum. Over the years, the pendulum has not only been used for scientific purposes, but has been perfected to accurately hold time. Pocket watches.

Pocket watches began to be produced in the late 16th century, and only showed the time. Only in 1680 were minutes added to watches. The first second hand appeared 10 years later, but for some time it did not appear on all watches. The pocket watch replaced the old pendants. This change is said to have taken place after the adoption of the vest by Charles II of England. Due to the fact that he wore the watch in a pocket and not protected in a pendant, the shape was flat and rounded to avoid any damage to the clothes from the sharp edges that protruded. The facade was covered with glass in 1610 to protect the markers from damage. The ownership of watches. In 1700 the possession of watches began to spread to the general public. Manufacturers have produced watches in all shapes and sizes, including decorative elements. As watches became more mainstream, they were further developed with the help of technology, which from 1715 brought greater accuracy. The first automatic winding mechanism was invented in 1770 by Abraham-Louis Perrelet. Jean-Antoine Lepine invented a thinner mechanism in 1770, which allowed watchmakers to make thinner watches that could be easily hidden in clothing. Mass production

With technology upgrades in the 19th century, manufacturers were also able to develop their own systems for reproducing tools and machines. Mass production of watches began in the United States, mainly in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Cheaper materials allowed this mass production of pocket watches that made them available to ordinary people for the first time. Wristwatches

The first wristwatch was created in 1812, for the πό wrist of the Queen of Naples. Of course, they also existed in the 1570s, but they were described as .. arm watches. Wristwatches were worn mainly by women as they were sensitive and easily damaged, which is why men also wore pocket watches. Wristwatches became more popular among men in the army. In 1880, Constant Girard of Girard-Perregaux mass-produced two thousand watches for German naval officers. Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont was looking for a watch that would allow him to hold both hands on the controls during flights. So he went to a good friend, Louis Cartier, to find an alternative. Cartier and his watchmaker Edmond Jaeger created the Santos watch, which was worn by Santos-Dumont, who wore it during his flights. World War I.

During World War I, a pocket watch was important for soldiers to keep track of time. To keep their hands free, they were given wristwatches called “trench watches”. They had leather straps and gave them freedom of movement. Wristwatches became part of the equipment needed on the war front. Thus, soldiers and especially officers needed to have a distinct wrist watch with unbreakable crystal. Because men had to buy their own watches and were not provided with them by the military, there were many advertisements that helped spread the watch. Modern Developments Timers have been around since the 1770s. Electric clocks became popular in the 1950s. The first electric battery clock was invented in 1840. It had a spring-loaded drive mechanism and used electrical pulses to drive the indicators. It was perfected in 1905 with the end of the autonomous battery clock.

SOURCE: https://www.worldsecrets.gr/