10 Historical Things You Might Not know About Watches

Aug 30, 2014,15:29 PM
 

10 Historical Things You Might Not know About Watches


The history behind watches can be rich and fascinating. Taking a closer look, it becomes evident how many historical events have a significance in the technical and design evolution of timepieces that we see today. Here are some watch facts from history that you might not necessary have heard about but are interesting to know, especially if you are a true watch enthusiast.


1. If the mainspring had never been invented, watches may not have come into existence – at least not the way we know them. Mainsprings had their initial utilization as the power mechanism in clocks that date back to the 1400s. Consisting of a flat metal ribbon wounded into a “spiral torsion spring”, they began appearing in pocket watches by the end of the 16th century.

 


2.  In the 17th century, the pairing of waistcoat pockets in menswear and pocket watches was made popular by King Charles II of Britain. The fashion statement was practiced mostly by the elite and stylish upper class who were among the few who could afford such timepieces at the time.



 

The waist-coat pocket was sized perfectly to hold the flat circular-shaped pocket watches on chains. Many men continued to wear their pocket-watches in this manner until well into the first half of the 20th century. In recent years the pocket watch has experienced a revival in popularity thanks to top brands like Panerai, Richard Mille, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger LeCoultre. Although some have been modern interpretations, created in limited release and serve more as conversation pieces highlighting the brand rather than true alternatives to wristwatches.

 

3.  Eterna, a luxury Swiss watchmaker claims credit for being the first company to create a wristwatch with an alarm complication. The initial prototype was produced in 1908 however it did not go into production until 6 years later. During the early 1900s Eterna was also known for several other watch advancements that were on the forefront of watchmaking technology at the time. These included:

 

- The smallest production wristwatch that consisted of a rectangular movement that was long and narrow. These “baguette” movements were typically three times as long as they were wide.

- An eight-day alarm watch

- Developed the “Eterna-matic” automatic movement. This was a true technological advancement for automatic watch mechanisms. It consisted of five ball-bearings that were specially placed to make the movement extremely efficient as well as lowering the friction and resistance on the oscillating weight that turned the mainspring. This was a valuable achievement because it made the movement more durable giving it a longer life.



Photo from Eterna fanatic.com m

 

4.  A pilot during the early 1900s started the trend of wearing watches on the wrist. Alberto Santos-Dumont made several technological achievements in airplane design  during the time. While flying in one of the planes he designed, the monoplane Demoiselle, he had a hard time using his pocket watch to time intervals and flying performance during flight. He asked his good friend Louis Cartier to develop a way for him to check the time without having to take his hands off of the controllers. The resulting solution was a watch with a leather band and buckle which Santos-Dumont could wear on his wrist thus allowing him to keep both hands on aircraft controllers when checking the time. 

 

5.  Wearing watches on the wrist became more accepted on a larger scale due to the nature of war during the early 1900s. Soldiers on the battlefield found that wristwatches were more practical than pocket watches.

 

Battles were fought on a much larger scale during World War I therefore soldiers had to be synchronised more precisely. This necessity altered the perception of wristwatches which were thought to be "unmanly" at the time.

 

Thousands of soldiers were issued a "trench watch" which needed to be legible in zero light conditions and durable enough to withstand the harsh abuse from being in battle.

 

Many watchmakers developed chronographs that incorporated radium-illuminated dials and protective shrapnel guards.

 

6. In 1923 the first "self-winding" or ‘automatic’, wristwatch was developed and patented by John Harwood. He was a Bolton-born watch repairman/engineer. The watch went into production in 1929 but encountered difficulties due to its design.  It lacked a crown and had to be set by turning the bezel. Harwood’s patents proved difficult to manufacture and as a result lacked durability.

 

7. In the 1954 documentary, The Silent World, Jacques Cousteau wears a Rolex Submariner, the first "precision wristwatch developed for use undersea." That same year Rolex introduced the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner at the Basel watch fair.


Photo credit unknown 


With the help of Cousteau’s cinematic exposure, and his popularization of scuba diving as a sport, these first models of the stylish metallic Rolex diving watches were seen by the mass public and became popular. Divers needed a way to measure the amount of time they spent underwater and Rolex took full advantage of the opportunity with Cousteau to show the world something new.

 

8. Seiko was instrumental in the production and use of the quartz watch in the early 1960s. For the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Seiko had its subdivisions begin work on a prototype quartz wristwatch. The watch’s release was intended to coincide with the Olympic games and used during timed events.

 

The first quartz wristwatch that went into production was the Quartz-Astron (35SQ), in 1969 and consisted of hybrid circuits.


Photo by Terenceho 


9.  The idea of the digital watch started with the Stanley Kubrick movie, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’. For his 1968 sci-fi adventure, Kubrick collaborated with Hamilton Watch Company in the design of a watch that looked futuristic. Although the watch was to be worn by space pilots in the film, it provided an aesthetic sense but was not functional.



Photo from Montresdesign.com m

 

In 1970, Hamilton went on to release a watch inspired by the movie that was functional called the Odyssee 2001. Two years later the company built on the concept by creating the first digital electronic watch called the “Pulsar”.   It was fashioned in 18-carat gold and had an LED display. Retail price of the watch was around $2,100.



Photo from jamesbondwatchblog.com m

 

10.  The world’s most complicated pocket mechanical watch is Patek Philippe’s Caliber 89 which was created in 1989 to commemorate the manufacture’s 150th anniversary. R&D for the special piece spanned five years and the brand spent another four years to produce it.



 

Holding up to his reputation as the most complicated watch it has a total of 1,728  components, and 33 complications, including a thermometer and star chart. Made of 18-carat gold, the Caliber 89 weighs in at 1,100g. Four versions were made - in white, yellow, and rose gold as well as platinum.

 

Functions include century, decade and year displays, date of Easter, day of the month, day of the week, equation of time, hour of second time-zone, leap year indicator, month, Moon phase display, power reserve, split second hand, star chart, Sun hand, thermometer, time of sunrise, time of sunset, 12-hour recorder, and winding crown position indicator. The price for the most complicated pocket watch? Only a mere $5.12m to $6m depending on which version. That could possibly make it not only the most complicated but one of the most expensive as well.


Resource: James Hayes, Engineering and Technology Magazine




This message has been edited by pingtsai on 2014-08-30 15:30:38


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Great list, Ping. Thanks! [nt]

 
 By: CaliforniaJed : August 30th, 2014-17:44

I didn't know the point 3 and Eterna pionnering Alarm watches!

 
 By: amanico : August 30th, 2014-22:49
I always thought it was Vulcain which created the first alarm wristwatch in 1946! We learn everyday, at least me! :) Best, and thanks for this very interesting article, Ping. Nicolas

Wow!

 
 By: pingtsai : August 31st, 2014-23:41
If I can tell you something about watches that you didn't already know then I'm more than satisfied :)

Correction of One Significant Error

 
 By: jkingston : September 1st, 2014-09:54
Actually Cousteau dove with a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch when filming Silent World. And so did the rest of his team. At the time, Spirotechnique, a division of Air Liquide was buying Blancpain's for the French Navy. Spirotechnique owned Aqualung which ... 

Aaah, Jeff, that is a tough question to know which one, between Rolex and Blancpain issued

 
 By: amanico : September 1st, 2014-10:33
The first ( modern ) diving Watch.... We are many, here to not know which is the certain date. Both Rolex and Blancpain claim that it was in 1953... BUT... BUT, Rolex unveiled the 6204 / 6200 in Basel, in 1954, and it seems that ( I insist on " it seems..... 

There is a photo that settles it...Blancpain

 
 By: jkingston : September 1st, 2014-14:42
I have seen Jean-Jacques Fiechter's photo from 1953. Fiechter was Blancpain's CEO at the time. He and the diving instructors were wearing Fifty Fathoms watches. Those watches were already in existence. The Rolex CEO in the photos was not wearing a Rolex d... 

Eek...this is what I was afraid of...

 
 By: pingtsai : September 2nd, 2014-21:30
...have to make sure all i's are dotted and t's are crossed with this sharp audience ;) Thanks for the clarification.

Really nice, informative & comprehensive write-up !.. Wasn't aware of ..

 
 By: hs111 : September 1st, 2014-10:37
.. the so significant part of Eterna in the development & history of the alarm wristwatch etc. ,, Interesting ! Thanks for an interesting read ! Best, hs

Thank you….

 
 By: Topcat30093 : September 2nd, 2014-01:49
For an article that I found very informative and interesting. Especially, like the photo of the Pulsar LED.