Historical facts about watches you didn't know

Historical facts about watches you didn't know

Mankind from the very creation sought ways to measure time. How many interesting inventions were invented, but not all of them "caught on", received universal distribution. It is easy to guess that the latter include wristwatches.

Clock of the ancient world

The first device to measure time was a sundial. They were invented in Ancient Babylon more than 3 thousand years ago. People, tracking the movement of the sun across the sky, found that objects cast a shadow. And the length of the shadow was different in magnitude depending on the time of day. The pole from which the shadow was cast is called a gnomon. Of course, such watches worked only in Sunny weather and their accuracy was, to put it mildly, small.

The next stage in the development of watchmaking was the hourglass. Such models are found in the modern world. Hourglass usually consists of two flasks with a narrow hole between them. Sand is poured from one compartment to another and it takes some time. Usually such hours were calculated for a period of time from a few minutes to an hour. Great accuracy of this type of clock also could not boast, because over time, the grains of sand were worn, crushed and poured out faster than necessary. In the ancient world there were also water, oil and even fire clocks, which were used in very individual cases.

Stages of accelerated development of watchmaking skills

Era of mechanics

Mechanical watches almost in the form to which we are accustomed, appeared only in the 16th century. Initially, they were stationary structures with a large body. Due to the popularity gained, further improvement went the way of reducing the size while increasing the accuracy of the stroke. Thus appeared the first wristwatch.

Few people know that initially wrist chronometers were intended for women. They were first made by the Breguet brand in the early 19th century and were not about practical accessories measuring time, but rather about decoration. Men preferred pocket watches on a chain. And so it continued until the 30s of the last century. Men's wristwatches came into use with the outbreak of hostilities during the First world war. A securely fastened chronometer on his hand was preferable to the pocket version.

Watchmaking technology did not stand still and developed further at an advanced pace. In 1926, Rolex created the world's first dustproof and waterproof watch. The manufacturer was so confident in its technology that it presented its product to a swimmer who crossed the English channel for the first time. And they stood the test. Nowadays it is difficult to imagine a modern chronometer without the support of protection against moisture and dust in the watch case.

The appearance of quartz movement

The next stage in the development of the clock mechanism was the transition to the drive from the compressed spring to the energy of the battery. Along with mechanical accessories, quartz watches began to be produced. The accuracy of this clock is quite large: the error of the course is from 5 to 15 seconds per month. But another significant advantage of quartz watches over mechanics is the absence of the need for everyday winding of the drive spring. The technology of production development has reached such a level that at the moment the quartz type of mechanism is relatively inexpensive in production and is available to the mass consumer.

Electronic and smart watches

Further development of technology marked the emergence in the 70s of the 20th century of electronic watches with LCD display and indication of numbers instead of the usual hands. The pioneer in this market segment was the Swiss company BWC. Initially, the technology was imperfect and very expensive, but further development led to the emergence of full-fledged inexpensive LCD-displays. The Japanese company Seiko took its niche and leadership positions, sharply increasing interest in electronic watches in the late 80's and early 90's.

Do not forget about the prototypes of modern smart watches or as they are now called Smart. The leaders in this area were the Japanese. Companies Seiko and Casio in the late 70s of the last century established the production of watches with a built-in calculator, games and even a TV. They were simple games like Tetris, puzzles or shooting games. But this laid the Foundation for the trend of smart watches and played a significant role in the emergence of the familiar Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, Huawei Watch, etc.

What came the development of watchmaking can be seen in the catalog of the online store "best-Time". It presents a huge variety of mechanical, quartz, electronic and smart watches for men, women, children. This stylish modern products, which will be a harmonious addition to the image of the modern man.

You can order a wristwatch for yourself or for a gift by phone or through the website shopping cart.