Since the first appearance of man on the earth an effort has been made to measure time. The tracking of the sun’s movement across the sky, candles that were marked at intervals, oil lamps with a marked reservoir, sandglasses (hourglasses) are some of the ways in which time was measured. In the Orient knotted cords and small stone or metal mazes filled with incense that would be burned at a specific rate.

Water clocks did not depend on the observation of the sky or the sun. The earliest water clock was found in the tomb of Amenhotep I who was buried around 1500 B.C. Greeks called them clepsydras; they were stone containers with sloped sides that allowed water to drip at an almost constant rate from a small hole in the bottom. Other clepsydras were cylinders or bowl shaped designed to slowly fill up with water coming in at a near constant pace. Markings on the inside of the bowl marked the passage of the hours. Though this was used primarily at night, it is thought they were used in the day hours as well. A metal bowl with a hole the bottom was placed in a larger bowl filled with water. It would fill and then sink in a certain amount of time.

Since water flow was not exactly predictable and difficult to control the flow accurately, timepieces that depended on water were very inadequate. People were drawn to develop more accurate ways of measuring and telling time.

The development of quartz crystal clocks and timepieces depended on the crystal size, shape, and temperature to create a frequency. Quartz clocks and watches continue to be popular. They work well enough for the price and although they tend to be slightly ‘off’ the correct time most people can afford them.

The first watches had a natural movement but no minute hand. They had to be wound every twelve hours. Watches were originally worn more for adornment than functionality. Timepieces worked with weights but these were not practical in portable timepieces.

Time measurement has been a goal of man from the beginning and a time line will help you understand how we got to where we are with watches. Watches have so many new functions. They have the date, the time, times across time zones and some have stop watches. Most watches have some kind of an alarm in them. The possibilities are endless and I can really see a Dick Tracy type of watch being real.

Here is a timeline of watch history. Some of the years might not be listed in chronological order but I got them as close to it as possible. It is very interesting to learn how watches have developed. It’s amazing when I think of the minds of the people who had their hand in creating watches, how smart and technical they must have been!

Prior to 1600 – The main problem was the driving power the timepieces ran were balanced weights. This made it difficult to carry them around.

1524 – Henlien was paid fifteen Florins for a gilt musk-apple with a watch. This is the earliest date of watch production that is known.

1548 – Other watches appeared and were probably French or German inorigin.

1575 – Swiss and English products began to appear. This was the period of the most advancements and innovation. First watch movements were made of steel and then later brass. They were straight verge watches with no balance and were highly inaccurate. The use of spiral-leaf main spring began. This allowed the power of a movement without hanging weights. These pieces were inconsistent in their accuracy.

1600 – 1675 – This was the age of decoration. Watches became more of a decoration and jewelry piece rather than being functional. The shape of cases changed from tambour cylinder with a lid, to a circular case with hinged, domed covers on the front and back. Champleve enamel and relieved case filled with colored enamel appeared.

1620 – The glass crystals were fitted to the cases as a typical alternative to metal opaque covers. The glass is translucent and allowed the owner to see the time without taking off the cover. In order to set the watch and see the time, the cover had to be removed.

1625 – Plain watches came about as the result of the Puritan movement. After 1660 – Fancy shapes and adornments were seen mostly on ladies’ watches.

1675 – The spiral balance spring is first used in watches. The accuracy now was measured in fractions of minutes as opposed to fractions of hours. This increased accuracy caused watchmakers to create a dial that had a minute hand and was divided by minutes.

1675 – Charles II introduced waistcoats with pockets. Men now carried their watches in their pockets rather than on a pendant.

1704 – Dullier and Debeaigre developed a method of using jewels as bearings.

1715 – Sully found out that creating a small sink around each hole would retain the oil because of the surface tension.

1725 – It was common to find a large diamond endstone in the cock.

1750 – The names of watchmakers never appeared on the dials of watches till now.

1761 – John Harrison made a clock that was so accurate it was used to measure longitude during sea voyages.

1775 – Champleve is now rare. Purrelet began production of self-winding watches.

1780 – Rareguel produced these watches.

1800 – The pocket chronometer was a readily available and accurate watch.

1814 – Massey was the first who used a push or pump with a rack that operated by pushing the pendant that turn on a ratchet basic or going bowl.

1850 – The United States were the first to use mass production with mixed results

1900 – Advances were made in metallurgy. This was the introduction of the balance spring on the first verge watch.

1952 – Battery powered watches became available.

1970 – Electronic watches were very successful.

Watches today use quartz crystals, batteries, and there are even atomic watches. Time tracking has never been more accurate and advances in the field of Horolgy are being made all the time.
About the Author About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of products which includes Watches and and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.

Written By: Martin Smith

With so many manufacturers and use of metals, there is without a doubt something for everyone. If durability and longevity is what you seek, it may be time to consider titanium watches. These timepieces are crafted using one of the strongest materials available to watch manufacturers. Titanium watches feature some of the lowest weight to strength ratios found in any metal. In short, this comes down to the fact that titanium watches have cases that are both lightweight and strong while maintaining an exceptional resistance to extreme temperatures. To give you an idea, Titanium weighs less than half of the weight found in steel, yet is a mere 60% heavier than aluminum. However, it is certainly much stronger.

Some individuals suffer from metal allergies, which means that they cannot wear certain pieces of jewelry without having some type of reaction. A discoloration of the skin is most common, but the reactions vary depending upon the individual s resistance to metal and the metals contents. Because of the properties in Titanium, watches made from this metal are shown to cause fewer allergic reactions than even gold or silver. In addition, Titanium watches are resistant to saltwater corrosion, which is valuable for divers, surfers or swimmers. Many of these watches are crafted to withstand virtually any environment, which provides for a good investment.

Titanium was discovered over 300 years ago, but was not used in the production of watches until the 1900s. A cost-effective process for working with titanium was founded in the 1940s and so began the era of a new style of watches. This new method provided users with a large variety of colors, including classic to extravagant.

Many of the worlds top watch manufacturers offer titanium watches, including Citizen, Seiko and others. Perhaps the widest selection of watches can be found online, but retail watch dealers may also carry a nice selection of products. Depending on your geographical location, a nice selection may be widely available at every corner. For those who do not have a large retail hub nearby, the internet or speciality catalog shopping may be a nice option. Prices range from several hundred up to several thousand, depending on the style and features that you choose.

When purchasing any timepiece, inquire about product warranties and guarantees. If your watch has a warranty card or information, follow the manufacturer instructions to ensure that your warranty is properly activated. If you need to return a warranty card, do so as quickly as possible. If the warranty information is simply tucked inside the box, always be sure to keep it in a safe place. It is a good idea to retain all warranty information, along with your original purchase receipt. This will aid in proper handling of future warranty issues, such as repair or replacements should they arise in the future.

About the author:

Peter Bishop manages the watches portal at www.llcwatches.com and is a true seiko watches fan himself.

Written By: Peter Bishop