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

In 1881, Kintaro Hattori opened a clock shop in Tokyo, which established a foundation for modern clock and watch making in Japan. This new brand was titled Seikosha. The store was the direct ancestor of the current Seiko Corporation, Tokyo, which is the parent company of Seiko Corporation of America. Eleven years later, Hattori opened a clock factory with ten employees. Two months after it is inception, the first dozen clocks were produced. In 1895, the production of pocketwatches began. Following that trend, the company began to produce alarm clocks in 1899, which was followed by the introduction of table and musical clocks in 1902. In 1912, Hattori began considering ideas regarding the production of a Japanese wristwatch. The following year, his company began working on the first Seikosha wristwatch to ever be made in Japan. In 1924, the Seiko brand was officially created. After 43 years of the company’s existence, the first Seiko wristwatch was made.

Since that time, there have been many modern advancements to the world of watches. But, throughout the changing times, Seiko has remained a powerhouse in the timepiece industry. In 1956, they produced the first self-winding wristwatch made in Japan. In 1964, Seiko released the worlds first quartz chronometers and became the official timer of the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. In 1968, they introduced the worlds first quartz wall clock. The following year, in 1969, Seiko released the first quartz watch. Also that year, Tiffany & Co. began selling the Seiko Astron 35SQ, which was encased in solid 18kt yellow gold. During the next several years, Seiko introduced many firsts to the world of watches, including the first multi-function digital watch and the first LCD quartz watch with six-digit digital display.

Seiko has served as the official timer for various athletic competitions and events. Among the collections offered by Seiko include the Tressia, La Grand Sport and Elite Collections, which includes the Sportura, Arctura and Coutura. Their line of technology timepieces include the Kinetic Perpetual, Kinetic Chronograph, Kinetic Auto Relay, Kinetic, Analog Digital, Chronograph, Flight Computer and Perpetual Calendar. The majority of Seiko timepieces are designed to be water resistant. The U.S. warranty for Seiko watches, which are sold by Seiko Corporation of America, is three years. The warranty for clocks is one year. Certain restrictions and exclusions may apply, so be sure to read your warranty information closely when purchasing any new timepiece and always retain a copy of all such warranties.

As with any timepiece, caring for your watch will promote a longer life for the product. If the battery is in need of changing, be sure to have this done immediately. Seiko advices that customers contact an authorized Seiko dealer for battery and other minor repairs. If the timepiece needs further repair or replacement parts not serviced by an authorized dealer, customers may return the watch to the address on their warranty card for proper handling. If the watch is under warranty, the repairs should be done at no cost. If the warranty has expired, however, the customer will be responsible for the cost of repairs and replacements.

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

Rolex also has a variety of watch winders available. These watch winders come in a variety of options from simple to beautifully crafted and elaborate. Most models can encase anywhere from one to ten watches in a single box. It is recommended that if you are unsure of the specifications of a particular brand of watch winders, you should consult with a jeweler or watch expert to help narrow your search.

The Steinhausen watch winder is a favorite among collectors. As with the other top brands, Steinhausen offers beautifully constructed watch winders with precise engineering. Designed to slowly, delicately and consistently wind your watch, Steinhausen guarantees your watch will be carefully wound, easily displayed and ready to wear at a moment’s notice. This brand of watch winder is generally equipped with a glass front for easy viewing and can keep your timepiece protected from dust. Owners of the Steinhausen watch winder enjoy the ability to store up to four watches in the same case and like that the motor runs very quietly.

Since 1834, Wolf Watches has practiced to perfect its winding products. Because of the careful design and elegance of these watch winders, Wolf has become a favorite among collectors. One of the newer products, Module 2.0, is capable of winding in three different directions: clockwise, counterclockwise or bi-directionally. This product also has a setting in which the watch is allowed to “sleep”; many collectors believe this to be a critical stage for any self-winding watch in order simulate normal wear (i.e. winding and unwinding). Consistent over winding can damage your treasured watch. This is among the many reasons people enjoy the features of the Wolf watch winder. The Underwood watch winder also offers many appealing features. The Rotogalble winder from Underwood is programmed to wind 30 minutes clockwise, 30 minutes counter clockwise and then a three-hour resting period before the cycle begins again. This feature is favorablesince most collectors understand the importance of delicate winding. Many experts believe the Underwood watch winder collection to be among the best on the market, however they are also among the most expensive.

The Rapport Company has been in the watch business for over one hundred years. Given the amount of time creating watches and accessories, it is no wonder they have some of the finest products on the market. Many prestigious collectors choose Rapport watch winders and consider them the best watch winders available. Rapport believes that the frequency, angle and speed of rotation are the key elements to crafting the ultimate watch winder. Along with high standards of craftsmanship, this company also believes in provided elegantly appearing cases for watch display and storage. This product also offers a choice of settings from a fast-winding mode to an intermittent mode with rotates both clockwise and counter-clockwise.

Eilux, the recently renamed watch winder from Everwell is considered an excellent choice as an entry-level or beginners watch winder. The Eilux is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty and is said to be a very dependable, although much less expensive than other brands, winder. This brand is programmed to wind in three directions: clockwise, counter-clockwise and bi-directional. It is important to note that the winder should be completely shut down before changing winding directions. One dealer likens this to changing gears in a moving car without stopping first. The factory default setting is to rotate bi-directionally for 24 minutes with a three-hour resting period before beginning the cycle again.

If you have a very large budget in which to purchase a winder and have a very valuable timepiece to store, a high-end watch winder can be a may be the right choice you. Although many of the best quality winders are pricey, brands such as the Eilux can be a good alternative to spending a thousand or more dollars. Precision in rotation is a critical factor and you should certainly take notice of the rotation cycles of any brand you consider purchasing.

Owners of valuable automatic watches obviously wish to protect their investment. Comparing the different brands of watch winders to find the best for your needs is important. Generally speaking, watch winder manufacturers create products based on different principles. It is probably wise to stay away from the cheaply made models because you run the risk of over winding your piece. The more intricately designed models may be significantly more expensive, however, you certainly pay for what you get in this market. To clarify, with a poor winder, your watch may even become disabled or damaged by over winding. Choosing a winder with finite workings is the best way to ensure your watch is properly wound.

About the Author

Watch Winders Info provides detailed information on automatic watch winders, boxes and cases, and other accessories. Watch Winders Info is the sister site of Rolex Replicas Web.

Written By: Marcus Peterson