Watches are a status symbol and a fashionable accessory
Today a status symbol and fashionable accessory
The development of the clock significantly changed the world for people.
The first mechanical clocks were invented in the 13th century and ushered in a new era in science. Even before that, people tried to tell the time using hourglasses, sundials, or so-called striking clocks, which was especially important in monasteries and abbeys for dividing the different phases of prayer. But outside of these places too, the need to organize increasingly complex social life grew. Accordingly, the first clocks were placed on tall towers so that the time could be read from anywhere. At last, it was now possible to divide and determine time more precisely, and in the years that followed, efforts were made to steadily improve the materials.
A clock was considered a precious possession and at that time was affordable only for a few, which forced clockmakers to offer their craftsmanship in different places.
Clocks conquer the home
In order to use clocks privately as well, it was important to reduce the size of the individual components, and replacing the weights with a metal spring in particular made it possible for clocks to move from church towers first into homes and then onto wrists.
The first household clocks also marked the beginning of a new mentality in a world undergoing economic change. Technically, however, they resembled their large predecessors, and the first production in Germany can be traced back to the 15th century. In keeping with their shape, they were referred to as "Gothic" clocks or "lantern clocks."
When it came to wall clocks, not only did the aspect of functionality become increasingly important, as it is today with office clocks, but so did appearance. As a result, the embellishments and decorations of the dials and surfaces increasingly came to the forefront.
The discovery of pendulum regulation was another major step toward perfecting timekeeping, and deviations in accuracy shrank to 30 seconds per day, which was very low for that time. The pendulum was then found everywhere in the production of table and cabinet clocks.
Pocket watches
Over time, needs changed, and clocks not only became increasingly precise but also more and more like small pieces of jewelry. Small pocket watches were especially popular; their breakthrough came in the 19th century, and they formed the transition to wristwatches. Production sites also increasingly shifted, and Switzerland in particular made a name for itself in terms of quality and quantity.
The road to the wristwatch
Subsequent technical innovations, such as the winding crown, paved the way for the wristwatch and marked the end of key winding. By the end of the 19th century, innovations in transportation were making lifestyles ever more active, and this made wristwatches almost indispensable. It was considered more practical to have the watch directly in view, and so it moved from pockets to wrists. Also important to mention is the influence of fashion, which from the 20th century onward brought new momentum to people's lives.
Perhaps that is precisely why the first documented wristwatch was a women's watch...
With the rise of quartz technology and Japan's economic power from 1970 onward, Switzerland gained significant competition, although this was balanced out again with the establishment of the Swatch brand (Swatch = Swiss + Watch). Collecting watches suddenly took on a whole new dimension, and nowadays watches are no longer just a utilitarian object, but also a status symbol, a piece of jewelry, and an expression of individuality. At least once a year, a wide variety of brands present their new collections, and accordingly there are watches for every occasion. A look into the future suggests that a watch will soon have far more extensive functions and, for example, also enable mobile data exchange or serve as a navigation instrument or database.
