A Brief History of the Pocket Watch

Towson Watch Company "Classic"

Even though we may only think of them as heirlooms or antiques now. Before the invention of the wristwatch, pocket watches were the portable clock of choice. The reign of pocket watches lasted several centuries. From the 16^th century until World War I, if a person carried a clock with them it was a variation of a pocket watch.

First Mention

The earliest mention of pocket watches dates back to 1462 in a letter from Italian clockmaker Bartholomew Manfredi to the Marchese di Mantova Federico Gonzaga. However, it was master locksmith of Nuremberg Peter Henlein that is noted as inventing the actual pocket watch design, and by 1524 he was manufacturing pocket watches regularly.

Design

Until Henlein created the mainspring that made it possible for small and portable clocks to exist, clocks were powered by falling weights. Then in 1650 English physicist Robert Hooke designed a watch with a balance spring. This controlled the oscillations of the wheel that more efficiently controlled the watch's operation.

By the 18^th century, jewels were used as bearings – some pocket watches even used diamonds. This was to smoothen and lubricate the movement of the watch's hands.

Only one hand was used until the 16^th century when the second hand was introduced, and this was a vast improvement in the accuracy of the time. In the second half of the 18^th century a third hand was added.

Evolution

Clocks that were worn date back to the 16^th century when individuals would pin a smaller clock pendant to their clothes or wear on a chain around their neck. By the 17^th century men began to wear watches in their pockets instead of as pendants. Charles II of England was said to have started this trend when he introduced waistcoats. This style caused the pocket watch to evolve into what they are known as today.

By the end of the 18^th century watches were becoming more common, and special cheap pocket watches with maritime paintings on the dials were sold to sailors. This had a lot to do with Aaron Lufkin Dennison inspiration from mass-production techniques he learned while working for a firearms company. His partner, Edward Howard, and he figured out how to create machines that would mass produce parts small enough to make clocks.

Pocket watches helped to bring forward some very famous names in clock design. They also helped to push forward the quality of clock design. Until the 20^th century with the arrival of WWI, pocket watches were insanely popular. After the increase in wristwatch popularity, pocket watches started to become an image of an older time.

Source: ehow, Old and Sold, Wikipedia