GREAT JEWELRY AT GOOD PRICES

For many people a fine modern wristwatch is a sign of elegance and sophistication. A wristwatch today may be engineered for all kinds of purposes, from scuba diving to space travel. The making of timepieces has evolved from early sundials to sleek and stylish wristwatches of today with miniaturized mechanics.

Since ancient times people have been creating devices for keeping time. Ancient Egyptians used early water clocks, regulated by the flow of liquid. Water clocks such as these were also used by Early Romans and the Chinese in the Shang Dynasty. The earliest clocks relied on the shadows cast by the sun, and were therefore unreliable in cloudy weather or at night. Water clocks were more reliable.

Mechanical clockwork is usually credited to the Chinese, who invented one of the first clocks using a mechanical escapement. An escapement is a mechanical device that converts continuous rotational movement into a back and forth, or oscillating motion. However, these types of mechanical clocks did not become popular in the West until the 15th century.

Early watches were derived from 15th century portable spring driven clocks. The invention of the mainspring at this time made the design of portable clocks possible. A mainspring is a spiral spring of metal ribbon that is wound or tightened, which stores energy in the spring. The force of the mainspring unwinding then turns the mechanics in the clock.

Pocket watches became popular in the 16th century as waistcoats came into fashion. Pocket watches were designed to fit snugly in the pocket of fashionable men’s waistcoats. Throughout the following centuries, watch design became even more precise and miniaturized. Though they were available beforehand, wristwatches didn’t come into fashion for men until the early 20th century. Previous to World War I, only women wore wristwatches because they were considered feminine. However, during the Great War, soldiers need to be able to tell time but keep their hands free. This popularized their use. After the war, wristwatches replaced pocket watches as the popular timepiece.

The first electric wristwatches came out during the 1950s, but the real revolution in watch making came with the introduction of the quartz watch. The quartz crystal resonator made it possible for watches to be more accurate than the best mechanical watches.

Modern wristwatches are designed with a myriad of functions and uses. Some watches have alarms, lunar phases, calendars, and stopwatches. Others can measure heart rate, distance, speed, and elevation. Some watches are built to resist the extreme pressures experienced while scuba diving or in space travel. With all its modern sophistication and miniaturization, time measurement has come a long way from the sundials and water clocks of ancient times.

Watchwinders Plus (http://www.diamondsandwatches.com) is a dealer specializing in fine diamonds and wristwatches, particularly the fine craftsmanship of German watchmaker Buben and Zorweg. Art Gib is a freelance writer.