The Jewelry Wristwatch- A Short History

The wristwatch began its journey with portable watches which were carried initially in pockets and later worn with pendants. With evolution and consequent changes in our lifestyle, the wrist watch came into being. This article is a chronicle of the birth of the wristwatch, the prominent watch makers, the watches they invented which gained fame and about why these watches are so collectible.

From time memorable, clocks and watches have been made use of as a status symbol. Elegance, convenience and precision are the features that they chiefly symbolize. Clocks and watches are not only purchased because they look aesthetic and stylish but also because of their technical precision of letting us know time to last second and even to the last millisecond. This is primarily the reason why they are a collector’s item and fetch large sums of money.
Whether you are an avid collector of precision watches or antique watches, the fact that this hobby has turned into a flourishing business over the years with an exceptionally high turnover cannot be overlooked. Collection of watches is regarded as a wise investment in many circles.
Initially, at the beginning of last century, the watches available to both women and men were pocket watches. Pocket watches normally had a chain attached to them in order to secure them to a belt loop, lapel or a waistcoat which prevented them from being dropped. Women, on the other hand, used these watches in pendants which were attached to their corsets or jackets. Wristwatches were termed ‘Wristlets’ and were generally worn by women in those days. Industrialization, evolution of sports and the advent of war ushered in new trends which not only brought transformation in our style of dressing but also in the way we chose to carry our watches.
At the end of the 19th century, a nanny came up with the innovative idea of tying a watch around her wrist with a silk band. That was the birth of the wrist watch! Adopting this idea from her, the first watches that were manufactured were actually smaller models of pocket watches fitted onto leather straps. Once these watches started selling in the market, newer versions and designs were developed on the basis on this concept.
Louis Cartier pioneered the wrist watch that we see today. Louis Cartier made the first watch for Santos Dumont, who was a flying hero in those days. By the year 1911, these watches were manufactured and sold in the markets and were an instant hit. This watch went on to become the blueprint of the watches that we see today.
Following this, with innovation, the classical round shape which was in vogue till recently, started getting modified into newer and alternative shapes and designs. Many reputed watch makers began achieving recognition for the characterized shapes they manufactured. Newer manufacturers came out with novel shapes. Movado is the organization which brought the "Polyplan" shaped watch into the market. And it was Patek Philippe who made the very first watch which was rectangular in shape.
It was from the year 1913 onwards that new watch brands such as Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet alongside Cartier and Patek Philippe launched new designs and shapes with value added features like dual time, day, month and lunar phases. These features are available in most of the branded watches we see today.
And then Rolex was invented! It is regarded as the ‘ultimate’ wristwatch of all times. It was in the 1920’s that the ‘dual time’ feature by Rolex was introduced, a unique feature which has the seconds’ sector bigger than its minutes sector. Simultaneously, Jaeger Le Coultre’s innovation hit the markets. Its distinctive feature was that it had the ability of turning a full 180 degrees within its case, thereby shielding both the dial as well as the crystal. It immediately gained popularity and would have continued doing so if it wasn’t for the historical events of world-war 2 and the recession that the world witnessed in 1930’s.
The watches from the 1910s to 1930s define the various brands of watches that we come across in today’s world. This article has briefly elaborated on a subject which is so vast and has a long list of watch makers who revolutionized the world of watch making. However, big and well established brands like Cartier, Jaeger Le Coultre and Rolex are considered as the major brands which created and transformed wristwatches into the flourishing industry that it is today. Watches are now not only valuable but also a collector’s delight. If you get lucky and happen to get one of these wristwatches, it would be best to hang on to them –preferably on your very own wrist! Shop watch style jewelry bracelets at kaneesha.com