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Antique & Vintage watch sale and auctions in the
Antique Web!
The Rolex Submariner
The History of the
Watch: From the Early 19th Century to Present Day Timepieces!
By Chris Vorelli
The watch has made many
transformations through the years.
There have been many modifications
and technological advancements that
have made it possible to wear them
on your wrist and tell the time with
a push of a button! Unlike the
watches made many centuries ago, the
watches of today offer cutting edge
technology and modern day
convenience features. The watch is
steeped in history and has seen us
through World Wars and Nuclear
Warfare. At the end of time, there’s
no doubt that we’ll use a watch to
make note of the date/time!
To
truly understand the evolution of
the watch, we must take a journey
into the past. The first timekeeping
device was actually a pocket watch.
Though, back in the day, they were
worn around the neck. I guess we
know the occupation of Flava Flav’s
early ancestors!
After the railroad began using
the pocket watch, the watch industry
grew by leaps and bounds! With the
invention of the wristwatch, watches
became increasingly popular among
professionals and everyday folk. The
LED digital watch and the Pilot’s
watch have taken the watch designs
and functions to a whole new level.
To date, there are many watchmakers
vying for your business! Your best
bet is to hop online and view the
many different styles, models and
prices before you purchase another
watch.
The pocket watch is the oldest
form of watch in production. In the
beginning, they were completely
customized pieces of jewelry that
were mainly owned by royalty or the
rich. Encrusted with jewels and made
of the finest quality materials, the
early pocket watches were not easily
affordable. Eventually made into
smaller versions and worn around the
neck, the pocket watch was still
mostly considered a fashion
accessory. That was until the
development of the railroad. Using
the pocket watch as a means to
schedule train departures and
arrivals, the pocket watch became a
time telling necessity.
Unfortunately, though, the early
pocket watch models did not
accurately tell time; they “lost”
time as the day progressed, making
it impossible to synchronize times
among a group of people. Following a
train collision, it was deemed that
the pocket watch needed to undergo a
technological improvement to tell
time more accurately.
The revised technology made it
possible to begin making the pocket
watch smaller and smaller, until it
eventually began to be worn on the
wrist. The wristwatch began to see a
dramatic burst of production during
wartimes. The military saw a use for
a watch that could be easily read
while performing duties. The
chronograph wristwatches with
luminous hands were in high demand!
Today, there are a multitude of
watch manufacturers that specialize
in wristwatch production. There are
watches sporting beautiful jewels
and watches that are mostly geared
toward function. Some are battery
operated, while others operate from
the power of the sun! There are
watches that will fit into any price
range, too. Shopping online will
allow you to view and compare many
wristwatches so that you can pick
the one that is most perfect for
your wants and needs!
The LED Digital wrist watch came
about in the late 1960’s and early
1970’s. These watches were very
unique in that they require no
moving parts to tell the time of
day! Passing an electrical charge
through inorganic materials creates
the LED digital technology. In other
words, you simply press a button and
the watch lights up with the
dime/date! The Americans and the
Japanese have been the forerunners
in the development of the LED
digital watch. Early models were
expensive, but are inexpensive to
date. They are the best watches to
learn how to tell time by!
The Aviation Watch (Pilot Watch)
is a very functional timepiece..
These watches actually help to
maintain flight plans, perform
pre-flight planning and navigate
flights, so they are extremely
important for pilots! Used primarily
by the military and aircrew, the
Aviation style watches are also
popular among avid outdoorsmen and
athletes. Today, the aviation world
has seen a great improvement in a
plane’s instrumentation panel, so
the Aviation watch isn’t quite as
important, but they are very useful
to have just in case you need a back
up!
All watches are analog or digital
in nature, some are even both! Men,
women and children will be able to
find a wrist watch that is just
perfect for their needs/desires.
Shopping on the Internet, you’ll
find many merchants that sell
watches. There are places to find
some really great discounted
selections, too! When it comes to
watches, there are many factors you
should consider before you purchase,
including: functions needed, size,
style and price. Once you have your
choices narrowed down, shopping
online is the quickest and most
convenient way to go. Whether you
are an avid watch collector or you
are purchasing a time teaching
model, remember that your choices
have been made possible thanks to
the many talented designers and
engineers through the years!
Chris Vorelli is a successful
freelance writer, providing useful
articles and info on where to buy
discount watches, replacement
bands & more. Learn about all types
of ladies and men's watches, from
Seiko,
Fossil watches,
Rolex watches & more.
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