Clock Science – Invention and a Brief History of Clocks

Clock history and invention are as old as human history. Humans have always worked to observe the passage of time. From prehistoric humans to the frenzy of today’s technology, the watch world has seen a multitude of different devices used to measure time. Before the mechanical clock was made in the late 1200s, people often used sundials and water clocks to find out the time.

13th and 16th Centuries Clock World

The first mechanical clock was invented in England in 1275. The oldest working clock was completed in 1386 and is still in Salisbury Cathedral. This watch does not have a dial, it tells the time by multiplying it hourly.

In the early 1300s, three mechanical clocks were built in Italy. One of them was the astronomical clock, the second always followed the bell, and the third followed the months and days. Over the years, blacksmiths, the watchmakers at the time, continued to make clocks with bells loud enough to be heard from mansions and towns.

In the 16th century, brass, bronze, and silver began to be used instead of iron, which was previously used in watchmaking. In 1540, the Swiss watch industry was born. This is because the reformer John Calvin banned people from wearing jewelry at that time. So, jewelers of the period had to learn another craft to make a living, and Swiss watchmaking was born. In 1574, the first known pocket watch was made of bronze with religious depictions on the front and back.

17th and 19th Centuries Clock World

The invention of the Pendulum

Christian Huygens came up with and got a patent for the pendulum clock in 1656, but Galileo was the first person to use it in 1602. Before pendulum clocks, mechanical clocks had an accuracy of 15 minutes per day, while the pendulum reduced this margin of error to 15 seconds over time. It was later found that the movement of the pendulum measures the force of gravity.

Many scientists, including Isaac Newton, have worked with pendulums, and the force of motion has helped them accurately measure the shape of the earth. Over the years, the pendulum has not only been used for science, but it has also been fine-tuned to measure and keep track of the most accurate time.

Pocket watch

Pocket watches were first produced towards the end of the 16th century. Pocket watches produced at that time only showed hours, not minutes. Hands showing the minutes appeared 10 years later, but at first, they were not very practical and useful. Pocket watch necklaces took the place of timepieces. According to experts, this change, in England II. That happened after Charles started using his watch in his vest pocket.

The shape of pocket watches has been flattened and the edges curled to prevent the watch’s edges from damaging clothing as the watch transitions from being protected in a necklace piece to being carried in a pocket. The dial was covered with glass in 1610 in order not to damage its indicators.

Increased Hour Ownership

In the 1700s, the number of people who owned watches was increasing rapidly. Watchmakers produced watches in all shapes and sizes, from decorative table clocks to pocket watches. As a result of this spread, watch technology has experienced further development. The protrusion leak that emerged in 1715 brought great precision to the watches. In 1770, the first self-winding mechanism was invented by Abraham-Louis Perrelet. On the same day, Jean-Antoine Lepine made the Lepine movement. This made it possible for watchmakers to make better timepieces.

Mass Production Watches

As technology improved in the 19th century, manufacturers were able to come up with their own ways to make copies of tools and machines. Mass production began, especially in the United States, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. People could buy pocket watches because these watches were made in large quantities and used cheaper materials. Mass production has also changed the way pocket watches are used. While pocket watches were wound with the help of a key until that date, they were replaced with keyless windings in 1860. In this way, pocket watches could now be wound by turning the crown, which was a very comfortable change.

First Wristwatches

The first wristwatch was produced for the Queen of Naples in 1812. However, although the first appearance of wristwatches dates back to the 1570s, they were not defined as wristwatches at that time. In its early days, wristwatches were mainly produced for women and were called bracelets or just an accessory. At that time, the watches were made for women, not men, as the materials from which the wristwatches were produced were softer and more seriously affected by impacts. It was more appropriate for men to use pocket watches. Wristwatches became a necessity for men who later served in the military. In 1880, Constant Girard of Girard Perregaux produced two thousand wristwatches for the German Navy.

The Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumant sought a clock to time his flights and allow him to keep both hands on the controls of the plane. His close friend, Louis Cartier, helped him develop the Cartier Santos wristwatch, which is today one of the most iconic watch models in history.

World War I

Wristwatches had become one of the most important pieces of equipment during WWI. The soldiers had to leave all the equipment they were carrying in order to use their pocket watches. Wristwatches called “ditch watches” were used to enable them to use their hands and arms more comfortably. These wristwatches were produced with pocket watch movements, and some brands put the crown button at 12 o’clock, while others placed it at 3 o’clock. Leather straps were attached to these watches and were wrapped around the wrists of the soldiers. In this way, the correct coordination of the attacks was ensured at the right time. Wristwatches became the most important thing for all officers during the war. Officers wore individually luminous, unbreakable crystal watches instead of military-supplied watches. I.

Modern Developments in the World of Watches

Even though it was invented and used in the 1770s, Breitling was the first company to get a patent for it in 1930.

The first electric clocks were produced in the 1950s. The gauges were driven by a mechanical system, but the balance wheel was powered by a solenoid, a thin wire wound around a metallic core that produces a magnetic field when an electric current is passed. These electric clocks led to the development of the quartz clock, which was introduced in 1969. With the quartz watch, all the moving parts found in mechanical watches were gathered on a single plate and powered by a battery. This made quartz watches less likely to break when they were dropped and gave them the ability to show the time more precisely without needing to be cleaned or oiled. Quartz watches are the technology preferred by many people today, thanks to their low cost.

Nowadays, non-quartz mechanical watches are usually produced by luxury Swiss watch brands. Many are non-fabricated and handcrafted. From the dial to the smallest screws, they have hand-polished surfaces. The production of these watches is an art for many people, and accordingly, the prices of these watches are very, very high. Therefore, they are preferred not only as a wristwatch but also as investment tools or a legacy to be left to the next generations.

The Future of the Clocks

Silver, stainless steel, and gold have been common materials for watches since ancient times. The companies then experimented with more advanced materials, such as titanium, carbon fiber, silicon, and ceramics, to produce watches. Some of these materials are used not only in watch cases but also in mechanisms and bracelets.

Watches have always developed in parallel with technology and new inventions. Sometimes the world of horology drives the technology, and sometimes the watch industry uses technology from another field. Recently, with the developing technology in the computer and mobile phone industry, companies started to produce ” watches.” Software companies spend a lot of time on the development of microtechnology by constantly researching, and thanks to these initiatives, smartwatches are creating an area where technology advances, not just for watch companies. For example, the Apple brand has launched the Apple Watch series. In order to keep up with this smartwatch technology, many luxury watch brands have started to produce their own smartwatches today. IWC brands such as TAG Heuer, Montblanc, Frederique Constant, Alpina, Mondaine, and Movado have launched their own smartwatches.

Mechanical watches once had a very difficult time with the introduction of quartz watches, and a large industry had almost come to the point of extinction. Fortunately, such a thing did not happen, and the industry was revived. Now, mechanical watches are strong enough to withstand new technological developments and not have problems even with the newest technologies. This is because of the manufacture of mechanical watches, the materials used, and the quality and beauty that attract people. The new technologies we see today will help watchmakers come up with new ideas and find ways to make watches that no one could have thought of before.

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