Although less accurate than pocket watches, wrist watches were significantly more convenient. Widespread adaptation of wrist watches occurred in the 1930’s. Manufacturing techniques were pushed to their limits in making small watches. Evolution of the ladies pocket watch to wrist watch. Ladies’ watches led to the development of the (smaller than a pocket watch) wrist watches. The American watch industry led the way in developing a world-class product that with a little maintenance, could last forever.īut ladies’ watches were pushing the bounds of what was possible, at the cutting edge of small. Prices were equivalent to a MacBook or an iPad in today’s money. The Waltham Watch Co. was the first to democratize portable time keeping by developing a process to mass produce high quality watches that were extremely accurate. First created in the 16th century by locksmiths, these early watches could only resolve time down to the hour and for this reason displayed time with only one hour hand.īy the 18th century fusee technology enabled watches to achieve accuracies to within seconds.įusee wheel and chain, which is in effect a continuously variable transmission to provide constant torque as spring barrel unwinds. They tick, mechanical watches have a pulse.

Learn to repair vintage mechanical watches. Today it is nearly impossible to find watchmakers to service or repair vintage mechanical pocket and wristwatches, so we have to do it ourselves. One of the very first watches, created by a locksmith. Until recently, watches have been entirely mechanical where each wheel, gear, and mechanism representing a milestone in our understanding of precision manufacturing and timekeeping.

Elgin pocketwatches value