Wristwatch History - From the Battlefield to Fashion Shows
In July of 1916, a journalist from The New York Times was puzzled over a European fashion accessory, a bracelet with a clock on it called a wristwatch. Many journalists reported on this unexplainable fashion icon, deeming it a silly fad. It wasn’t until the First World War when people realized the importance of wearing time on their wrist. Soldiers fighting in the war had no idea of time and couldn’t keep track of sunset and sunrise.
After all, the battlefield is not a place where one has the luxury of time management. However, wristwatches made it possible for soldiers to tell time during battle. Wristwatches made their debut in the fashion industry for a short while but quickly migrated to the battlefield. Now, wristwatches have become an integral part of our lives because tracking time has become more important than it used to be.
The Advent of Pocket Watch
The humble history of wristwatches began in 1550 from pocket watches. These were small rounded watch dials tied to a chain or a leather strap. Pocket watches were used by soldiers during the war, and traffic police wore them to tell time. Initially, pocket watches were deemed as “equipment for officials.” Not long after, the public perception of pocket watches changed, becoming available to the general public for purchase. The debut of pocket watches in the consumer market was well received by the people, and it was a huge success. The fashion industry couldn’t get its hands off this incredible innovation.
Back in that time, many people deemed pocket watches as a method of controlling employees. However, this ideology was soon changed, and the perception was shifted from being controlled by time to controlling time. However, the wristwatch industry was very versatile and flexible to innovation. Many manufacturers criticized their products for finding a convenient solution. They highlighted problems within pocket watches.
One of these problems was that the watch wasn’t available 24/7, meaning that soldiers and consumers had to put it in their pocket and pull it out to check the time. This sparked innovation and led to the creation of wristwatches. However, it was first accepted by the sea before wristwatches could fly or walk among us.
Wristwatch As a Navigation Instrument
Wristwatches have rich history swinging from one industry to another. These time-telling devices started in the fashion industry. Soon after World War One, they became navigation instruments. Explorers needed to know the time when they were at sea. Although latitude was determined through stars, understanding longitude at sea required time. At that time, ships couldn’t bear the weight of a large clock, so explorers needed a small and convenient tool to navigate through tides and rough seas.
When wristwatches were introduced, they didn’t have clock hands. Instead, they only had hour hands because no one needed to track time by every minute. It wasn’t late until explorers needed to know the exact minute of every hour that wristwatches went through a unique transition. Wristwatches were now being made with minute hands to facilitate explorer. If the clock was off even by a minute, it would mean deviating 28 km (17.3 miles) from the destination.
Next Step In Innovation
The main problem arose with the manufacturing of wristwatches. Companies in this business had to cut the cost of manufacturing to maximize profit. However, to do that, they needed to make wristwatches with cheaper material. The idea was proposed by a few wristwatch manufacturers to reduce material quality within the dial (the hours and minute hands).
Soon after the idea of compromising on quality to make wristwatches affordable went into action, explorers were demanding better quality watches. Wristwatch dials were made from copper, which is a fine material and accurately tells time.
However, when the transition was made to a cheaper material, explorers would deviate from their path and would need to re-caliber their watches. This led to the mass production of copper hand wristwatches, and soon after, wristwatches became a style symbol only the rich could afford.
The Future of Wristwatches
The wristwatch industry has always been dynamic, versatile, and flexible to innovation. Even today, this industry has a lot of room for innovation. The confident wristwatch manufacturers have because these timepieces are stunning and a part of our routine.
People have access to time on smartphones, but wristwatches continue to stay relevant and important. The convenience of a wristwatch is unparalleled to other time-telling devices. Perhaps that’s why this industry is so confident, allowing wristwatch manufacturers to use unique materials to make watches.
Finding a diamond-studded watch or a gold-plated one is very common in the USA or Dubai. There are wood watches that are all-natural with relaxing properties. In addition, wristwatch manufacturers are now combining multiple materials in the manufacturing process.
You can find stainless steel wood watches, and platinum wood watches on the internet for half the price of a branded stainless steel watch. Standing out and looking unique has never been easier and affordable in any industry than the wristwatch market. Perhaps that is why the wristwatches market is always booming.
Ending Note
Wristwatches have a rich history and diverse backgrounds. These wristwatches have seen the world, from the battlefield to great sea voyages. Now, these are fashion accessories and rest on our wrists. Many wristwatch manufacturers have added newer materials in their manufacturing, improving the quality of their products. However, Stuniii has a diverse and unique range of stainless steel wood watches with the best of both worlds. Plus, Stuniii is ready to launch its premium platinum wood watch collection that will take the wristwatch market by storm. Check out Stuniii’s collection of stunning stainless steel wood watches now and order yours!