History of the Wristwatch

The Origins of Wristwatches Date Back Several Millennia

Wristwatches are a relatively new innovation in the history of timekeeping. The current system of timekeeping dates all the way back to 2,000 B.C.! Our ancestors used to use sundials, which were adequate for telling time during the day, but not so much at night. Over several millennia, mankind has sought to find easier and more accurate ways of keeping up with Earth’s movement around the sun.

Timepieces Evolved Throughout the Centuries

Watches as we know them today began their evolution in the 16th century from spring powered clocks. These early watches were called pocket watches and they were very popular until the turn of the 20th century. While they still exist today, they are mainly collectors items and are worn as jewellery or accessories.

Technological Evolution Has Produced the Wristwatch

While wristwatches did exist towards the end of the 20th century, they were considered feminine and were thus not popular with men at that time. It was not until World War I that wristwatches became widely used because officers realized that a watch carried on the wrist was much more convenient than one carried in a pocket. The rest, as they say, is history!