tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82652493502843549052024-02-18T19:20:20.721-08:00mechanical watchesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8265249350284354905.post-17178252478422921472008-07-21T12:44:00.000-07:002008-07-21T13:09:02.536-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJdFD91RIux4VUo2nenvHC8mMHv7YzJ4NMv5jTP830hYjlhlJRi8vW2IPK2BIBuRifvSS_7Ncmi6-k4b2tICJjPuvQWP4WQqT_R8mOe7v_FqbT5SLK_nfLio3s2PCB2XkmCKltz9LI-s/s1600-h/o_PocketWatch_Composit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJdFD91RIux4VUo2nenvHC8mMHv7YzJ4NMv5jTP830hYjlhlJRi8vW2IPK2BIBuRifvSS_7Ncmi6-k4b2tICJjPuvQWP4WQqT_R8mOe7v_FqbT5SLK_nfLio3s2PCB2XkmCKltz9LI-s/s320/o_PocketWatch_Composit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225556594213080274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">HISTORY V</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />THE FIRST WATCHES</span><br /><br /> </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >For a long time the locksmith Peter Henlein was credited with the invention </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >of the spring, which, as the driving force, made it possible to make smaller </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >clocks. Even Frederick James Britten (1843-1913), author of <span style=""> </span>the famous</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >book <i>Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers, </i>considered that Henlein invented<b> </b>the spring. However, a clock shaped like a Gothic cathedral, made</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > between 1429 and 1435 for the Duke of Burgundy Philip the </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >Good (1396-1467), was spring-driven, which puts the invention of the spring a century back. O</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >n this clock the use of a spring is not as surprising as the use of a fusee</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > to even out the torque output from the mainspring, because watches make in </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >Nuremberg a century later still had a more primitive type of regulator.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">MOVEMENTS<br /><br /> </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >The first escapement used to regulate watch speed was the verge escapement (German<span style="font-variant: small-caps; letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span><i><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">Spindelhemmung, </span></i><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">which is why these watches are popularly called spindle watches).</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> The mainspring does not have uniform </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">energy, in other words, its energy is greatest when the spring is fully wound, which makes <span style=""> </span>the balance <i>(foliot) </i>oscillate about one third faster. It is, therefore, necessary to<b> </b>balance this energy in some way to make the watch work properly This</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> was achieved by applying a fusee (fusee, spindle) or a <i>stackfreed </i></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">(possibly from the German <i>starke Feder, </i>which means strong spring). The latter was </span>probably invented earlier, it is more primitive and was used practically exclusively in <span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">German watches. By the end of the 16th century the fusee was increasingly</span> used in German watches, too. In England and France it was used from the <span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">earliest watches until 1800, and in chronometers and higher-quality spring-driven </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">watches until the 20th century. The earliest German watches almost </span>always had movements made of iron, which is not surprising considering they<b> </b>were made by locksmiths. It was not until the last quarter of the 16th centuary <span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">that the use of brass became more common.<br /><br /><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">SHAPES<br /> </span></span></span><br /> <span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >The first watches<b> </b></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >were cylindrical. This shape derived from contemporary table clocks, </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >however, watches were not 6 cm high (thick) but only half as much. Spherical</span><b><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" > </span></b><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >watches were made, as well. As our first quotation shows, in the first half of the 16th century watches were sometimes placed in scent<br /></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >bottles shaped as musk apples or musk balls, which used to be worn on a chain around the neck or on a rosary. In</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > the second half of the 16<sup>th</sup> century the cylinder shape prevailed, </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >especially in Germany. The oldest preserved French watch was made in 1551 by Jacgues de la Garde (mentioned between 1551 and 1565), and is spherical in shape. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">Other French watches from that period were not cylindrical, either,</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"> but round or oval, and one is tulip-shaped.<br /> </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >We should mention a term that is very often used in connection with early German watches, the </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" ><span style=""> </span><i>Nuremberg egg. </i>It is connected with the name of Peter Henlain, altough his </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >watches, as well as other 16th century German watches, were not egg-shaped. The misunderstanding </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" ><span style=""> </span>probably resulted from misreading the word <i style="">Ueurlein<span style=""> </span></i>(small watch) as <i>Eyerlein </i>(small egg).</span><br /><span style=";font-size:12;color:silver;" ><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">MATERIALS<br /><br /> </span>The first watches was usally<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>made of a copper alloy,<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >like bronze or brass, which was then</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > gilded. A relatively cheap material was probably used because the first</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > watchmakers belonged to the locksmiths' guild and were under restrictions</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > imposed by the goldsmiths' guild concerning the use of a precious metals. In Blois the rights of goldsmiths were protected </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >by a</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > clause according to which gold and silver used by watchmakers had to be bou</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >ght from goldsmiths, who also struck hallmarks on the finished items. Maybe </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >it is thanks to this very fact, i.e. that watches were made of cheap met</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >als that were not worth melting down, that a large number of these ea</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >rly watches are still extant. It is possible that watches were made of gold and</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > silver, as well, because F. Robertet's inventory list from 1532 mentions w</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >atches with cases made of precious metals, but they have not been preserv</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >ed. The fact that watches were at first more highly valued as art or de</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >corative items than as timekeepers also indicates the early use of preciou</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >s metals. These watches were in the same group as jewelry and were not </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >considered scientific instruments. They were obviously a new toy for the</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" > rich and were also valued as "court gifts", sometimes even inserted into ring</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >s, like the watch from 1585 kept in the treasury of the Munich residence</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:silver;" >. These little "jewels" were probably melted down as time passed and made into new jewelry in line with the contemporary fashion.</span><br /><span style=";font-size:12;color:silver;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> <o:p></o:p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8265249350284354905.post-13298090433540332762008-06-19T06:25:00.000-07:002008-06-19T07:04:44.863-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP6FhckFWAo0axaZ6KmhT6Z1vi2iqWcJMWxayS-SJSoMY9Ucg5h10ij7CEvtwU42tXadGKePHxYBgL6XghcGLUtqwt4SM95IGQ88XXuI8Wq6ndB7HHW7phyXEtSF79AX1Eqh3mDrJnrk/s1600-h/2p.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP6FhckFWAo0axaZ6KmhT6Z1vi2iqWcJMWxayS-SJSoMY9Ucg5h10ij7CEvtwU42tXadGKePHxYBgL6XghcGLUtqwt4SM95IGQ88XXuI8Wq6ndB7HHW7phyXEtSF79AX1Eqh3mDrJnrk/s320/2p.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213584878757015026" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-weight: bold;">HISTORY IV</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />ABOUT THE NAME <br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The term "pocket watch" does not define the </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span>item it refers </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >to in the best way. Archival documents show that these watches</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > were not worn in the pocket but hanging on a chain around the neck or </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >in a bag at the waist. It was not until much later, about 1675, when <span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">King Charles II</span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >brought the long waistcoat into fashion, that watches started to be worn</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > in the pocket. Women continued to wear watches around the neck and</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > at the waist, so the term ladies pocket watch is, in fact a language convenience. Howevwer, many languages was not managing</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:white;" > to find a good</span><i style=""><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > terminus</span></i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > <span style=""> </span><i>technicus </i>for this type of watch. This can be seen in the introduction to Hugh Tait's</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > book <i>Clocks and Watches </i>(Cambridge, 1983), which starts with the question,</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >"A clock or a watch?" Tait points out that today people consider</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > a <i>watch </i>as being worn on the person. In fact, the word <i>clock </i>derives from </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >the Latin word <i>clocca, </i>which means bell, and was used for timekeepers </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >that struck the time at certain time intervals. Today many timekeepers</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > are called <i>clocks </i>even if they do not have a striking movement, and many are</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > called w<i>atches </i>(pocket watches) although they do.<br /> </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >On the other hand, the <i>New English Dictionary, </i>gives the oldest meaning of the word <i>watch </i>from 1440: <i>Wecche, ofa clokke, meaning alarm, from watch,</i></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > <i>to awaken, </i>which would mean that the word designates an alarm clock. </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >This is in contradiction to the explanation given earlier, although practic</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >ally all early German watches had alarm work.<br /> </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >Ernst<b> </b></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >von Bassermann-Jordan <i>(Uhren, </i>Braunschweig, 1969,) says that </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >the German language does not have a word, like <i>watch </i>in English or <i style="">montre</i> </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >in French, that would define a large group of timekeepers worn on the </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >person. From the end of the 18th until the beginning of the 20th century most</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > watches worn on the body were pocket watches <i>(Taschenuhren). </i>In the 16th</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > and 17th centuries, however, pocket watches were only part of the group <span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">of small, portable watches. For this reason authors do not use the term </span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">Taschenuhr </span></i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">for<i> </i></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">early watches, but call them <i style="">am</i> <i>Korper getragene Uhren </i><span style="">(watches<i> </i></span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">that are worn on the body).<br /> </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" >The 1746 inventory list of Oroslavje Manor, the estate of the Counts Sermage</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > mentions a <i>vura sepna zlata </i>(gold pocket watch), which is a relatively<b> </b>early use of the term pocket watch.</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" ><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:";font-size:11;color:white;" > </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8265249350284354905.post-43677455502912316522008-06-11T13:42:00.000-07:002008-06-11T13:48:38.789-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSycQgdmhLI9z-yL-srka-VPNc3clM_oOeOFguXFcF1wP77v1AGan3aX9YshRGVgGuTYzEAsJfejveatJHFq44WUZY29upSRmwdEeVCg9vOd40Zu5hBwS0zDCpOmqL6U7D3-LeaM30MGc/s1600-h/89b.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSycQgdmhLI9z-yL-srka-VPNc3clM_oOeOFguXFcF1wP77v1AGan3aX9YshRGVgGuTYzEAsJfejveatJHFq44WUZY29upSRmwdEeVCg9vOd40Zu5hBwS0zDCpOmqL6U7D3-LeaM30MGc/s320/89b.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210728575811964994" border="0" /></a><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: white; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">Patek Philippe created the Caliber 89 in 1989, one of the most complcated <span style=""> </span>time devices that the world ever saw. The pocket watch with 1728<span style=""> </span>unique pieces was made in honor of 150th anywersary of the swiss firm. It has 33 functions and the „extras“ include Easter date, star time and the sky map with 2800 maped stars. This beauty is allready sold at <span style=""> </span>Sotheby's auction <span style=""> </span>for 11.000.000 USD</span><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" ><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:121.5pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\user\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.png" title=""> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><br /><!--[endif]--></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8265249350284354905.post-51978335413221196752008-06-11T12:44:00.000-07:002008-06-11T13:21:04.115-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZA0V1_feZ0hdXcXbqw_WUXOvDXUp4W6L2aL7orNu6L_9P3hPYw0Sf8SrJ_ndXZauXNjLNT_0YPmroFGvOziDAfgVCYFlO090kOspHpvBIimdEpLrKpBrDhkeNC_mqEoLOPJnuzE_S3I/s1600-h/sg4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZA0V1_feZ0hdXcXbqw_WUXOvDXUp4W6L2aL7orNu6L_9P3hPYw0Sf8SrJ_ndXZauXNjLNT_0YPmroFGvOziDAfgVCYFlO090kOspHpvBIimdEpLrKpBrDhkeNC_mqEoLOPJnuzE_S3I/s320/sg4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210713377011213186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQF1nWuz3E0DPjl2Jp2vvjBQeQN88_wtCX4xQu8RBpqgSIqiZrX9tM47VoXj2aGtx6lsPGRBt2plD5OAbl8rERb4iGAYH_8lPUROdqw8FTpH63rJ69qw939rpDutscND9-Jf9gLfBPEtU/s1600-h/sg3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQF1nWuz3E0DPjl2Jp2vvjBQeQN88_wtCX4xQu8RBpqgSIqiZrX9tM47VoXj2aGtx6lsPGRBt2plD5OAbl8rERb4iGAYH_8lPUROdqw8FTpH63rJ69qw939rpDutscND9-Jf9gLfBPEtU/s320/sg3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210713201977268914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">HISTORY III<br /><br /></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">When John Evelyn visited Blois in1644, he</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> wrote:"Blois is a town in which the language is spoken correctly; </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">people are very kind; t</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">he air is so good that it makes Blois the perfect place for raising </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style=""> </span>the king's children. The people are so ingenious that there is no better place in France for<span style="letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"> the goldsmith and watchmaking trade.“<br /><br />In 1462 Bartolomeo Manfredi sent a letter to Marquis Ludovico </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">Gonzaga mentioning</span><b><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </span></b><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">an "orologetto", which means there may have been early watch production in</span><b><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </span></b><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">Italy. It is not, however, certain that these were watches. On 7 </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">May 1506 Bernardus Bembo wrote to Isabella de Gonzaga, mentioning "very small clocks, made </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">by Pietro Guido, which need mending". It is not certain <span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">that these<b> </b></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">were watches, either. The term <i>horologe, orologio </i>(after the Greek <i style="">hora</i>= hour</span> + <i>logos = </i>word, speech, term) was usual for all types of clocks <span style="letter-spacing: 0.15pt;">so only adiltional information can show whether these were watches. The </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">watch was<b> </b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">not a new invention. It was probably developed by decreasing the size of the</span><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">table and travelling clock, which was shaped as a shallow cylinder (barrel). When the dimensions were reduced to a diameter of about 6 cm and the</span><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;">height to about 2 to 3 cm, a bow was added so the watch could be hung on</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.15pt;"> a chain and carried in that way. In the middle of 16th century it was feshionable for </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">men to wear </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">striking watches in cylindrical cases on a chain or band around their necks. The illustrated</span><b style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </span></b><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">manuscript <i>Das Trachtenbuch des Veit Konrad Schwarz </i>says </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">that Vaid Konrad received a watch of this kind when he visited Venice: <i>"</i><span style="">So hett ich aine</span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> kleine schlagende ur am hals hangen, die schanckt mir mein lieber vatter </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">im 1557, weil ich nock zue Venedig was." ("I have such a small striking </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">watch hanging around my neck, which was given to me by my beloved father in</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> 1557 while I was still in Venice.").</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8265249350284354905.post-73463168625794320002008-06-11T12:20:00.000-07:002008-06-11T12:23:51.843-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">HISTORY II<br /><br /></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.15pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">Blois was the leading watchmakers' center in France at that time. The Paris National</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> Library has a manuscript from 1518 by Jean Sapin, the chief t<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">ax-collector in Languedoc, which says: "Julien Coudray, watchmaker in Blois, received</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> 200 golden ecus as payment for two fine daggers with watches in their</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> handles, completely gilded <i>(deux horologes toutes dorees), </i>intended for the king's (Francois I) use." After his death in 1532, Florimond Robert, </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">treasurer to three French kings (Charles </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" lang="EN-US">VIII, </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">Louis </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" lang="EN-US">XII </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">and Francois I), left </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">twelve watches (French <i>montre, </i>which means a watch that is carried on the person, unlike house and public clocks; nevertheless, some inventories of Blois watchmakers from the early 17<sup>th</sup> century mention <i>montres a mentre</i></span><i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> sur table, </span></i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">which means that <i>montre </i>was sometimes the name used for small</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> table clocks, as well). It was not until 1694 that the French Academy defined</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.15pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> the word <i>monstre </i>as watch. At first, this word indicated the dial (</span><i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.2pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">monstre d'orloge). </span></i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.2pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">However, most of the <i>montres </i>mentioned there were probably w</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">atches, especially those that had gold and silver cases.<br /></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">The city of Blois, where Francois I, Charles </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" lang="EN-US">IX </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">and Henri III held court, developed</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> into one of the leading European watchmaking centers. In the reign of</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> Francois I (1515-1547) three or four watchmakers had workshops there, by</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> 1589 there were already twenty-eight, and in 1610 Blois had sixty-three workshops</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> where watches were made. </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: white; letter-spacing: -0.35pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8265249350284354905.post-66990851303178781482008-06-09T08:17:00.000-07:002008-06-10T13:24:14.991-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCADyfu56qhfeEptuqDf2zh7RK_Tx39PbUA48XMHqe2clmzbN-raCqUEsOMUqrDWKMcpZIHblmGBBhiOBzIfuwT2LWKa8OcW3AWurPcfDg_5HKbUQGYFoeHU-CKy-QmEziPMTNJKXw_p8/s1600-h/sg1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCADyfu56qhfeEptuqDf2zh7RK_Tx39PbUA48XMHqe2clmzbN-raCqUEsOMUqrDWKMcpZIHblmGBBhiOBzIfuwT2LWKa8OcW3AWurPcfDg_5HKbUQGYFoeHU-CKy-QmEziPMTNJKXw_p8/s320/sg1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210346395514817378" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">ANTIQUE POCKET WATCHES</span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:130%;" > HISTORY<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);">THE BEGININGS</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /> </span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> A document in the Nuremberg records says that H. Henlein was </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">paid 15 florins in 1524 for a gilt musk apple with a watch <i>("fur 1 </i></span><i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">vergulten pyan Appfel fur ali Ding mit einem Oaiologium").</span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </span></i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >Thirteen years earlier, in 1511, the German historian Johannes Cocclaeus (1479-1552) w</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >rote in <i>Brevis Germaniae Descriptio: </i>"More and more wonderful d</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >iscoveries are made from day to day; a young man, Petrus Hele, makes things t</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >hat amaze the most learned mathematitians, that is to say, he </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >makes watches (<i>horologia) </i>with many wheels from small amounts of iron. This watches </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >show and strike the right time for 40 hours in any position </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.15pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >and without weights <i>(monstrat et pulsat </i>XL <i>horas), </i>even when carried one's chest or </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.4pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" >in a bag".</span><br /><br /><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.4pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" > </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">This frequently quoted passage was the first specific mention of what </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">we call a pocket watch, to be more precise, a watch that was carried on the person han</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">ging from a chain around the neck or in a bag around the waist. </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">These so-called self-driven watches <i>(oralogia selbgeend), </i>that is watches driven by </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">a spring, became highly valued about ten years later and between 1521 and </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">1525 the Nuremberg Town Council gave seven of them away as gifts to im</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">portant foreigners (three of these were made by Peter Henlein). In the next fifteen years only two or three such watches were given away as <span style="letter-spacing: 0.3pt;">presents, which means that they had by this time become available to a </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.15pt;">wider circle of people, and were no longer considered as special gifts.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.15pt;"> </span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">It is not surprising that the first watch was probably made in Nuremberg.</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">In the 16th centuary this German town, together with Augsburg, was the leading goldsmiths'</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> and clockmakers' center. Sundials were made there, and so </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">were a great number of table clocks, often also used as travelling clocks. We mention this</span><i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </span></i><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">because the watch probably originated by reducing the dimensions of the table clock so that it could be worn on a chain around the</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> neck or at the waist.</span><br /><br /><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">Peter Henlein was the only clockmaker we are certain made watches in </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">the first half of the 16<sup>th</sup> century. Archival documents even refer to him as locksmith. How</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">ever, when he died in 1542 he was called <i>Vhrmacher</i></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">.</span><br /><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> In the 16th century clockmakers were divided into <i>Grossuhrmacher </i>and <i>Kleinuhrmacher. </i>The first made town and tower clocks, the second house clocks and</span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> watches. It is therefore difficult to say which of the <i>Kleinuhrmacher</i><span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> actually made watches</span></span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; letter-spacing: 0.4pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:11;color:silver;" > </span><span style="background: black none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;color:silver;" ><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1