The Antique Pocket Watch

Collectors have been vying for antique pocket watches the world over. The earliest time keepers were originally designed large and square and they date back to the early 16th century. They were originally only owned by the true aristocracy as it was a genuine status symbol of authority and wealth. They were simply out of the reach of the common populace. Clocks had originally been used with weights and were quite large. The pocket watch was made possible by the introduction of springs instead of the weights in clocks, and this enabled time keepers to be worn with the use of a chain on the body. They were more portable but they were still considerably larger than the watches of today. This was also around the same time that precision became more and more important to the watch makers. It is rare, but some of the early models of the pocket watches even came with an alarm.

100 years later, the design and the craftsmanship that went into the making of each individual watch made an instant artist of the watchmaker. The cases that were introduced to protect the delicate workings were made slimmer and the corners were rounded which softened the square and boxy look of the first pocket watches. Ornate designs were used and the watchmakers began to personally sign the dial. This is a tradition that is still followed by watchmakers in the modern world.

Another 100 years saw the introduction of precious gems in the making of the watches, particularly diamonds, which were used in the bearings in the mechanisms. There are two types of pocket watches, the first are open-faced and know as Savonette's, or 'hunter cases'. The chain we know of as a 'fob chain' and it was attached to a jacket lapel, a belt loop or a waistcoat. The delicate movements of the hands were smoothed by the use of oil, and by the second half of this century, the second hand was introduced, which further ensured the precision of time telling.

By the 19th century, the pocket watch really came into its own. The American Railroad Association came together and established a set of standards for the quality and precision of these watches for the sake of safety. After a tragic train accident in 1891, the standards were implemented. After 1893, pocket watches that followed these stringent requirements were known as railroad grade pocket watches. Well respected watchmakers, such as Ulysse Nardin, Minerva, Heuer, IWC and many others, started at this time and became well established. This was also the time that the crown winder was introduced.

This was later followed by the introduction of certificates which were issued for the best designs, but the popularity of the pocket watch began to fade with the introduction of the wrist watch in the 20th century, which were introduced after the First World War. The antique pocket watch has become a true collector's item today. Anyone looking for a special gift that is out of the ordinary, a silver pocket watch fits the bill. They are elegant, distinctive and charming.