Wristwatch

The history of watches began in 16th century Europe, where watches evolved from portable spring-driven clocks, which first appeared in the 15th century. The ‘watch’ developed from the 16th century to the mid 20th century was a mechanical device, powered by winding a mainspring which turned gears and then moved the hands, and kept time with a rotating balance wheel. The invention of the quartz watch in the 1960s, which ran on electricity and kept time with a vibrating quartz crystal, proved a radical departure for the industry. During the 1980s quartz watches took over the market from mechanical watches, an event referred to as the “quartz crisis”. Although mechanical watches still sell at the high end of the market, the vast majority of watches now have quartz movements.

One account of the origin of the word “watch” is that it came from the Old English word ‘woecce’ which meant “watchman”, because it was used by town watchmen to keep track of their shifts. Another says that the term came from 17th century sailors, who used the new mechanisms to time the length of their shipboard watches (duty shifts).

The wristwatch had been a regular piece of jewelry since elementary school. Learning numbers and basic math and telling time came together but didn’t collate. Why a dozen hours and not ten? Half an hour? Set the watch to correct time required finding another clock. What if that clock was wrong? Time zones? Daylight savings time? Nighttime vs. Daytime?

The movie started at a certain time. The train arrived at a certain time. A class started at a certain time. Pick up your date at a certain time. That meeting will be at a certain time. Dinner will be served at a certain time. Work starts at a certain time. The program starts at a certain time.

Don’t be late so wear a wristwatch.

Time rules our lives and then….

We retire.

If we play our cards right, we can take off our wristwatch. Deadlines and time schedules should go away just like a daily planner.

There are still plenty of time restraints and clocks are on every electronic item we carry, but a piece of jewelry is not necessary to wear.

A calendar becomes useless unless to remind moon changes or birthdays.

Our ancestors didn’t wear wristwatches. They rose with the sunrise and watched the shadows to note the time. The same is true for our natural neighbors. They keep track of when to find food and when to rest without a wristwatch.

Then it is all free time…until the time runs out.