The industrial revolution was born in England, which, at that time, was the most flourishing nation. It was with the invention of the steam engine and the exploitation of coal that it began. Factories are created, and society changes profoundly. Previously based on agriculture and crafts, it is also becoming industrial. Many people leave the countryside for the cities.
This phenomenon is gaining much importance in England, and the other nations follow, in a more progressive way. This new societal order is also impacted by watchmaking, which was artisanal and reserved for the elite.
Until the middle of the 19th century, Switzerland dominated the watchmaking world. Until then, Switzerland and England shared first place in the watch market. Until the middle of the 19th century, Switzerland was at its peak and primarily dominated. This is without counting on a competitor from across the Atlantic.
The booming American industry is revolutionizing watchmaking. In the distant lands of Massachusetts and Connecticut, driven by mechanization, the Americans embarked on the mass production of watch parts.
It is, in particular, the Waltham Watch Company, located in Massachusetts, which impresses with innovative machines to manufacture components with the most incredible precision. This advantage, not the least, makes it possible to create components that can be interchangeable depending on the model. To learn more about Rolex submariner watch (นาฬิกา rolex submariner, which is the term in Thai), please click on the link.
Switzerland, which until then exported enormously to the United States, saw its exports fall by nearly 70%. This unprecedented crisis prompted Switzerland to launch into the industry in turn. With the popularization of watches and the railway revolution, the need for universal time arose. It starts in England; then it spreads to the United States, creating the time zones essential on such a large territory. It was finally in 1883 that the 24 time zones were adopted on the whole of the Earth.
The Popularization Of The Wristwatch
The first references to wristwatches date back to the 16th century. It is said that the philosopher Blaise Pascal attached his watch to the wrist to have the time more easily. Abraham-Louis Bregue t, a famous watchmaker, designed one of the first accurate wristwatches following a particular order from the Queen of Naples. At this time, they are still rare and expensive.
It was during the industrial revolution that they were popularized. They are mainly reserved for women, the pocket watch remaining the preserve of men until 1918, the end of the First World War. They are an integral part of the outfit, just like jewelry, and as such, their timepiece value is not very important. This use will change in the 20th century with the First World War and the creation of wristwatches intended for the military.