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History of watches

Watches evolved from portable spring driven clocks, which first within the 15th century. Portable timepieces had been produced feasible by the invention of the mainspring. Although some sources erroneously credit Nuremberg clockmaker Peter Henlein (or Henle or Hele) with inventing the mainspring around 1511, numerous references to 'clocks without weights' and two surviving examples show that spring powered clocks appeared within the 15th century. Henlein is also often credited with constructing the very first pocketwatches, mostly because of a passage by Johann Cochlaus in 1511.

Peter Hele, still a young man, fashions works which even probably the most learned mathematicians admire. He shapes many-wheeled clocks out of small bits of iron, which run and chime the hours with out weights for forty hours, whether or not carried in the breast or in a handbag

and because he was popularized inside a 19th century novel. However, numerous German clockmakers were making miniature timepieces throughout this period, and there's no evidence Henlein was the very first. Also, watches weren't widely worn in pockets until the 17th century.

The very first timepieces to become worn, made in 16th century Europe, had been transitional in size between clocks and watches. These 'clock-watches' were fastened to clothing or worn on a chain about the neck. They had been heavy drum shaped cylindrical brass boxes a number of inches in diameter, engraved and ornamented. They had only an hour hand. The face was not covered with glass, but usually had a hinged brass cover, often decoratively pierced with grillwork so the time might be read with out opening. The movement was produced of iron or steel and held together with tapered pins and wedges, until screws began to be utilized following 1550. Many from the movements included striking or alarm mechanisms. They generally had to become wound twice a day. How psychic!