Pocket watch

A pocket watch (synonym pocket watch ) is a clock that on a chain in a trouser or jacket pocket (so-called tails pocketwatch) is worn. Ladies wore pocket watches often also on a chain around the neck or at the waist. Pocket watches have been today come largely out of fashion and is replaced by wrist watches.

History

The development of pocket watches became possible after the spring drive was invented in the early 15th century. The oldest surviving clock with pen drive ( and the associated worm gear as regulation) is from circa 1430 and is preserved as a clock of Philip the Good of Burgundy in the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg. Until that time, clocks were operated exclusively by weights.

Peter Henlein (around 1479-1542 ) of Nuremberg built around 1504 this spring drive in conjunction with a mechanism of inhibition of the spring brake as one of the first in a portable clock. So he could shrink them to pocket size. This pocket watch has the shape of a can and was probably carried in a bag. A copy can be found eg in the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg. The "invention" has long been attributed to Peter Henlein from Nuremberg (c. 1504/1509 ), but today the research tends to adopt a longer-lasting development, but its watches are among the oldest surviving copies. Peter Henlein's contribution to this is speculative variously assumed to be the inventor of the stack Freed. However, the name Nuremberg Egg have these watches not, as is still falsely claiming due to their egg shape. The name is rather a corruption of " Aeurlein ", ie Ührlein. It is certain, however, that Southern Germany, mainly was the two major trading cities of Nuremberg and Augsburg, a center of early watchmaking.

The oldest representation of a wearable clock can be found in the painting The Merchant Georg Gisze by Hans Holbein the Younger ( c. 1530 ). These doses watches were made ​​in the early days especially in southern Germany, but also in France and probably in Italy. For these doses Watches - which were probably carried in bags - originated first portable neck watches that were worn on a chain or ribbon around the neck ( from 1530 /40). Early portable clocks had Unrasthemmungen (either as Radu rest or as Löffelunrast ). Due to the resulting inaccuracy they were consistently fitted with only one hand ( hour hand ). It was not until the mid-17th century, the first pocket watches were produced with verge escapement and then equipped with a minute hand. Copies from the 16th century are very rare and only found in major watch collections.

Most older pocket watches ( it is estimated over 80%) are unsigned, since the erection of company names and company logos was uncommon until the 19th century. They can often be assigned only on the basis of specific designs or engravings certain manufacturers today.

Housing types

Around the middle of the 16th century were portable watches watch case usually can- shaped ( more rarely oval ), later the wall bulged and finally did the us today common, flat shape of the pocket watch was. In addition, however, there were mainly at the end of the 16th century form of watches in various forms of crosses, shells and stars, but occasionally also skulls and others.

• Tin watch the oldest design ( from about 1530 ), in the form of a small box with a perforated metal cover, later ( from 1590) with a rock crystal cover
• Kreuzuhr one of many variants form the housing, which were fashionable from the late 16th century to the end of the 17th century
• Hunter with sprung lid, the crown sitting sideways.
• Halbsavonnette
• Lépine without lid, the crown sits on top.
• Aviator watch with twisted 180 ° dial, since the clock was mounted in the airplane over head ( Doxa, Stowa )
• Dress watch with a small size and a particularly flat design

Status symbol

Artfully crafted pocket watches were (and are partly still is) a symbol of wealth and nobility. Previously, the acquisition of a pocket very well-off was possible, often being represented so well, such as Maria Theresa of Spain in the 17th century by the painter Diego Velázquez, which is shown in the photo with two pocket watches.

On many other portraits in the 20th century, only the mostly artfully designed, pocket watch chain is visible. This pocket watch was attached to the pants or the doublet.