The First Wrist Watches (Part 4 of 5)
De BISAWiki
Just like many fashion advertiser developments in times gone by, the wrist watch was first made fashionable by royalty -- particularly Queen Elizabeth I who was given one in the late 1500s. It had been a variation of the pocket watch made more feminine and worn as an accessory accent.
The initial commonly worn wristwatches were designed exclusively for women and called wristlets. Men of the late 19th century and early 20th century still kept monitoring of time utilizing a pocket watch. They considered the wristlet a trend that would, like all others, come and go; and the wristwatch would at that time never be considered by men as such a thing but a female bobble for women.
The wrist watch as advertiser an of good use method to easily keep time for men actually began as a wartime necessity. The British army within their combat South Africa in the Boar War in the first 1900s strapped pocket watches to their arm so they can keep their weapons and still connect moves with other troops. The very first wristwatches for men were promoted to the military for men starting active service. Several important men found the ease of perhaps not fishing in a pocket due to their watch essential despite returning from the area.
Changes in watchbands also put into the recognition of the wrist watch for both men and women. The flexible band items that attached to the open-faced watch made it easy to fasten a strap, which kept the watch securely, attached to the arm. Now wristwatches were common military concern for the allied troops of World War I.
In 1915, The Rolex Watch Company, formerly referred to as Wilsdorf & Davis, was launched. Hans Wilsdorf liked the thought of a wrist watch for both men and women and worked to enhance the accuracy. Rolex was thought to be a leader in this research and received the very first wrist watch Chronometer award given out by the College of Horology in Bienne.
In the mid-1920s, following a war, men started initially to associate wristwatches with the brave heroes who fought and no further viewed them as just for women. Rolex seized upon this new image and continued through the 1950s to promote watches particularly to men. Professional, masculine-style watches were created to be worn by men in a variety of fields of work.
The development of new technology capable of tracking time and advertiser performing another features of a mobile phone or advisor might lead to a time once the watch will be less of an important method to keep time and more of fashion accessory or status symbol. But, lets face it, if anyone ever asks you if you know the time, your first instinct is to raise your arm, whether or not you remembered to put on your watch!
