The Jakarta Post

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

From a tool to fashion, what next?
From machine to quartz, what next?

The history of the wristwatch is indeed short. Wristwatches
did not begin to see widespread use until the 1920s. Men tended
to regard the wristwatch as effeminate.

Watches adapted to the wrist made sporadic appearances as
early as the late 1500s. Queen Elizabeth I is said to have been
given one. In the early 1800s the wristwatch made more frequent
appearances when jewelry and watchmakers began creating gem
encrusted timepieces for royalty, according to
wristwatchguide.com.

Toward the end of the 1800s, women began to embrace the
wristwatch as an item of adornment. Despite the feminine
association, the concept became accepted as indispensable to
military campaigns as mechanization in war grew. The ability to
read time with a quick glance rather than having to dig through
pockets was critical in battle.

As demand for wristwatches in warfare grew, rugged timepieces
covered with metal grids were introduced. The first chronograph
wristwatches were developed, and luminous hands and markers were
developed.

Following the war, automatic (self winding) wristwatches were
created, drawing on technology used in pocket watches. Initially
they were unreliable, but were perfected by the late 1930s and
early 1940s. In the 1920s, the wristwatch became the dominant
means of timekeeping among both men and women. Then, as now, men
seemed to prefer more rugged, sportier models, including
chronographs.

Rolex created the first water resistant watch which was worn
unscathed by a woman channel swimmer in 1927.

During the Great Depression, demand for wristwatches withered
and many top watchmaking companies went out of business. Despite
reversals, many design innovations were introduced. With the
advent of World War II, watches in most countries were an
unattainable luxury and production ceased for all but military
needs.

Neutral Switzerland continued making wristwatches to fulfill
military orders. Watches were developed for fighter pilots and
for underwater specialties requiring far greater water
resistance.

Following World War II, civilian production resumed and many
innovations were seen, leading to the 1957 introduction of the
first electric battery powered wristwatch made by Hamilton Watch
Company in America.

Competition among manufacturers in the 1950s and 60s revolved
around reductions in size. In 1969 the first automatic
chronograph wristwatch was developed, and Neil Armstrong wore an
Omega Speedmaster as he made his giant leap for mankind.

Precision has always been the greatest challenge in making
timepieces. And Quartz crystals were long known to offer highly
reliable frequency standards. And then the Quartz Revolution
began.

This led to the first Quartz clock in the late 1920s which was
considered the most accurate time keeping device yet developed.

Still, the technology to allow use of Quartz crystals in
wristwatches had to await invention of the integrated circuit in
1970. This enabled a Swiss group to manufacture the first
commercially available Quartz watch, the Beta 21. The Swiss,
however, lacked the industrial means for large scale production
and were reluctant to pursue a technology that could crush Swiss
dominance in less precise mechanical watches.

In short order, commercially viable production of Quartz
watches fell to the Japanese who came to market with the first
analog Quartz watch. By 1971 Seiko was offering Quartz crystal
wristwatches accurate to within five seconds a month or a minute
a year. America's Hamilton Watch Company immediately followed
with the Pulsar and its digital (LED) readout.

Early Quartz watches had certain drawbacks -- short battery
lives, and LED watches required pushing a button to display the
time. Soon, this was replaced by the LCD (liquid crystal display)
providing a continuous readout and battery life was improved. The
Quartz revolution was well under way by the late 1970s, led by
the Japanese and Americans. Only about 13 percent of wristwatches
made today are mechanical.

Although the Swiss helped pioneer Quartz technology, they were
slow to join the bandwagon, believing erroneously that Quartz was
no more than a fad. As a result, Swiss watchmaking fell into
decline.

Not until 1983 did the Swiss industry begin to regain its
vigor with introduction of the Quartz Swatch watch by the
predecessor of what today is the Swatch Group. With the Swatch,
consumers quickly embraced a new concept - the wristwatch as a
fashion statement as well as a tool.

Today, wristwatch design has advanced to an abundance of
choices from dirt cheap to bejeweled masterpieces. Once again,
Swiss watchmakers hold sway in the middle and higher price
brackets while Japanese and Hong Kong makers hold the moderate
and low end. Most American manufacturers have been acquired by
foreign interests.

One unmistakable trend is that buy-outs, mergers and
acquisitions going to the highest bidder have resulted in a
growing number of prestige brands being moved under the roofs of
large conglomerates.

TAG Heuer, Ebel, Zenith, Chaumet, Dior and Fred, for instance,
have been acquired by the French LVMH Group. Many familiar brands
and much technology in the Swiss arena has been moved under the
umbrella of the Swatch Group empire. The tradition of small
independent watchmakers working in pastoral settings is drawing
to a close. Globalization will continue reaching deeply into the
watch making craft.

It is a plain truth at the start of the 21st century that the
wristwatch is more indispensable than ever as a tool for
business, sports, fashion and daily living.

What's next? Will wristwatches connect to our computers? Will
they act as phones and beepers or store and retrieve data?
Hmmm... Dick Tracy, we need you!