Horology

 

 

Welcome to the Reloxi Watch Shop horological history page.  I have a natural interest with timekeeping devices.  I have owned vintage Rolex, Hamilton, and a collection of Citizen wristwatches.  I am happy to present to the world a beautiful assortment of quality watches and watch accessories for sale to watch enthusiastic consumers.  Below is an interesting history of horology and timekeeping devices throughout the ages.

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​Watchmaking History​

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Sundials

The first devices for indicating the time of day were sundials, with the earliest known examples dating back to around 3500 BCE. The gnomon, a vertical stick or pillar, was the first device used to tell time by the length of the shadow it cast.

 

The earliest sundials known from the archaeological record are shadow clocks from ancient Egyptian and Babylonian astronomy, dating back to around 1500 BCE.1 These early sundials were followed by more sophisticated designs, such as the hemispherical sundial, or hemicycle, attributed to the Greek astronomer Aristarchus of Samos around 280 BCE.

 

The oldest true sundial, that we know of, is an Egyptian shadow clock made from green schist and built around 1500 BCE in Egypt.4 The first record of a sundial in Rome is in 293 BCE according to Pliny.2 The earliest household clocks known, from the archaeological finds, are the sundials (1500 BCE) in Ancient Egypt and ancient Babylonian astronomy.

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​Clepsydras​

The clepsydra, also known as a water clock, is an ancient device used for measuring time by the regulated flow of water. The oldest written reference to the clepsydra dates back to the 6th century BC in China, where it was used to measure time.1 In ancient Egypt, the clepsydra was used as early as the 14th century BC, with physical evidence of a water clock dating to around 1417-1379 BC during the reign of Amenhotep III.

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In ancient Greece, the clepsydra was developed to solve the problem of the sundial, which was only functional when the sun was out. The device was widely used in public places, particularly in courts, to limit the speech time of lawyers and witnesses.

 

The Greek inventor Ktesibios (Ctesibius) made significant improvements to the clepsydra around 325 BC, adding a second canister to catch the water that flowed out of the top hole.

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In ancient Rome, the clepsydra was used for various purposes, including timing the speeches of orators. The Romans also developed a clepsydra consisting of a cylinder into which water dripped from a reservoir, with a float providing readings against a scale on the cylinder wall.

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In ancient China, the clepsydra was used for astronomical timekeeping, during religious sacrifices, for military affairs, court litigation timekeeping, and the time allocation of water rights. The invention of the feedback system in the 3rd century BCE opened the door to the mechanization of water clocks.

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The clepsydra was also used in other civilizations, including the Persians, who used it as a timing tool for the court in ancient Rome to question prisoners.6 The device was even used in the Qanats of Gonabad Zibad, where water was placed in a smaller copper bowl with a small hole in the bottom, allowing water to drain into a larger bowl.

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Overall, the clepsydra was a significant advancement in timekeeping, providing a reliable way to measure time when the sun was not available. Its impact on the ancient world was huge, and it laid the foundation for the development of more advanced timekeeping devices.

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​Candle Clocks

Candle clocks have a rich history that dates back to ancient times, with references to their use in various cultures, including Egypt. The concept of using candles to measure time is not specifically tied to Egypt, but the ancient Egyptians were known for their innovative timekeeping methods, such as sundials and water clocks.6 However, there are references to candle clocks in other regions, such as China and Europe.

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The earliest known reference to the use of candle clocks occurs in a Chinese poem by You Jiangu in 520 AD. He described a device consisting of six candles made from 72 pennyweights of wax, each being 12 inches long and of uniform thickness. Each candle took four hours to burn and was divided into 12 sections, each an inch long, so each section represented 20 minutes.3 Similarly, in Asia, candles were used to measure time in Japan until at least the early 10th century.

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In Europe, the parallel invention of this device was attributed by the Anglo-Saxons to King Alfred the Great. Alfred's close associate Asser narrated how the king invented the clock using six candles, each made from 12 pennyweights of wax, each being 12 inches long and of a uniform thickness. Like Jiangu, Alfred marked them at one-inch intervals representing 20 minutes each. Burning one after another, they would measure the elapsing of a 24-hour period.

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While there is no direct mention of Egyptian candle clocks, the ancient Egyptians were among the first cultures to widely divide days into generally agreed-upon equal parts, using early timekeeping devices such as sundials, shadow clocks, and merkhets.6 These devices allowed them to measure time during the day and night, with the shadow clock being a modified sundial that allowed for greater precision in determining the time of day.

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In summary, while there is no direct evidence of Egyptian candle clocks, the concept of using candles to measure time was present in other cultures, with the earliest known reference dating back to 520 AD in China.3 The ancient Egyptians, on the other hand, were known for their innovative timekeeping methods, including sundials and water clocks.

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Mechanical Clocks​

In Europe, the first mechanical clocks were built around the year 1300 in the region spanning northern Italy to southern Germany. These clocks did not have dials or hands but told the time by striking bells.4 The invention of the verge escapement around 1300 made possible the first mechanical clocks in Europe, which used oscillating timekeepers like balance wheels.

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The earliest medieval European clockmakers were Christian monks. The first recorded clock was built by the future Pope Sylvester II around the year 996.  The first portable timepiece was invented in Nuremberg, Germany, by Peter Henlein in 1504.

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​Mechanical Watches

The first watch was made in the 16th century, with Nuremberg clockmaker Peter Henlein often credited as the inventor of the watch. He was one of the first German craftsmen who made "clock-watches," ornamental timepieces worn as pendants, which were the first timepieces to be worn on the body.  Another account suggests that the first mechanical watch was made in Europe in the 14th century, but these early watches were spring-powered devices that were not very precise and had to be wound frequently.  Additionally, the first true mechanical watch is believed to have been created in 1505 by Peter Henlein.

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​​Quartz Watches

The history of the quartz watch dates back to 1927 when Warren Marrison, an American engineer, invented the first quartz clock. 

 

The technology was further developed in Japan, with Issac Koga creating Japan’s first quartz clock in 1937.4 However, it was Seiko that pioneered the commercialization of quartz watches. In 1969, Seiko launched the world's first quartz wristwatch, the Astron, which marked the beginning of the quartz revolution.

 

This innovation was a significant departure from traditional mechanical watches, as quartz timepieces offered greater accuracy, lower cost, and were easier to produce.2 The introduction of the Astron led to a major shift in the watchmaking industry, with Japanese companies like Seiko, Citizen, and Casio embracing the new technology, while the Swiss watch industry initially resisted the change.

 

The quartz crisis, as it came to be known, led to a decline in the Swiss watch industry's dominance, as quartz watches became increasingly popular due to their precision and affordability.

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​Automatic Watches

The history of automatic watches dates back to the 18th century, with the first known self-winding mechanism invented by Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Perrelet around 1770.5 His design used a centrally pivoted weight that moved with the wearer's motion to wind the mainspring.

 

However, it wasn't until the early 20th century that automatic watches became commercially viable. In 1923, Swiss watchmaker John Harwood introduced the first commercially successful automatic wristwatch, featuring a rotor mechanism that harnessed the natural motion of the wearer's arm to wind the watch automatically.

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Earlier attempts at self-winding mechanisms include Léon Leroy's 1922 automatic movement, which used a side-weight system to wind the movement.2 John Harwood later improved upon this design, obtaining a UK patent in 1923 and a Swiss patent the same year, using a pivoting weight that swung as the wearer moved.2 This movement ensured the mainspring was fully wound, allowing the watch to run for up to 12 hours when fully wound.

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The concept of self-winding watches can also be traced back to the late 1700s, with Perrelet's invention being the first known device of its kind.1 Over the years, the technology evolved, with improvements such as the bumper movement in the early 20th century, which featured a semi-circular weight that moved back and forth, hitting springs or bumpers at either end of its travel.

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Rolex further advanced the design in 1930 by improving Harwood's automatic movement, leading to the development of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual.
 

Today, automatic watches remain a popular choice among collectors and enthusiasts due to their intricate mechanics and timeless appeal.

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Solar Watches

The history of solar watches dates back to the 1960s, with the first photoelectric electric clock introduced by Seikosha in 1965.

This early device used a sealed nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery that could store 100 mAh and recharge in four hours using a solar cell. However, the technology was not advanced enough to power a quartz clock or watch at the time due to high current drain.1 In 1969, the United States Time Corporation received a patent for a solar-powered wristwatch, though the company had no plans to produce it.

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The first solar-powered quartz watch appeared in July 1972, known as the Synchronar, later produced by the American firm Ness. It was invented by Roger Riehl in the 1960s but was only possible to create after the development of CMOS integrated circuits and low-power LEDs.1 The Synchronar was a digital LED quartz watch with two large solar panels on the top.

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In the 1970s, solar-powered watches began to gain traction, with the first analog quartz solar watch introduced by Citizen in 1976, followed by Seiko.1 By 2009, solar-powered watches had become a major part of the watch industry, with manufacturers like Citizen, Junghans, Casio, and Seiko incorporating the technology into their designs.

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Citizen started selling analog light-powered watches under the Eco-Drive name in 1996, and these watches use lithium-ion batteries to store energy for up to five years without light exposure.5 Solar-powered watches offer several advantages, including being eco-friendly, requiring low maintenance, and providing continuous operation with sufficient light exposure.5 However, they can be more expensive than traditional watches and require adequate sunlight to maintain charge.

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