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History of watches

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

   Peter Hele, nonetheless a young man, fashions works which even probably the most learned mathematicians admire. He shapes many-wheeled clocks out of little bits of iron, which run and chime the hours without weights for forty hours, whether carried at the breast or in a handbag

and simply because he was popularized inside a 19th century novel. Nevertheless, many German clockmakers were creating miniature timepieces throughout this period, and there's no evidence Henlein was the first. Also, watches weren't widely worn in pockets till the 17th century.

The first timepieces to be worn, made in 16th century Europe, were transitional in size between clocks and watches. These 'clock-watches' were fastened to clothing or worn on a chain around the neck. They were heavy drum shaped cylindrical brass boxes several 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 could be read without opening. The movement was produced of iron or steel and held together with tapered pins and wedges, until screws began to become used after 1550. Numerous from the movements included striking or alarm mechanisms. They generally had to be wound twice a day. How psychic!