FUN FACTS - History of Timekeeping For almost as long as humans have walked the Earth, the methods used to measure time have changed dramatically. Countless theories regarding inventions, dates, and even inventors exist, but some significant milestones mark our fascination with recording the passage of time. Once humans recognized the difference between day and night, moon phases were used to mark months, and later the changing seasons were observed to record years. After noticing the connection with the suns position, people used shadows to track sunny hours; hence, the sundial was invented. Some believe Stonehenge is the most monumental of early sundial structures. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks later designed obelisks presumably for the same reason. Life became more complex and the ability to keep time accurately became necessary. As early as 325 BC, water clocks, called clepsydras, were invented by the Greeks. The water flows from one container to another at a steady rate, and the passing of time is read using markings on the outside of the container. In 1000 AD, mechanical parts were invented to power the water clock, which eventually lead to the concept of the mechanical clock. The first mechanical clock, one of the greatest technological achievements in history, was invented in England. The exact date of the first clock, as well as the name of its inventor, remains a mystery. Today the only existing clocks that predate 1300 are the cathedral clocks at St. Pauls in London and in Canterbury, believed to have been built around 1275. As the Middle Ages end and the Renaissance was born, cultural developments brought new interest in clocks, which lead to a great variety of portable models. When clocks were small enough to carry in ones pocket, the timepieces became known as watches. During the 16th century, springs replaced weights inside clocks and delivered greater accuracy. The spring-powered pocket watch was one of the first status symbols popular among Europes tastemakers because of its size and astronomical price. Galileo Galilei is credited with inventing the pendulum-clock concept; however, he never actually constructed one before his death in 1642. Dutch scientist Christian Huygens patented the first pendulum clock in 1656, an important contribution to watchmaking, as it proved to be incredibly accurate. Before his fascination with watchmaking, Huygens helped with several advancements in science: the development of modern calculus, discovering Saturns moon Titan, observing that light was composed of rays and mapping the Orion Nebula. The 18th century was rich in inventions and new developments. 1770 marked the year Abraham-Louis Perrelet invented a winding mechanism that operated in both directions via a rotor. It is considered the forerunner of the automatic, self-winding watch. Abraham-Louis Breguet, considered the father of modern watchmaking, invented the tourbillon escapement in 1795, though he didnt patent it until 1801 or market it until 1805. The tourbillon compensates for errors in timekeeping caused by the force of gravity when the watch is in different positions. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Weve got your favorite watch brands with just one click! Visit our online store and grab yours now! WATCH YOU WANT - Authentic Watches, Low Prices facebook/WatchYouWantBiz Interested buyers, you may place, post or message your orders here or SMS at 0917.586.9489 Thank you very much and God Bless! Happy Shopping!
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 01:15:53 +0000
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