Watches and More
Watches and More: Swiss Timepieces at their Finest
For thousands of years, man has found ways to distinguish night from day and determine the duration of events. Methods of time-telling have greatly evolved from the primitive sundial and hourglass, to the now modern wristwatches and digital clocks. When you think of a place where the best watches are made, Switzerland is sure to be the first name that comes to mind. This nation is undeniably the watch making capital of the world.
The technology that led to the birth of the modern watches today began in Switzerland, and it flourished around the 1800’s. When you come to visit Switzerland on one of your vacations, be sure to bring home a piece of history, and get yourself a Swiss timepiece made in its homeland. Did you know that in 2007, more than 16 billion francs worth of Swiss watches were exported to the world? These products are one of the biggest contributors to the strong economy of Switzerland.
All companies that manufacture Swiss watches are under the authority of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH. Here some more interesting facts about locations in Switzerland which are significant for timepieces and fine quality Swiss watches.
Geneva, a very popular city, was one of the first places where watch making was first documented, at around the 1600’s. It is also in Geneva where the headquarters of Patek Philippe and Co. is found. This company, founded in the mid 1800’s, was credited for being the first to design a Swiss watch to be worn on the wrist, much like a lady’s bracelet.
It was in Neuchatel, also called New Castle, where the very first quartz watch was invented, and it was in 1967. CEH or Centre Electronique Horloger was the first who thought of using the rock to keep accurate time. Later on, more electronic types of watches with varying displays were developed.
If you have heard of popular watch brand Swatch, you can bet that it comes from Switzerland. The name was not actually a joined term for Swiss Watch, but of Second Watch. The Swatch Company, founded in Zurich in the 1980’s wanted to create a line of watches that are stylish, fun, and affordable, too. Today, the brand is known around the world.
It is also in Zurich where you may chance upon visiting the Watch and Clock Museum, which features the collection of one of the oldest clock stores in the country, Theodore Beyer. They showcase antique clocks that are worth 5,000 to as much as 100,000 francs per piece.
The Swiss Federal Office of Metrology METAS is located in the capital city of Bern, and it specializes in research in metrology and calibration of time measuring instruments across Switzerland. Their laboratories house the most accurate clock in the world, which is called the FOCS-1 device, an atomic clock.
Other well-known watch brands from Switzerland are Franck Muller, TAG Heuer, and Piguet, among many others. So next time you check your wrist for the time, you’ll remember the rich history and impressive time pieces that only the Swiss can make.
