No matter your status in life, your age, ethnicity, political views or anything that defines you as a unique individual, we all operate within the confines of time. There are 24 hours in a day, how those hours are spent is your choice, how they are kept track of has been studied and refined for most of recorded history.

DEFINTION OF TIME PIECE or CLOCK:  A repetitive process to mark equal increments of time.

EARLIEST RECORDS OF TIME KEEPING: While theory speculates the Sumerians (who predate the Egyptians) were an advanced civilization, possibly possessing advanced time tracking mechanisms, there are no historical records to support that theory; historical records do show the first rudimentary time pieces being four sided obelisks created by the Egyptians around 3500BC.  These devices would have tracked time by the shadows they cast.

The watch making industry of Switzerland is much more recent, but still stretches back to the 16th century, the town of Geneva, Switzerland and the edicts of the church.  Calvinism (which was began by John/Jean Calvin in 1534) banned the wearing of jewels (thought to promote heathenism) and this edict eventually forced goldsmiths and jewelers of the era to look elsewhere to ply their trade.  Eventually their quest created the craft of watchmaking.  Over the next few generations the craft evolved and their creations were carried far and wide by tradesmen.  As more and more of the world's population sampled their wares, the reputation of the Genevan watch increased and a number of horology schools started appearing.
 

The year 1601 marks a pivotal point as the "Watchmakers' Guild of Geneva" was established (the first of its kind) lending an added degree of authority (and urgency) to the craft.  Over the next several generations thousands made the decision to become watchmakers until the city of Geneva became awash with watchmakers.  Eventually, seeking territories less saturated many watchmaker journeyed to the Jura Mountains.

THE JURA MOUNTAINS:  The Juras' are a lush forested range of mountains defining a particular area of Switzerland (also part of Germany and France).

It was the Jura group (headed by Daniel Jeanrichard 1665-1741) that would revolutionize the craft with the 'division of labor' and pave the way for the future.  And as any industry moves into the future it either stagnates or innovates; the watch industry chose innovation with a plethora of improvements, enhancements and ideas.  1770 marked the introduction of the "perpetual" watch by Abraham-Louis Perrelet which (with modifications) would evolve into the modern self-winding watch.

The years marched forward with craftsmanship always improving, 1842 marked the invention of the winding watch Adrien Philippe, a founder of the Patek Philppe watch company.  That company and Mr. Philippe would produce the most expensive watch of the era, an intricately created pocket watch with 24 separate functions.  The watch would eventually sell (as an antique) for $11 million dollars at Sothebys.

Another generation passed without substantial change in the industry, then the 20th century ushered in the era of mass production as selected (intricate) parts were produced that were interchangeable between watches.  This was certainly a key ingredient in the Swiss bid for world supremacy in the industry.

While historically World War I and II are remembered as dark times, they also brought vast change and innovation, one being the wristwatch (before this pocket watches were prevalent), becoming popular world wide as the world moved from war to peace after WW I and Grenchen produced the initial 'self-winding version.

Measured in years centuries had past, measured in history the world evolved adopting new scientific principles; Copernicus published his theories (later to become fact), Leonardo DaVinci astounded the masses, Peter Henlein created the first pocket watch.  The industrial revolution changed the very fabric of mass production; the world of music changed with the invention of the piano; medical science improved the quality of our lives and science (and the scientist) became accepted as the norm.  With each tick of the galactic clock, the world changed but time still flowed forward measured tick by tick by Swiss clocks and wristwatches worldwide.

Certainly there were struggles, both financial and technological as the Swiss faced world-wide competition, but the industry had roots and tenacity which allowed them to adapt and forge ahead.  While not every innovation in time keeping can be attributed to the Swiss, the sheer number (the first wristwatch, the first quartz watch, the first water resistant wristwatch, the thinnest wristwatch, the smallest, the most expensive) amount to such a foundation it is doubtful Switzerland will ever yield the throne to another.

History continues to evolve and what seems almost magical today, is likely already on the drawing board of some Swiss watchmaker.  The Swiss not only have a comprehensive history in timekeeping, they define the craft even today. Visit the website of IOSW for wostep training USA.