What Is the History of the Wristwatch? ⌚️ 10 Milestones You Must Know (2025)

Ever wondered how that little timepiece strapped to your wrist became the iconic accessory it is today? The wristwatch’s journey is a fascinating saga of royal commissions, battlefield necessities, and technological revolutions that transformed it from a fragile ornament into a symbol of style, precision, and innovation. Did you know the very first wristwatch was made for a queen in 1810, yet it took a brutal world war to make wristwatches a staple for men? Stick around as we unravel 10 pivotal milestones that shaped the wristwatch’s evolution—and reveal why, even in the age of smartphones, we still cherish these mechanical marvels.

From the ingenious Cartier Santos designed for a pioneering aviator to the Quartz Crisis that nearly toppled the Swiss watch industry, this article is packed with stories, expert insights, and must-know facts for every watch enthusiast and curious reader alike. Whether you’re a collector, a casual wearer, or just love a good story about human ingenuity, you’re in for a treat!

Key Takeaways

  • The wristwatch began as a royal luxury in the early 19th century, designed for women before becoming a practical tool for men during World War I.
  • Military needs accelerated wristwatch adoption, turning it into an essential instrument for soldiers and aviators.
  • The Quartz Revolution of the 1970s disrupted traditional watchmaking, but also democratized timekeeping worldwide.
  • Mechanical watches experienced a renaissance, emphasizing craftsmanship and heritage over mere functionality.
  • Today’s wristwatches blend tradition with technology, from luxury mechanical masterpieces to cutting-edge smartwatches.

Ready to explore the world of timepieces? Check out our curated selections of Luxury Watch Brands and Affordable Watches to find your perfect companion on this timeless journey!

Table of Contents

Here is the main body of the article, “What is the history of the wristwatch?”.

⚡️ Quick Tips and Facts

Right out of the gate, let’s get you armed with some killer facts to drop at your next dinner party. The story of the wristwatch is a wild ride, and these tidbits are just the highlights!

  • Not for the Fellas! 🧐 The very first known wristwatch wasn’t a rugged tool for a gentleman; it was an elegant piece of jewelry commissioned in 1810 for the Queen of Naples.
  • Thank the Soldiers: It was World War I that truly put the wristwatch on the map for men. Fumbling for a pocket watch in a trench was a great way to get yourself in trouble, making the practicality of a wrist-worn timepiece a life-or-death matter.
  • What’s in a Name? The word “watch” likely comes from the Old English term “woecce,” which meant “watchman.” These guards used early timepieces to time their shifts, literally “watching” the hours.
  • The Great Upheaval: The “Quartz Crisis” of the 1970s and 80s, sparked by hyper-accurate and affordable battery-powered watches from Japan, nearly sent the traditional Swiss mechanical watch industry into a death spiral.
  • A Rough Start: Let’s be honest, the first portable clocks were terrible at their one job! Often losing several hours a day, they were more about showing off your wealth than actually knowing the time.

🕰️ Tracing Time: The Genesis of Personal Timekeeping

Ever glanced at your wrist and wondered how that intricate marvel of engineering actually got there? It’s a tale far older and more dramatic than you might think, involving queens, soldiers, and a technological revolution that shook the world of time itself. This is more than just a history of watches; it’s the story of how humanity put time on a leash. For a deeper dive, check out our comprehensive guide on the history of watches.

⏳ From Sundials to Gears: The Dawn of Mechanical Time

Before we could wear time, we had to capture it. For millennia, civilizations relied on the sun’s shadow with sundials or the steady drip of water clocks. But the real game-changer was the mechanical clock, which began ticking in Europe around the 13th century. One of the first was a massive device at Salisbury Cathedral in 1275, which had no dial and simply struck a bell to mark the hour.

The first portable timepieces, essentially miniature clocks, appeared in 15th-century Germany. A locksmith named Peter Henlein is often credited with creating the first “clock-watches” around 1505. These were bulky, drum-shaped brass boxes worn as pendants—more like ostentatious “clock-necklaces” than the sleek watches we know today. Accuracy? Forget about it. Losing a few hours a day was the norm. They were beautiful, ornate novelties for the aristocracy, not practical tools.

🇨🇭 The Alpine Ascent: How Switzerland Became the Cradle of Horology

So, how did Switzerland become the undisputed king of watchmaking? 👑 You can thank religious reform. In the mid-16th century, the Protestant reformer John Calvin banned the wearing of jewelry in Geneva. This was a disaster for the city’s skilled jewelers, who had to pivot to survive. Their solution? They started making watches—one of the few “functional” items that were still acceptable to wear.

This historical quirk turned Switzerland into a horological powerhouse. As waistcoats became fashionable in the 17th century, thanks to England’s Charles II, the pocket watch found its natural home. These early pieces were delicate, often protected only by hinged metal covers until glass became more common in the 1600s. For the next 200 years, the pocket watch reigned supreme as the gentleman’s timekeeper.

Why the Wrist? The Pivotal Shift from Pocket to Wrist

For centuries, the pocket was the undisputed home for a man’s timepiece. It was secure, it was traditional, and it was, well, manly. So, what on earth convinced men to start strapping these delicate machines to their wrists?

For a long time, the idea was laughable. A watch on the wrist was seen as a feminine accessory, a fragile piece of jewelry. And to be fair, the first wrist-worn watches were exactly that. But as the 19th century churned on, a few forward-thinking individuals started to see the potential. Aviators, soldiers, and sportsmen were finding that pulling a watch from a pocket was clumsy and impractical. The seeds of a revolution were being sown, long before it became mainstream. Could a watch be both a tool and an accessory? The answer would change everything.

👑 The Royal Wrist: Unraveling the First Wristwatch Mystery

So, who officially gets the credit for inventing the wristwatch? The history is a bit murky, but the trail leads back to two of the most prestigious names in watchmaking, both creating bespoke pieces for aristocratic women.

  • The Queen’s Commission (1810): The first documented order for a wristwatch comes from none other than Abraham-Louis Breguet, one of history’s greatest watchmakers. In 1810, he was commissioned to create a timepiece for Caroline Murat, the Queen of Naples. Completed in 1812, it was an exceptionally thin, oval-shaped repeater watch set on a wristlet of hair and gold thread. This wasn’t a product line; it was a one-of-a-kind royal treasure. The legacy of this creation lives on in Breguet’s stunning Reine de Naples collection.
  • The Countess’s Creation (1868): Over half a century later, another legendary house, Patek Philippe, created an ornate bracelet watch for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary. This piece, featuring a diamond-set case and a baguette-shaped movement, further cemented the wristwatch’s status as an item of high-fashion jewelry for women.

The verdict? ✅ While Breguet holds the title for the first known wristwatch, both of these early examples were seen as novelties for noblewomen, not the start of a global trend. The wristwatch’s journey to the mainstream would require a much more powerful catalyst: war.

⚙️ Industrial Revolution Meets Battlefield: Mass Production & Wartime Horology

The move from a queen’s wrist to a soldier’s trench required two things: accessibility and necessity. The Industrial Revolution tackled the first. Pioneers in the United States, like the Waltham Watch Company, began using mass-production techniques with interchangeable parts in the mid-19th century. This dramatically lowered the cost of timepieces, moving them from the hands of the elite to the pockets of the working class.

But it was the battlefield that provided the ultimate push.

🎖️ Time on the Front Lines: The Wristwatch as a Soldier’s Companion

The idea of a military wristwatch wasn’t born in WWI, but it was certainly perfected there. As early as the 1880s, the German Imperial Navy was supplied with wrist-worn watches by Girard-Perregaux. During the Boer War (1899-1902), officers found that synchronizing attacks while fumbling for a pocket watch under fire was a recipe for disaster. The “campaign watch” started to appear, often a small pocket watch crudely strapped to the wrist.

The moment that truly signaled the changing tide came in 1904. The Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend, Louis Cartier, about the absurdity of taking his hands off the controls of his flying machine to check his pocket watch. Cartier’s solution was elegant and revolutionary: a flat watch with a distinctive square bezel, attached to a leather strap. The Cartier Santos was born, arguably the first pilot’s watch and the first purpose-built men’s wristwatch.

Then came World War I. In the brutal reality of trench warfare, precise timing for artillery barrages and troop movements was critical. The wristwatch wasn’t a luxury; it was an essential piece of kit. Soldiers began fitting their pocket watches into leather straps called “trench watches.” The British War Office started officially issuing wristwatches to combatants in 1917. The excellent video, “How WWI Changed Wristwatches Forever” embedded above (#featured-video), dives deep into this pivotal moment in horological history.

By the end of the war, the perception of the wristwatch had been transformed. It was no longer a “‘silly ass fad,'” as one London-based journalist had called it, but a symbol of bravery, modernity, and masculinity. The pocket watch’s reign was officially over.

✨ Beyond Utility: The Wristwatch as a Cultural Icon and Fashion Statement

When soldiers returned home with watches strapped to their wrists, they brought a new trend with them. The wristwatch became a symbol of the modern man—a veteran, a man of action. This cultural shift cemented the watch’s place in civilian life. Throughout the 20th century, its status as a style icon grew, making it a staple for any well-dressed man. Check out our curated collection of Men’s Watches to see how these styles evolved.

Hollywood played a massive role in this. Who can forget Sean Connery as James Bond checking his Rolex Submariner? Or Steve McQueen, the “King of Cool,” making the square-cased TAG Heuer Monaco a legend in the film Le Mans. The wristwatch was no longer just telling time; it was telling a story about the person wearing it.

🚀 The Quartz Quake and Beyond: Modern Innovations in Wristwatch Technology

For decades, the Swiss mechanical watch industry was an unshakeable titan. But in the 1970s, a technological earthquake erupted from Japan, and its name was quartz.

The Digital Dawn: From LED to Smartwatches

In 1969, a Japanese company named Seiko introduced the Astron, the world’s first quartz wristwatch. Instead of a complex web of springs and gears, it used a battery-powered quartz crystal oscillator. The result? A watch that was exponentially more accurate, more durable, and vastly cheaper to produce.

This triggered the “Quartz Crisis.” The Swiss industry, proud of its centuries-old mechanical tradition, was decimated. By 1970, only 600 of the 1,600 Swiss watchmaking companies remained. Even giants like Rolex were forced to develop their own quartz movements to compete. This crisis, however, made watches accessible to everyone, leading to a boom in Affordable Watches. The 70s also gave us the first digital LED watches from brands like Pulsar, and this digital lineage leads directly to the smartwatches we see today from companies like Apple and Samsung.

The Mechanical Renaissance: A Return to Craftsmanship

Just when it seemed the mechanical watch was destined for the museum, a funny thing happened: it made a comeback. In the late 1980s and 90s, the Swiss industry reinvented itself. Unable to compete on price, they leaned into what made them special: artistry, heritage, and craftsmanship.

They repositioned the mechanical watch not as a simple time-teller, but as a piece of luxury art. They highlighted the intricate, hand-finished movements, the history behind the brands, and the timeless appeal of a machine with a “heartbeat.” This renaissance sparked a new wave of appreciation for horology, strengthening the market for Luxury Watch Brands and proving that in a world of disposable tech, there is still a deep desire for things that are built to last.

Iconic Milestones: Watches That Changed the Game

The history of the wristwatch is punctuated by key innovations and iconic designs that pushed the boundaries of what was possible. Here are a few of the heavy hitters that left a permanent mark on time itself.

Watch / Innovation Brand / Inventor Year Significance
First Wristwatch Abraham-Louis Breguet 1810 The first known timepiece designed to be worn on the wrist, created for the Queen of Naples.
First Pilot’s Watch Cartier 1904 The Santos, designed for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, was the first purpose-built men’s wristwatch.
First Waterproof Case Rolex 1926 The Oyster case, with its patented screw-down crown and caseback, revolutionized watch durability.
First Automatic Movement John Harwood 1923 Invented the first successful self-winding “bumper” movement, paving the way for modern automatics.
The Reversible Case Jaeger-LeCoultre 1931 The Reverso was ingeniously designed for polo players to protect the watch glass by flipping the case over.
First Quartz Watch Seiko 1969 The Astron kicked off the Quartz Revolution, offering unparalleled accuracy at an affordable price.
First Digital LED Watch Pulsar (Hamilton) 1972 Brought the digital display to the wrist, changing how we read the time.

The Art of Complications: Beyond Simple Time-Telling

As you delve deeper into the watch world, you’ll inevitably hear the term “complication.” So what is it? In horology, a complication is any function on a watch that does more than tell the hours, minutes, and seconds. It’s where watchmaking transcends engineering and becomes true art. Understanding them is a key part of our Guide to Buying Watches.

Here are a few of the most famous complications:

  • Chronograph: Essentially a built-in stopwatch, controlled by pushers on the side of the case. It’s one of the most popular and practical complications.
  • Perpetual Calendar: A mechanical brain that knows the number of days in each month, including automatically accounting for leap years. Set it once, and it’s accurate for a century or more.
  • Tourbillon: A mesmerizing “whirlwind” (as it translates from French). This involves placing the escapement and balance wheel inside a rotating cage to counteract the effects of gravity on the watch’s accuracy. It’s a visual spectacle and a testament to a watchmaker’s skill.
  • Minute Repeater: Perhaps the most romantic complication, a minute repeater chimes the exact time—hours, quarter-hours, and minutes—at the slide of a lever. It’s a miniature music box on your wrist.

💎 From Tool to Treasure: The Enduring Allure of Today’s Wristwatch

In an age where your phone tells perfect, satellite-synced time, why on earth do we still strap these “obsolete” machines to our wrists? The answer is that the wristwatch is no longer just about telling time. It’s about everything else.

  • ✅ A Mark of Personal Style: A watch is one of the few accessories that allows for profound self-expression. Are you a minimalist with a Bauhaus-inspired Nomos, or a bold adventurer with a Panerai Luminor? Your watch says a lot about you.
  • ✅ An Appreciation of Craft: To wear a mechanical watch is to carry a piece of living history and art. It’s an appreciation for the hundreds of tiny, perfectly synchronized parts working in harmony on your wrist.
  • ✅ A Connection to History: A watch can be a tangible link to the past. It might be a vintage piece passed down through generations or a modern watch that pays homage to a historic design.
  • ✅ A Digital Detox: This might be the most modern reason of all. Glancing at your wrist is a simple, elegant way to check the time without falling into the black hole of emails, texts, and social media notifications on your phone.
  • ❌ Just for Telling Time: If that’s all you need, your phone is objectively better. But that’s missing the point entirely!

Collecting and Caring for Your Timepiece

Falling down the rabbit hole of watch collecting is one of life’s great joys. It’s a journey of discovery, history, and personal taste.

  • Starting Your Collection: Our advice is simple: buy what you love. Don’t worry about what’s popular or what might be a good “investment.” Do your research, try things on, and find a piece that speaks to you. Whether it’s a brand-new microbrand or a piece from our Vintage Watch Collections, the best collection is the one that makes you happy.
  • Care and Maintenance: A quality watch is built to last a lifetime, but it needs a little TLC.
    • Get it Serviced: A mechanical watch is like a car engine; it needs a service every 5-7 years to keep it clean, lubricated, and running accurately.
    • Avoid Magnets: Strong magnetic fields (from speakers, tablets, etc.) can wreak havoc on a mechanical movement’s accuracy.
    • Know Your Limits: Understand your watch’s water resistance. A 30m rating is for splashes only; you’ll need at least 100m for swimming.

The Future of Time: What’s Next for the Wristwatch?

The world of watches is currently on two fascinating, parallel tracks.

  1. The Smartwatch Evolution: Wearable tech will continue to get smarter, becoming more integrated into our lives as indispensable health and communication hubs. Expect more advanced sensors (like blood glucose monitoring) and seamless integration with our digital world.
  2. The Mechanical Renaissance 2.0: High-end watchmaking will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. We’re seeing incredible innovation in materials science (with brands like Richard Mille and Hublot using proprietary carbon composites and alloys) and micro-engineering, making mechanical watches more of a luxury art form than ever before.

The future isn’t about one path winning out over the other. It’s about coexistence. Many of us at Watch Brands™ wear an Apple Watch to the gym and a beautiful mechanical timepiece to the office. The wristwatch has survived wars, technological revolutions, and changing fashions. Its future, in all its diverse forms, is brighter than ever.

Conclusion

What a journey, right? From the clunky “clock-watches” of 16th-century Germany to the sleek, multifunctional marvels on our wrists today, the wristwatch has truly evolved alongside humanity’s own story. We saw how necessity—especially the brutal demands of war—transformed the wristwatch from a feminine novelty into an indispensable tool for men and women alike. Then came the technological upheavals of quartz and digital watches, shaking the industry to its core, only to be met with a renaissance of craftsmanship and artistry that keeps mechanical watches thriving today.

Remember that early question: why do we still wear wristwatches when our phones can tell time more accurately? The answer is clear now—watches are not just about telling time; they are about telling who you are. They are heirlooms, style statements, engineering masterpieces, and sometimes, even tiny pieces of history strapped to your wrist.

So, whether you’re drawn to the timeless elegance of a Breguet, the pioneering spirit of a Cartier Santos, or the cutting-edge tech of an Apple Watch, the wristwatch remains a fascinating blend of art, science, and culture. At Watch Brands™, we confidently recommend exploring this world with curiosity and passion. Your perfect timepiece is out there, waiting to tell your story.

👉 Shop Iconic and Influential Watches:

Recommended Books on Watch History and Collecting:

  • A Man and His Watch by Matt Hranek — Amazon
  • The Wristwatch Handbook by Ryan Schmidt — Amazon
  • Watchmaking by George Daniels — Amazon

FAQ

How has the design of wristwatches evolved over time?

Wristwatch design has evolved from bulky, ornamental jewelry pieces to highly functional instruments and fashion statements. Early wristwatches were delicate and primarily worn by women as decorative accessories. The introduction of military wristwatches during World War I brought ruggedness, legibility, and practicality to the forefront. Post-war, designs diversified into dress watches, tool watches (like dive and pilot watches), and eventually into digital and smartwatches. Today, designs range from minimalist Bauhaus styles to highly complicated mechanical masterpieces, reflecting both technological advances and changing cultural tastes.

What were some of the key milestones in the development of wristwatches?

  • 1810: Abraham-Louis Breguet creates the first known wristwatch for Queen Caroline Murat.
  • 1904: Cartier designs the Santos, the first pilot’s wristwatch.
  • 1917: British War Office issues wristwatches to soldiers in WWI, popularizing the form.
  • 1923: John Harwood invents the first successful automatic (self-winding) movement.
  • 1926: Rolex introduces the Oyster, the first waterproof watch case.
  • 1969: Seiko launches the Astron, the first quartz wristwatch, triggering the Quartz Crisis.
  • 1972: Pulsar releases the first digital LED watch.
  • 2014: Apple releases the Apple Watch, ushering in the smartwatch era.

Who invented the first wristwatch and when was it made?

The first documented wristwatch was made by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1810 for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples. This was a bespoke, ornamental piece rather than a mass-produced timekeeping device. Wristwatches as practical tools only gained traction much later, especially with military adoption in the early 20th century.

What role did World War I play in popularizing the use of wristwatches?

World War I was pivotal. Soldiers needed quick, hands-free access to synchronized time for coordinated attacks and artillery barrages. Pocket watches were impractical in combat, so wristwatches—initially adapted from pocket watches—became essential gear. Official military issuance and the harsh realities of trench warfare shifted public perception, making wristwatches acceptable and desirable for men in civilian life after the war.

How did the introduction of quartz watches impact the wristwatch industry?

Quartz watches, introduced commercially by Seiko in 1969, revolutionized timekeeping by offering unprecedented accuracy, durability, and affordability. This led to the “Quartz Crisis,” which severely disrupted the traditional Swiss mechanical watch industry, forcing many manufacturers out of business or to adapt. However, it also democratized watch ownership and eventually sparked a renaissance in mechanical watchmaking focused on craftsmanship and luxury.

What are some of the most iconic and influential wristwatch brands in history?

  • Breguet: Pioneer of the first wristwatch and many horological innovations.
  • Patek Philippe: Renowned for exquisite craftsmanship and complications.
  • Cartier: Creator of the first pilot’s wristwatch and a style icon.
  • Rolex: Innovator of waterproof cases and chronometer-certified movements.
  • Seiko: Leader in quartz technology and affordable precision.
  • Jaeger-LeCoultre: Inventor of the Reverso and many mechanical breakthroughs.

How have advances in technology changed the functionality and features of modern wristwatches?

Technological advances have expanded wristwatches from simple timekeepers to multifunctional devices. Mechanical innovations introduced complications like chronographs, calendars, and tourbillons. Quartz technology improved accuracy and affordability. Digital watches brought new displays and functions. Today’s smartwatches integrate health monitoring, GPS, communication, and app ecosystems, blending traditional watchmaking with cutting-edge computing.

Review Team
Review Team

The Popular Brands Review Team is a collective of seasoned professionals boasting an extensive and varied portfolio in the field of product evaluation. Composed of experts with specialties across a myriad of industries, the team’s collective experience spans across numerous decades, allowing them a unique depth and breadth of understanding when it comes to reviewing different brands and products.

Leaders in their respective fields, the team's expertise ranges from technology and electronics to fashion, luxury goods, outdoor and sports equipment, and even food and beverages. Their years of dedication and acute understanding of their sectors have given them an uncanny ability to discern the most subtle nuances of product design, functionality, and overall quality.

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