Swiss Timepieces

Posted on Aug 17, 2009 02:13:28 PM

When it comes to timekeeping, no other culture has perfected this art better than the Swiss. The Swiss watch and clock industry first appeared in Geneva in the middle of the 16th century. By the end of the century, Genevan watches were already recognized for their high quality. In 1601 the Watchmakers guild of Geneva was established, the first to be established anywhere.

Mass production of watches began at the turn of the 20th century. This had a big impact on the watch industry. The increase of the productivity, the interchangeability of parts and the standardization progressively led the Swiss watch industry to its world supremacy. It started with the introduction of the modern wristwatch after World War I, which soon became very popular, and itÂ’s traditional round shape was generally adopted by 1960. Self-winding watches were produced in Grenchen in 1926, as the first electrical watches came to fruition in 1952. 1967 saw the introduction of the very first quartz wristwatch. Major technical developments followed: LED and LCD displays, quartz wristwatch without a battery, etc.