Raphael ThysFrom Clockworks to Computers on Our Wrists
How Apple beat Swiss watchmakers at their own game
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9 min read
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Sep 20, 2018
Image courtesy of the author.
W e Swiss take great pride in watchmaking. It’s no secret that some of the most recognizable watch brands in the world are made in Switzerland. While the notion of a product being “Swiss-made” may seem like it’s been around forever, it’s actually a relatively recent phenomenon.
The first watches that most closely resemble today’s wristwatches were conceived by Peter Henlein, a German locksmith who lived in Nuremberg during the 16th century. These so called “Taschenuhren” were early gadgets, status symbols that only the upper class and social elite could afford. For more than a century, the design of pocket watches remained relatively unchanged.
Then, a range of British innovations changed watchmaking as we know it.
The invention of the balance spring, the horizontal escapement, and the chronometer led Britain to become one of the most respected watchmaking countries in the world by the end of the 18th century. They were the most precise, best-crafted watches money could buy. However, they had one critical design flaw: these early watches were too thick to wear comfortably.
The challenges of early watchmaking closely mirror the challenges smartwatch producers face today.
As fashion and comfort demanded thinner watches, watchmakers all over Europe began to investigate new ways of building slimmer clockworks. The challenges of early watchmaking closely mirror the challenges smartwatch producers face today: how to make technology smaller and more powerful.
It was the craftsmanship and vision of a Swiss master watchmaker, Abraham-Louis Breguet, that inspired the modern wristwatch we know today — large, flat, sleek, and stylish. If the British had bet on accuracy, the Swiss would bet on style. It didn’t take long until Switzerland established itself as home to a range of high-quality watch producers, most notably Longines, IWC Schaffhausen, and Rolex with its first chronometer certified wristwatch.
From the early 20th century until 1960, the Swiss were unrivaled as the world’s top watchmakers. They began to imprint their watches with…