Watches
Since the beginning of mankind, humans have been fascinated by observing and trying to measure the passing of time.
Why Watches?
Why do people buy and wear fine watches when their cell phone tells the time? The cynics have predicted for decades that the advent of the cheap plastic digital watch will spell the end of the fine watch industry. Nothing has proven to be further from the truth. Fine watch sales are booming! There are about 350 Swiss watch brands in production, with prices ranging from $600 to multi-millions, so there are plenty to choose from.
Discerning individuals add one or more watches to their collection for many reasons, some of which are listed here.
- convenience – it stays on the wrist when phone isn’t around,
- status – it’s an accessory that shows people your good taste and that you appreciate (and can afford) fine things,
- value – one of the few things you can buy that holds a lot of its resale value and may even become collectible,
- immortality – something that can be handed down that heirs will treasure,
- appreciation for the wonders of mechanical ingenuity – many fine watches are still made largely by hand by the few highly skilled watchmakers that are still alive – it’s a dying art. (Young people don’t want to put in the time to learn how to make these fine machines.)
A Brief History of Watches
Sundials were the first known instruments created to track the passage of time, and the only way to tell time before the inventory of the clock. Clocks took over from sundials but were not very portable for use on the go.
The first portable timepiece, a “wrist watch” that was not very accurate or useful, was invented by Peter Henlein in Germany. Pocket watches became affordable for the general public during the 1800s. Breguet claims credit for the first wristwatch ever made in 1810. At that time, wristwatches were mainly made as jewelry for affluent women, and men continued to sport pocket watches. Then the Waltham Watch Company mass-produced wristwatches for the Union Forces in the Civil War. Later during World War I, field wristwatches were manufactured for soldiers so that they could tell time on the battlefield. When John Harwood invented the first self-winding watch in 1923, wristwatches became an even more convenient luxury for daily wear. And Rolex invented Oyster wristwatches that were water and dust resistant with a screw-down crown, making watches much more resilient and durable.
Inventions and innovations continued to boom in the watch industry, giving us dive watches, pilot watches, racing watches, battery-operated watches, digital watches, and smartwatches.
New and Pre-Owned
Here at Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers, you will find an outstanding collection of some of the finest Swiss and German watches made. You can choose between new watches and expertly re-conditioned pre-owned watches in metals ranging from stainless steel or gold to platinum, even titanium and ceramic. Date or no-date, bracelet or strap, quartz or automatic, diamonds or none, chronograph or complications, there are plenty of options, and our expert salespeople will help you select the best watch for your collection. We’ve been the watch experts in San Diego for over 42 years and we stand behind every watch we sell.
