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A Taste for Pocket Watches

As opposed to wristwatches, pocket watches are meant to be placed on coat or trousers pockets. They are often attached by a chain to a belt loop, a lapel, or a waistcoat. As opposed to the digital displays in most of our modern watches, pocket watches favors the traditional analog display.

Pocket watches are often secured by chains which are usually decorated. These chains are often referred to as fobs. Most pocket watches have hinged covers that you only open when checking the time. This is to protect the watch face and the workings of the pocket watch. They commonly have fasteners that goes through a buttonhole to attach them well. Reminds us of train conductors, doesnt it?

Pocket watches have been around for ages. The earliest known quartz movement pocket watch that weve found reference to was in 1462. It was on a letter written by an Italian clock maker named Bartholomew Manfredi for the Marchese di Manta offering the latter a pocket clock. In the letter, Manfredi assured the Marchese of a pocket clock that was so much better than the one owned by the Duke of Modena.

Spring-driven pocket clocks became known in Italy during the end of the 1400s. The first pocket watch that really fit the pocket was invented in 1510 by a locksmith named Peter Heinlein of Nuremberg. After that, the manufacture of pocket watches spread rapidly throughout Europe.

There are now two common varieties of pocket watches. There is the open-faced that can be of the wind-up variety called a mechanical pocket watches. The latter is the covered version, with a hinged cover protecting its crystal and face. Since the pocket watchs separate second dial is normally located at six oclock, the pendant (also known as the stem of the open face pocket watch) is at twelve oclock. The hunter stem then is at three oclock. To read the open face pocket watches then, the watch is turned ninety degrees so that the stem points to the right.

Whether it is open-faced or covered, todays pocket watches are equipped with the quartz movement feature.

In spite of the popularity of the wristwatches, many still prefer pocket watches for that air of elegance unmatched by the wristwatch. Pocket watches can be customized with designs and engravings on the watch cover or trinkets on pocket watch chains. These can also be made perfect gifts by customizing them with designs you have in mind.

There are a lot of options when it comes to todays pocket watches, from the standard to chronographs, ladies pendants, and Swiss Army Pocket watches. Any of them can make a great keepsake.