Wristwatches are a huge fashion symbol for millions of people. If you’re a collector or just love to show off a good watch, it’s important to know the history of luxury watches. The world of watches is unique and different as it’s changed so much over time. We’ve got five facts about luxury watches that may surprise you.
Expensive isn’t always best
The brand of the watch doesn’t mean it’s the best thing in the watch world. Many people think an expensive watch is one that will be perfectly accurate and never break. This isn’t always true. Many watches that aren’t expensive use what is called quartz movement. Most luxury brand watches use mechanical movement. Mechanical watches are usually more aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but this doesn’t mean they work as accurately as a quartz watch. Most people will pay for the craftsmanship of the more expensive watch. If you want a watch for telling time, it’s almost better to choose the less expensive watch.
Originally made for women
Nowadays men and women both rock wristwatches. They were actually originally made for women. In 1868, a Swiss designer made the first watch as a piece of jewelry for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary. At that time, men carried pocket watches. They didn’t have any interest in wearing watches as jewelry. Over time, men began to enjoy the convenience of wearing their watch on their wrist just like women.
NASA only approved one watch for outer space
The rules for outer space and any type of jewelry are very strict. NASA doesn’t just let you wear anything you feel in space. It only approved a single wristwatch for any astronaut to wear in space. It was called the Omega Moon Watch. This exact watch had to undergo many tests to be approved for space. It was used to note the re-entry time by the Apollo 13 astronauts. The Russians in space go by a little different rules. They have been known to wear watches called Strela watches. These watches can endure cosmic rays and numerous atmospheres.
Rolex goes deep
One perk of luxury watches is that they are water-resistant. Most luxury watches will be fine up to 100 to 300m. The Rolex Deep Sea watch is one watch that took things deeper. This luxury watch was taken 11,000 meters deep. Under immense pressure at the Mariana Trench, it was just fine. Rolex has the title of producing the first waterproof wristwatch. Back in 1926, the Rolex Oyster was a surprising hit when it didn’t stop working underwater. It was shown deep in fish bowls to get people’s attention as they browsed the store windows.
Rolex established in England
Most people think of Rolex as the king of the world of wristwatches. Though it is the king of Swiss watchmaking, it didn’t actually begin in Switzerland. It was registered in 1920 in Geneva. It was founded in London, England in 1905. This is because Hans Wilsdorf was living in London at the time to bring the premium Swiss movement to the area. His business partner left England because of racial repression. After the Great War, it was a tough place to live for him. They established Rolex in Switzerland and decided to stay there.
Luxury watches are something that brings the eye to the jewelry. They often make people feel powerful and unique. There are millions of different kinds of luxury watches out there. There are also many knock-offs, but you can always tell a high-quality watch by the craftsmanship. Next time you put on your luxury wrist watch, give a nod to its unique history.
