Peter Henlein, a German locksmith from Nuremberg, is considered the inventor of the first watch in the early 16th century. He created small portable timepieces driven by springs that allowed the time to be told for around 40 hours. These early watches were irregular but became status symbols. Later watches improved in accuracy with innovations like the fusee and became necessary for navigation. Now people increasingly rely on electronic devices rather than watches to tell time.

2. Paragraph 1
IN THE EARLY YEARS of the 16th century , a German
locksmith from Nuremberg named Peter Henlein (or Hele)
invented a portable timekeeping device, which is considered the
first watch.

3. Figure 1 : Peter Henlein

4. Paragraph 2
Very little is known of Henlein , who died sometime in 1542.Like
many locksmiths, Henlein dabbled in other fields and he took
care of the local clocks of churches and the town hall.
Apparently, in 1504, after being involved in a violent scuffle that
ended a man’s life , Henlein fled to a Franciscan monastery
for protection. He stayed for several years and it is believed he
invented a portable timepiece while there

5. Paragraph 3
Various sources give different dates for the invention, all within
the early years of the 16th century. However, a work from 1511
,called the Cosmographia PomponiiMelae states the following
; “Everyday now they invent more subtlethings: Peter Hele
(Henlein) of youthful age, executes works that raise the
admiration of mathematicians,viz., he makes watches from iron
with many wheels, that, however they are worn, in the
stomacher or in the purse will show and strike the hour during
forty hours.”

6. Paragraph 4
Henlein used a spring to drive the portable timepieces. The
use of a spring allowed the timepiece to be smaller than
traditional clock sand thus portable. As the tightly wound spring
relaxed, it drove the timekeeping mechanism. However ,
because the force exerted by the spring decreased as it
uncoiled , the timekeeping was irregular.

7. Paragraph 5
Prior to this, timepieces were stationary. Mechanical clocks
were weight-driven and difficult, if not impossible, to move;
sundials needed to be in the same place or the readings were
inaccurate . Water clocks were also difficult to move, notched
candles were expensive and inaccurate. The necks of
hourglasses became worn after repeated uses, allowing sand to
flow more quickly and distorting time telling.

8. Figure 2.1. : Water clock

9. Figure 2.2. : Water clock

10. Paragraph 6
Despite the drawbacks of the early portable watches, they were
considered status symbols. These timepieces, later nicknamed
“Nuremberg Eggs” due to their shape, measured about four to
five inches in diameter and about three inches in depth and
could be carried about in the hand.

11. Figure 3 : Nuremberg egg

12. Paragraph 7
These early time keeping devices were made of iron or steel,
but later watches were made of brass and steel and these time
pieces chimed the hour . They also lacked a minute hand,
which was not invented until the late 17th century, and also did
not have a glass face, also introduced in the 17th century.

13. Paragraph 8
Watches became more popular as they became more reliable in
keeping time. The invention of the fusee in the mid-16th century
made spring-driven time devices more accurate. The fusee is a
cone shaped grooved pulley that compensates for the lessening
of the force of the spring, delivering constant pressure. Portable
timekeeping devices also became necessary in the age of
navigation, as they were needed for determining longitude at
sea.

14. Lastparagraph
It has recently been reported that the sale of watches has
decreased as people are now relying on their cellular phones
,Blackberries , iPods and computers to tell the time.

15. Reference :
www.history-magazine.com
Dohrn-van Rossum, Gerhard; Thomas Dunlap (1996). History of the Hour: Clocks
and Modern Temporal Orders. USA: Univ. of Chicago Press. p. 122
Your opinion :
Watch is part of life but it help to use each day is good.
especially, this bulider is creative and mathematics useful.