GLADIATOR
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Owning a vintage watch is great, understanding its place in Horology is MAGNIFICENT!
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Since: Jan 22, 2013 17:30:47 GMT -6
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Post by GLADIATOR on Feb 28, 2013 8:32:15 GMT -6
I heard many times peoples comment that "They read the book, seen the movie, bought the T-shirt" But never in the context of Horology, now it seems that phrase becomes appropriate to my collecting.
In my quest to understand who made and wore first wristwatches and the beginning of the automatic my 'respect and appreciation' of one man became an obsession - that man being John Harwood the inventor of the automatic wrist watch.
From this beautiful 18kt 1929 example:
Or the model designed for French Market (Blancpain) with back plate hand setting:
Or this American Model
To the 'Holy Grail' an original box
And then an American box - Perpetual watch Company (Harwood) box with Instructions and Guarantee dated 1929
To the futuristic adverts - Like "One Cigarette and your watch is fully wound"
Or other adverts like these:
To these ULTRA rare original Harwood Share Certificate:
Or this heartwarming article written by the man himself:
Then original Instructions and Guarantee:
Well I thought I had it all. But No! I come across a new set of instructions not just 'how to wind the watch, not just with pictures of the bumper design. BUT with a fantastic write-up of the 'QUEST' by John Harwood on why and how he HAD to fulfill this mission of the 'perpetual - self winding watch'
And here it is. Please, Please read it all.
OUTSTANDING stuff.
Regards adam
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CHIP
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Post by CHIP on Feb 28, 2013 9:26:42 GMT -6
That's a VERY interesting read!
I'd like to know more about the "red dot" on the dial... that part is all new to me.
Just out of curiosity, what would one of those watches cost those days, assuming it has the original box?
A true piece of horological history.
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Post by timebndit on Feb 28, 2013 10:18:25 GMT -6
Surprisingly not very pricey considering what they are in history, seen them for 100 - 1000 Harwood did indeed produce the first automatic wrist watch, but the self winding mechanism was actually invented by Perrelet in the 1770, then Breguet improved the mechanism some and finally Harwood became successful with the bumper movement that was in the Harwood watches. Rolex eventually improved the movement by having the winding mechanism rotate a full 360 degrees. This increased the reliability and also increased the reserve as the Harwood only had a 12 hour reserve. Eterna finally improved the movement by adding ball bearings and that idea is still in use today. Not taking away from Harwood, he was indeed a very important aspect in the history of wristwatches, but what we have today is really a combination of efforts from many people.
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GLADIATOR
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Owning a vintage watch is great, understanding its place in Horology is MAGNIFICENT!
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Since: Jan 22, 2013 17:30:47 GMT -6
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Post by GLADIATOR on Feb 28, 2013 14:43:32 GMT -6
That's a VERY interesting read! I'd like to know more about the "red dot" on the dial... that part is all new to me. Just out of curiosity, what would one of those watches cost those days, assuming it has the original box? A true piece of horological history. Chip The 'red' dot is very significant - it shows watch is in in wearing (time-keeping mode) NOTE - there is NO crown on HARWOODS - you set the hands by turning that lovely bezel. When you turn it about 5 degrees that dot turns to silver to let you know you are in handsetting mode-->set the hands-->turn the bezel back about 5 degrees-->Presto back into wearing mode WONDERFUL
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GLADIATOR
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Owning a vintage watch is great, understanding its place in Horology is MAGNIFICENT!
Posts: 1,849
Since: Jan 22, 2013 17:30:47 GMT -6
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Post by GLADIATOR on Feb 28, 2013 14:54:52 GMT -6
Surprisingly not very pricey considering what they are in history, seen them for 100 - 1000 Harwood did indeed produce the first automatic wrist watch, but the self winding mechanism was actually invented by Perrelet in the 1770, then Breguet improved the mechanism some and finally Harwood became successful with the bumper movement that was in the Harwood watches. Rolex eventually improved the movement by having the winding mechanism rotate a full 360 degrees. This increased the reliability and also increased the reserve as the Harwood only had a 12 hour reserve. Eterna finally improved the movement by adding ball bearings and that idea is still in use today. Not taking away from Harwood, he was indeed a very important aspect in the history of wristwatches, but what we have today is really a combination of efforts from many people. Actually Perrelet was 1777. It was called Montre a Secousses (a watch by agitation) Breguet followed about 178x. It was one of the few inventions that Breguet never made first! That said these were 'pocket' watches. Harwood made 'THE FIRST' mass produced perpetual wristwatch. He applied for patent in 1923 and granted in 1924! Production started 1926 Some nine years PRIOR to Rolex (1933) There is NO doubt (and admitted by Rolex) that John Harwood is/was THE inventor of the automatic wristwatch. Sorry, but John Harwood deserves his recognition, he is NOT just "important" he IS the father of every automatic to-day!. @chip Average price $1200 maybe $700 for a poor version. He made 34,000 Pcs in same time Rolex made 9000 OYSTERS - Go Figure. Harwood went bust and Rolex ----> John Harwood IS THE inventor of the automatic wristwatch
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CHIP
WWF Founder
Ad Astra Per Aspera
Posts: 37,768
Name: Chip
Location: Dallas
Since: Oct 8, 2005 17:08:57 GMT -6
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Post by CHIP on Feb 28, 2013 14:58:55 GMT -6
What do you know... I did not even notice the lack of crown!! I had to go back through your post and do a double take. Thanks for the explanation Adam!
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GLADIATOR
WWF Veteran
Owning a vintage watch is great, understanding its place in Horology is MAGNIFICENT!
Posts: 1,849
Since: Jan 22, 2013 17:30:47 GMT -6
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Post by GLADIATOR on Feb 28, 2013 15:04:42 GMT -6
Pleasure Read the last instructions on the 1st post It explains Harwoods quest for a wristwatch that could be water/moist/dust/humidity resistant Please take a few minutes to read it, its fantastic history
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CHIP
WWF Founder
Ad Astra Per Aspera
Posts: 37,768
Name: Chip
Location: Dallas
Since: Oct 8, 2005 17:08:57 GMT -6
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Post by CHIP on Feb 28, 2013 15:08:49 GMT -6
About to read it right now.
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Post by timebndit on Feb 28, 2013 15:10:13 GMT -6
Surprisingly not very pricey considering what they are in history, seen them for 100 - 1000 Harwood did indeed produce the first automatic wrist watch, but the self winding mechanism was actually invented by Perrelet in the 1770, then Breguet improved the mechanism some and finally Harwood became successful with the bumper movement that was in the Harwood watches. Rolex eventually improved the movement by having the winding mechanism rotate a full 360 degrees. This increased the reliability and also increased the reserve as the Harwood only had a 12 hour reserve. Eterna finally improved the movement by adding ball bearings and that idea is still in use today. Not taking away from Harwood, he was indeed a very important aspect in the history of wristwatches, but what we have today is really a combination of efforts from many people. Actually Perrelet was 1777. It was called Montre a Secousses (a watch by agitation) Breguet followed about 178x. It was one of the few inventions that Breguet never made first! That said these were 'pocket' watches. Harwood made 'THE FIRST' mass produced perpetual wristwatch. He applied for patent in 1923 and granted in 1924! Production started 1926 Some nine years PRIOR to Rolex (1933) There is NO doubt (and admitted by Rolex) that John Harwood is/was THE inventor of the automatic wristwatch. Sorry, but John Harwood deserves his recognition, he is NOT just "important" he IS the father of every automatic to-day!. @chip Average price $1200 maybe $700 for a poor version. He made 34,000 Pcs in same time Rolex made 9000 OYSTERS - Go Figure. Harwood went bust and Rolex ----> John Harwood IS THE inventor of the automatic wristwatch A lot of folks disagree with you...... Yes he is credited and rightly so for the automatic wristwatch, he did not INVENT IT, he merely improved it to the point it could be marketed. Further research and improvements by other concerns improved it even more to what we have today.. .Harwood is an important and often neglected aspect of the history of the automatic movements.....BUT..... Saying he invented the automatic movement is like saying Henry Ford invented the car, simply not true.
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GLADIATOR
WWF Veteran
Owning a vintage watch is great, understanding its place in Horology is MAGNIFICENT!
Posts: 1,849
Since: Jan 22, 2013 17:30:47 GMT -6
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Post by GLADIATOR on Feb 28, 2013 15:10:40 GMT -6
Thank You Its what THIS thread is about
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Post by ob1 on Mar 3, 2013 18:08:02 GMT -6
Very interesting read Gladiator. Thanks for posting
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GLADIATOR
WWF Veteran
Owning a vintage watch is great, understanding its place in Horology is MAGNIFICENT!
Posts: 1,849
Since: Jan 22, 2013 17:30:47 GMT -6
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Post by GLADIATOR on Mar 4, 2013 15:02:27 GMT -6
Thanks ob1 Appreciated
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Post by aerome on Mar 4, 2013 19:50:45 GMT -6
Super stuff, absolutely super collection!
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CHIP
WWF Founder
Ad Astra Per Aspera
Posts: 37,768
Name: Chip
Location: Dallas
Since: Oct 8, 2005 17:08:57 GMT -6
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Post by CHIP on Mar 4, 2013 21:08:03 GMT -6
Yup... Outstanding. I've learned more from you in a few posts than I have in decades.
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GLADIATOR
WWF Veteran
Owning a vintage watch is great, understanding its place in Horology is MAGNIFICENT!
Posts: 1,849
Since: Jan 22, 2013 17:30:47 GMT -6
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Post by GLADIATOR on Mar 5, 2013 3:57:23 GMT -6
thanks, thats nice to hear.
best
adam
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