A question on early manufacturing of clock and watch parts

[EE NYC]

I'm new to pocket watch appreciation and ownership, having recently purchased a 1923 Illinois Bunn Special pocket-watch (which I love). I've also seen the silent film that the Illinois Company made from the 1920s. In learning more about pocket watches I'm reminded that the history of watchmaking goes back centuries. In addition to being impressed by the ingenuity involved in building such a precise instrument I'm astonished that production of such small and precise parts was possible hundreds of years ago. I've tried to search for more information about early manufacturing and metalworking techniques to see how this was done but haven't found much.


Can anyone direct me with some search terms or other references that I could pursue? Thanks.

[doug sinclair]

Welcome,

There is a veritable banquet of the sort of information you seek, on line, as published in back issues of the NAWCC Bulletin magazine. These back issues are available on line, only to NAWCC members. Unfortunately. However, if you are a member, you can gain access through the NAWCC website.

[EE NYC]

Thank you Doug. I will look into that...

[Andy Dervan]

Hello EE NYC,

The need for repeatable manufacture of precision parts for guns and watches drove the machine tool industry and industrial revolution during 19th century in US and in literally a few years the US jumped from behind the world to a world leader that by beginning of 20th century the whole world came to US for precision manufacturing equipment.

Andy Dervan

[EE NYC]

Thanks Andy. Yes, it's amazing how quickly things progressed at that point. I think what I find most fascinating is the development of clocks and watchmaking (and specifically how their parts were made) prior to the industrial revolution. Perhaps I will start with a study of medieval technologies in general. I'm finding that much of what I take for granted as being "modern" actually has conceptual origins that date from much earlier in history.