Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-09-13

The WatCA-Its Invention and
History.

watches, we propose to add little infor-
nation on the subject of their manufacture
which, We think, will interest our readers.
In the earlier stages of their history
watches were commenced aod finished BY
the man, who took upon himpelf the max.
ing Of each piece of the watch, from the
oase to the smulest screw or pin, by which
System each watch is said to have taken
about year to complete aud cost scme-
thing like Sl,500; but in the course of time
the manufacture became more system,zed,
and regular factories were established. The
watch business is said to have been started
10 Switzerland by the Protestants who were
driven out of France into that couutry and
notably by Charles Cusiu, of Au,un, in
Burgundy, from which beginning it hus
spread until is said that as many as 40 ,OO0
men aud women out of the 100000 souls
that form tho population of the cantous
Neatohatel and Geneva, and of the French
speaking part of the canton of Bcrne, are
engaged in the industry, and turn out about
4O watches each on the average per year,
making in all about 100000 watches
annually. of which, previously and up to
1877, an average of over 5000 were ex-
ported to this country. Since thut tine
however, the Importation hus gradually de-
creased, until it is estimutcd lhut only 75,-
0O0 were imported last year. A part of
this decrease is no doubt owing to tho de-
preston of business, but more is due to the
! increased demand for the home nude article
the manufacture of which is constantly in
creasing.
Although tho Swiss make the lsrgest
uumber of watches, it is said that tho Eu-
glish were tho successful manufacturers
and watches of their nuke huve first GLASS
reputation, but the numbers made by them
are comparatively small. Many watches
bearing English names are made in Switzer.
land, and others have most Of their paris
made there on account of the cheupucss of
labor. SO disastrous has been the competi
ton of the Swiss to the English workmcp
that it is stated in their trade journal that
three fourths of their tools ure now in pawn
The French arc also large manufacturers
of witches, making some 100000 per year.
the most of which are for homo consumption.
although some of them are exported. Most
OF the French watches are nude Besancon.
where the manufacture was started by
colony Of Swiss from Ncutohatel. Many
watches supposed to be French are reully
Swiss
The successful manufacture of watches IN
this county is comparatively of recent datc,
although sporadic attempts were mado as
far back us 1872. but all failed; aud it was
not until tho Boston Watch Company, with
capital of 100000, was started by
Mcssra. Deunisoo & Howard in 1850, that
anything like success was attained These
gentlemen erected factory in Roxbury,
which site being found unsuitable on ac
count of the dust, their operations we're
transferred to Wultham 10 1864, but after
overcoming many difficulties the company
failed 10 1906 The tuctory, machines, &c
were bought by Mr. Robbins, who in 1857
started the American Watch Company with
capital Of 100000, which was increased
to $4,000 shortly after. As their trade
increased their capital and acilities we're
increased, until they now WELD capital of
81 100000. have 500 omployees-half of
either sex-apd produce about 400
movements and zoo cases per day of ten
hours.
Previous to the organization of tho Ameri
can Watch Company all watches were made
by hand with the ordinary watohmaker's
lathes, wheel cutters, So; but this CON-
pany introduced the system of making eyerv
part by machinery, especially constructed
Tor the purpose, which imparts to every
piece an accuracy far beyond that sttaiuable
by the most skilIful hand labor, nothing
being left to the eye or hand of the artisan.
After the manufacture each pieoc is sepa
rate'y and repeatedly gauged by Instruments
some of which can measure the seventeenth
thousandth part of an inch. Every piece
is thus capable Of replacing the correspon-
ding part of any other similar watch without
fitting, or it may be replaced by another
similar piece direct from tho workman's
hand with tho surety that it will fit and
work correctly; and perfect watch may bo
formed by simply taking up tho proper
pieces at hap-hazard from tho stock and
assembling" them together. To make
complete. watct' on this principle, it is said
that ovcr thousand proccssos arc required,
and that the oacabe wheel alone requires 81
operations to form its teeth AS an instance
OF the extreme accuracy of the machinery
employed, We may state that the cutters
used in making tho wheels are all shaped
ny separate machines, which muat make tho
cutters Of the prop.r shape required for the
wheel they ure intended to operate upon
TO simplify the watch as much as possi
bio the American Watch Company resolved
to abolish tho use Of the ohau and fusoo,
thus Decreasing the number of piecce in q
watch about $40, 80 that their wstohcs have
only about 100 pieces instead of 800, as
have most of the English watches. Az tho
chain and fusee, since the introduction of
hair spring and improved csoapemeut. have
been of little or no real use, heing retained
simply by tho conservative habits of watch.
makers, this change was not ouly no dotri.