The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-03-16
Watches and Personal Magnetism.

'Olr, you SnOulu wear an Open-Iaceu
watch if you desire to be accurate in
your time" said matchmaker on Chest
nut street to the stout man; ''you are
too magnetic.
"Why, what the deuce has the case got
to do with itp" was the interrogative
replyp"
Everything Your watch has q
hunting case, necessitating steel springs
for opening and shutting. BY constant
association with your body those springs
become magnetized, and they commu-
nicate their condition to other neces-
sarily steel portions of the watch-works,
and thus render their movement imper-
fect''
''Then if were not fat, my watch
would not lose two minutes more or
less, day." said the puzzled stout
man.
Exactly" returned the matchmaker.
81 have worn your watch for over a
week, and it has neither gained nor lost
q dozen seconds; but then am, from
corporal point of view, your antithesis.
l am exceptionally thin and slender"
The stout man unused. According
ly," said he, ..'opened-faced tickers for
fat men, closed cases for thin, ehP''
''Not at all, replied the other. 'Thin
men have at times more magnetism in
their systems than fat men. Everybody
is more or less magnetic; you happen to
be quite the reverse; hence my remarks
and advice. For the rest, Open-faced
watches are always more accurate than
hunters. They are more air-tight for
one thing. AS for the steel springs in
hunting cases, mechanical science has
not yet discovered anything else to re-
place them; the public like double
cases, and there the matter remains for
the present. There are, however, many
ill-contrived portions in watches, and,
while the demand continues for watches
of certain price, it is impossible, from
q commercial point of view, to think of
improvements. Long-used methods and
ingenious engines have been specially
provided to fashion and cut out every
one of the minute parts which go to
compose the existing instrument. Every
watch consists of over 200 pieces, en-
ploying over 200 persons, distributed
among forty trades, to say nothing of
the tool-makers for the artisans. Ii the
construction of the watch were materi-
ally altered, all the trades would have
to be re-learned, new tools and wheel
cutting engines would have to be de-
vised, and the majority of working
watchmakers become useless. The con-
sequence would be that the watch would
become enormously enhanced in value,
and its possession token of wealth.
"You are interesting me-" remarked
the stout customer, as he placed his
watch in his pocket. "You have been
many years, / suppose in the business.
Of course, there must have been some
improvements in your timer"
"Of course. Watches during the past
ten years have grown much in thickness.
Old-fashioned watches are thin and flat.
l have watch in my charge as flat as a
trade dollar. 1t is impossible to prop
erly adjust the works for heat, cold and
position under such circumstances. /
should have to give you long explana-
ton of the packing of mechanism to ex-
plain to you why"
"Well, has the increased thickness
raised the valued"
mo. On the contrary, watches are
now worth rs per cent less than they
were twelve years ago. That fact, you
will say, bears against my previous re-
marks. am referring to the cheaper
grade of watches. There are watches
which bring $1,000, and watches which
can be purchased for $1S dozen. If
you are willing to pay for costly work,
almost anything can be accomplished.
81 made watch for q physician
which fitted into signet ring not much
larger than pea. 1t had only second
hands. 1t was perfectly accurate, and
was used by the doctor to time the pulse
of his patients. That cost $400. Watches
are made from the size of ten-cent
piece to half a dollar, and worn rs
trinkets by ladies. They are also fixed
in bracelets, brooches, tops and pencils,
Eyeglasses, and even umbrella handles;
but they are very luxurious toys"