The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-03
MATCHMAKING MANS SECRET
Few Women Become Expert Enough
tO EngHEe in the Work

tO EngnEe in the work
(From the Chicago Chroniele.)
Matchmaking is one Of the few indus
tries that women have not entered in COM
petition with men In Germany and
France. and to some extent in Switzerland
and England. women watchmakers will be
found, but not a dozen are in the United
states. OF the thousands OF operatives in
American watch factories. more than so
per cent are girls and women, but there is
. vast difference between operating a ma
chine that makes q part of a watch and
making all the parts out Of raw material
and adjusting them with the necessary
mechanical precision to ensure correct
timekeeping
Not more than ] per cent of the opera
tives in watch factory could be elassed
as w2tchmakers- Only those men who
give the finishing touches-called finiShers
must be familiar with all the branches
Of manufacture. They need to know little
or no;hing about the machinery. but they
must know all about the finished product
OF evc.y one OF the multitude OF depart
ments The hnishers are men who could
work II the bench Of any jeweler and re-
pair any kind of watch.
In some Of the countries Of Europe there
are few women watchmakers, out women
apprentices are never taken unless they
belong 20 the family Of the proprietor Of
the shop Even then they must work six
years without wages before they are al
lowed TO call themselves Journeymen and
be rustt TO repair fine watch.
The balance wheel goes tn. ough eighty
five operations in its transition from raw
material 10 finished product. Cog, piuions,
springs, wheels, screws, pins, and other
parts go - make the works OF a va ch
Not one OF the operatives k1oWs anything
at all about the construction Of any part OF
the watch other than the one he Is q, M
ployed upon. but the fni,heT must know al
about all the several parts 30 that he may
detect flaws, as Well as adjust the sev5Ia
parts and turn out a perfect timekeeper.
The matchmaker OF a haf C ntuTy ago Is
merely recollection. although in Europe
thermometers and other cost Y va cle ar
still made by hand, but they are no be ter
, timekeepers than the high grades OF the
! American factories. In this country
/ 'watchHlaker' Is a misnomer- He 5 a
! watch cleaner and repairer, but he must be
able 10 make any renewals that ma b.
needed and also 20 bush" 2 - nai a d
set Jewel bearing. He must also know
how TO work in gold and silver 80 as 10 re
( pair jeweIry, though that has become a
/ separate branch Of the Matchmaker trade.
The timo was when the watchTake-
stood at the highest point OF meclani- al
glory through his knowledge Of maLle-
y
/ weight and friction Of every wheel and cog
I and bearing. but tie inventive genius or
man has r. dUced him 20 a mere repairer OF
! factory watches. The factory has also r.
} 4ucec the cost Of watches frCm 10 10 80 per
cent
3 Man drSt began 10 mark the hours Of toe
I day By the sUL1isI- K was a fiat su-fac
( with lines drawn 10 mark the hours bef- re
and after meridian by the shadows OF a
. perpendicular wire or other metal TIE
/ dial plates Of watches aud clio Ks are he
old dial mocernlzed. Tie hands 90 b
work q the Old perpendicular wire.
But the dial would Tot ma. the time al
{ night or when the sun was obzcured by
( clouds. so the genius o. the alCieuts il
I vented the hour-glass. This uec-ss-ic- Ell
/ he employment o. watchers 10 turn n
[ glass and keep tab or tbs hours. or hall
I hours, according 10 the glass. so tha- the
time might be measured from q given hour
{ recorded by the sUudial-
/ The first substantial approach 10 q me
Z chauiCal timekeCp5r Was invented by Cali
leo. The basic principle OF his discovery
I has never been improved upon His inv,n-
f. ton was an immense clock and its wl,e S
/ were kept in motion b. q wheel which was
/ turned by a small duue. Soon afterwar6
( heavy weights were substituted fer water
power. and then came the coli spri z
/ which is still the motive power OF ws-che
: and most clocks No invention ever mo ed
3 faster toward perfe- tion in mechanical k i
3 and cheapless Of product than did ca leo s
/ water wheel clock.
/ When the art and science. for il Is DO h
/ reached the point OF peTie-tion where a
! chronometer could be made colleges we e
| established in EUrope and later in Americ7
! 10 teach the business. There are few ST. !
| in operation in this country. but they ase
I colleges little better than IL name