El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-02-12
MAKING OF WATCHES
AMERICAN INTRODUCED USE OF MACHINERY

+ A THOUGH probably the last coun-
- try to take up the manufacture
4 of watches, the United States
today is making them more cheaply
than any other nation. There are about
AZ establishments in this country that
make either watch cases or the move
ments. The capital involved in this
industry is over $4,000. 900. while the
number Of people employed is nearly
$4,000. These employees. about 80 per-
cent of whom are women, get annu-
ally about 100000 in wages.
II is estimated that the value Of the
yearly output Of these factories, in
Guiding custom work and repairing, is
nearly S21. 600, 600, while nearly $1,000
600 is spent annually for materials and
incidental expenses.
WaSchwOrd is Cleanliness.
The watchword of a watch factory is
cleanliness. In the production of the
nunberless tiny parts which go to
make up the whole. dust would mean
ruin The majority Of watch factories
are surrounded by lawns-in some in
stances parks. The building itself is
composed, in so far as possible, of
glass. the brick work being only
enough to support the panes This is
to afford all the light possible, and
In addition to this innumerable lights
ourn all day inside the building.
Making watch movement is not a
simple process There are an average
OF from $50 to 175 distinct parts to
every movement, while to make a COM
piete movement necessitates nearly
1000 distinct operations. In this pro-
cess many parts are needed which are
In themselves wonders. The smallest
screw used in a watch movement
weighs one-thirty- thousandth of a
pound and has thread of $50 to the
lnch- The wire Of the hair spring,
winch is a foot long. weighs but one
n1teen-thousandth Of pound and is
reputed to be, weight for weight, the |
most expensive product in the world
Jewels of Watch.
Jewels. first used as pivot bearings in
the 18th century, are another norton
OF the work which is very delicate. A
paHet jewel weighs but one one-hun- |
usandth of a pound. !
while roller jewels weigh even less |!
mere are three kinds OF Jewels used |
IN making watch, according TO it's /
CLASS The best are sapphires and |
ruoies, the second crystal. and the
third garnets
A large portion Of the work lies. not |
In making the watch movement. but
In making the various parts which are |
a1terward TO be put together In the
matter of screws alone there is much TO |
De done Time was when these were
made by hand, a days work being
from 500 TO 1900. With daily output |
Oh zoOV movements, each one Of which |
required from 80 to so screws. would |
mean that about 80 men would have to |
be RmnlnVp1
aione Today machine is used which |!
turns out daily from 1000 to 10000 OF |
these, and requires the attendance of |
but one person.
The Work of Machinery.
IL was an American who first pro- /
posed the use of machinery in the MAX
ing OF watches. This was Aaron T. /
Dennison. Of Boston. who in 1850 opened |
watch factory in partnership with |
Howard and Curtis, at Roxbury. Massa /
Up to that time watches were
all made by hand.
switzerland, which gained the renu |
tatlon of being the matchmaking conn
Try or the world, made all her time
pieces not only. by hand, but certain |
communities made one part. while 9th
ers constructed different pieces Cen
eldtlon AFTER generation. grew up as /
expert watch makers. being taught the !
arr when children All these communi I
ties making different parts were Wis
tied ever so often and their wares col
Iected Then still another community.
skilled in the art OF putting the parts
together, was needed to complete the /
work
Today this custom no longer prevails.
As machinery has been installed in all
large watch making centers. In addf-
lion TO this schools have been opened
% teach the making of watches by ma
The Proper Time.
No matter how reliable watch or
clock may be there is sure TO ne The
smallest fraction of a seconds differ