« John Harwood and the First Automatic Watch »
Automatic watches offer a whole range of advantages. They need no batteries, which makes this type of watch environmentally friendly, and you don't have to wind the mainspring yourself. That job is handled by a self-winding system that is set in motion simply by wearing the watch. The energy released by the wearer's arm movements drives a rotor, which winds the movement's spring on its own. The spring, in turn, passes the rotor's motion on to the winding mechanism, which on conventional watches has to be operated by hand via the crown. Even when an automatic watch isn't being worn, modern models have a power reserve of up to 45 hours, so the watch won't stop overnight. It's a remarkably convenient mechanism that these special watches offer. And it goes back to the ingenuity of one visionary man. His name was John Harwood.
How John Harwood Came Up with the Idea for the First Automatic Watch
For a long time, the watch market was dominated by pocket watches, usually attached to chains. Wristwatches didn't appear on the market until the early 20th century, and at first they were intended only for women. However, the pocket watches that had been standard until then proved unwieldy for military purposes, so another solution was needed, and wristwatches quickly caught on. Soon after their development, they made their way into civilian life as well. In 1922, though, the wristwatches of the day still had considerable shortcomings. Dirt and moisture in particular posed major problems, leading to inaccuracy and malfunctions. So on the Isle of Man, John Harwood set about realizing his vision of a watch that was as accurate and reliable as possible. His goal was to develop a winding mechanism located inside the watch that would make opening the case unnecessary.
Inspired by the simple motion of a seesaw, John Harwood hit on the idea of powering the self-winding mechanism with kinetic energy. It is natural laws of physics that drive automatic watches.
Automatic Watches Go into Series Production
In 1924, John Harwood was granted the patent for his revolutionary invention in Bern. It was in partnership with the Fortis company that he was able to put his novel creation into series production. The first series-produced automatic watches were presented to the general public at the Basel Fair in 1926. The HARWOOD Automatic laid the foundation for a success story that continues to this day. The creation's defining visual features were the knurled bezel, which was also used to set the hands, and the silvered metal dial combined with luminous Arabic numerals and blued hands coated with luminous paint. Later came another model, the Autorist, which wound itself via a mechanism triggered by the strap. This feature, combined with its stylish rectangular design, became a genuine international bestseller.
For a long time, the international watch market was shaped by automatic watches – no wonder, given the immense advantages these innovations brought with them. After all, the watches only stopped if they went unworn for an extended period, and the effort of winding the timepieces yourself was eliminated. This special winding function also had a noticeable effect on the accuracy of the timepieces of the day. It took a while, but in the end the new technology caught on in Germany too.
When Rolex Brought Automatic Watches to Market
After its initial successes, the introduction of the automatic mechanism suffered a temporary setback when the great New York stock market crash of 1929 struck, triggering the Great Depression. Ultimately, though, not even this could stop the automatic watch from continuing its triumphant march. Over time, its technology was adopted by renowned watch brands. Rolex in particular played a pioneering role here. Then as now, Rolex was regarded as a manufacture of luxury timepieces of the very highest class. The legendary brand developed its model with the Perpetual winding system, which built on the technology created by John Harwood. To this day, the corresponding models carry the word “Perpetual” in their names. When Rolex launched its Oyster Perpetual, it marked the starting signal for further series that made these special watches available on a large scale.
Like so many technical innovations, automatic watches were very expensive at first and were available mainly to wealthy citizens. That changed over the years as more and more companies jumped on the new trend and produced these timepieces in a range of price categories. The revolutionary technology also reached Germany with some delay. The first automatic watches made in Germany date from the early 1950s and were produced by well-known brands such as Junghans.
The Modern Automatic Watch
Demand for automatic watches declined somewhat for a while when the quartz watch saw the light of day. In competition with this latest innovation, automatic watches had to take a back seat for a time. When the great quartz crisis set in and lasted into the '80s, automatic models were afterward able to reestablish themselves and once again claim an important place in the global watch market. Since then, they have continued to evolve. A particularly modern version is the automatic quartz watch, in which the quartz movement is powered by the automatic mechanism and therefore needs no batteries. In the late '80s, Fortis also resumed production of the HARWOOD Automatic based on John Harwood's original design plans. Today, these self-winding models are an indispensable part of the diverse world of timepieces. Comfortable and effortless to wear, they are long-lasting and therefore loyal companions. Whether functional, simple watches or creations in the upscale luxury segment – there are different variants to suit every need. And we owe it all to the visionary imagination of John Harwood.
