From the sundials of ancient Egypt to the smart watches of today, people have been keeping time for thousands of years. Personal timepieces date back to the 17th century, when engineers translated the mechanisms of larger spring clocks into smaller parts and encased them in a much smaller frame.
By the early 1900s, wrist watches were fashionable mainly among women, and people often referred to them as bracelet watches. The pocket watch—carried almost exclusively by men—wasn't unheard of, but most people who sported personal timepieces wore pendant watches.
During World War I, soldiers began to wear watches on their wrists for practical reasons, and men's wrist watches quickly took the place of pocket watches as a stylish addition to a formal or business ensemble. Jewelers and watchmakers everywhere designed timepieces in an array of styles and a wide selection of watch bands to suit the tastes of anyone who chose to adorn themselves with an elegant timekeeping device.
