10 Surprising Facts About Watches
Whether or not you are a watch lover, you have to admit that watches have long played an interesting role in fashion and timekeeping. Whether you use an old-school pocket watch, a fancy new smart watch or none at all, you can appreciate the ease that watches have created where keeping track of the time is concerned. The ten following fun facts about Rolex, Cartier and other famous watches should open your eyes to their importance throughout human history.
1. The Casio G-Shock Watch Was First Dropped From a Window
To prove their shock resistance, Casio had to go to great lengths while testing their G-Shock watch models. They did so by dropping watch prototypes from a 4th story window to the ground.
2. Watches Are Usually Set to 10:10 in Advertisements
Have you ever noticed that most advertisements show watches set to 10:10? Some marketing experts have claimed that consumers are more likely to buy a watch when they see it set at this time, as it resembles an appealing smiley face.
3. A Watch Was Once Purchased for $17.8 Million
In 2017, a Rolex Daytona watch that originally belonged to actor Paul Newman was purchased for $17.8 million. This transaction was the most expensive watch purchase in history. A Daytona typically sells for $30,000, a still impressive amount.
4. Watches Are Always Important in Wartime
During World War I, soldiers all wore watches on their wrists for the first time in history. The timepieces allowed them to effectively coordinate their timed attacks.
5. Pocket Watches Ruled Timepiece Fashion During the 1900s
Pocket watches were very popular even 100 years ago. Today, the style is mostly dead among everyone except a few collectors, but men could be seen sporting them left and right in the 1900s.
6. Rolex Made a Deep Sea Special Watch
The Deep Sea Special watch was taken to the bottom of the Mariana Trench – nearly 11,000 meters below the surface. It performed perfectly, even when compared to other luxury watches that typically resist water at an impressive 100 to 300 meters.
7. Wristwatches Were Designed for Use by Women
While watches are enjoyed by all kinds of people today, wristwatches were originally designed to be a feminine fashion piece. Since women did not usually carry pocket watches as men did, wrist styles were designed to finally allow them to keep track of the time. Eventually, the look and convenience caught on with men, as well.
8. With Watches, Expensive Doesn’t Always Mean Better
You may think a Rolex or Cartier watch is what you need in order to have a high-quality timepiece, but that isn’t necessarily true. Cheaper watches are made of quartz, which actually tells time more accurately. However, if style and durability is what you are after, a luxury mechanical watch is the way to go.
9. Sundials Were the First Timepieces
The ancient Egyptians carved large obelisks out of stone to keep time. The stone’s shadow would move with the sun, allowing the Egyptians to estimate the current time at different intervals of sunlight.
10. Watches Have Traveled to Space
Did you know that Russians were the first people to make it into space? The first individuals to make it wore Strela watches. Trying to keep up, United States astronauts wore Omega Speedmasters when they finally made the first human trip to the moon.
Now that you know about the fascinating history of watches, you stand to have a better appreciation for these wearable devices than you did before. You can also impress your friends when you tell them amazing little-known facts about those Rolex and Cartier timepieces on their wrists!