Evolution of the Timepiece

Introduction

Time is a crucial aspect of our lives. It serves as a guideline that allows us to create and organize plans in our daily activities. Time allows us to create strategies, set goals, and execute plans in a more structured way—to reflect on the past, live in the present, and prepare for the future. Time is Life.

The concept of measuring time is one that originated thousands of years ago since the Mesopotamian Civilization. Historically, time has been measured with different systems.

Ancient devices like astrolabes and hourglasses were used to represent certain ways to look at time. Today, units of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years are used to keep track of the time. Now, all time everywhere is completely synchronized and accurate with different areas having different time zones. These devices used to record time are called timepieces—let’s take a closer look at a few of them.

Sundial

Sundial is the earliest timepiece that humans have created. It borrows the light radiating from the Sun and takes advantage of the shadows it creates. The idea of this timepiece dates back to 1500 BCE when the Babylonian Empire and Egyptian civilization used this piece to determine their religious ceremony. The Babylonians took advantage of the shadow created by the rays of light provided by the sun in order to perform space and astronomy experiments. They had noticed a repeating phenomenon that occurred throughout the weather and calculated the measurement of time by some mathematical figure which helped predict the time of benefits and disaster.

Similarly, the Egyptians needed the concept of time to determine their ritual ceremonies and seasonal products of crops. They had calculated the time needed for crops to produce fertility which allowed them to record the right season for the right crop to produce. However, the Egyptians made it more advanced by using it to create schedules and work time regulations.

Clock

The first model clock was invented by Christian Huygens in 1656 in the Hague, the Netherlands. For centuries, the sundial was the best method for timekeeping before scientist Galileo Galilei suggested the idea of measuring time using the period of a pendulum. He used a pendulum with small swings to ensure isochronous movement—the pendulum continues to swing due to gravitational force and the conversion of energies. From the 18th to 19th century, these clocks are put everywhere for people to check their time. Clocks were put in workplaces, homes, and railroad stations where checking the time is crucial.

Clocks helped with conducting work shifts, creating schedules, and managing public transportation. Overall, clocks have helped develop the concept of scheduling and time in daily life, enabled a quicker pace of living needed for the Industrial Revolution to work, expanded our knowledge about physics and gravitational force through the discovery of time zones, and proved that altitude and latitude can affect the gravitational force.

Watches

The very first wristwatch was made in 1810 for the Queen of Naples, one of the most esteemed clients of Breguet (a prominent watch company). The invention of watches was driven by the need for a more convenient and portable way to tell time. As technology advanced and manufacturing processes improved, watches became more accessible to the general population. One of the earliest examples of the watch is the "Seiko Data-2000," introduced in 1984. It had a built-in keyboard for data entry and could store information. Another notable milestone is the release of the Pebble Smartwatch in 2013—it featured an e-paper display, smartphone connectivity, and the ability to run apps. As technology progresses, humanity can expect smartwatches to become even more integral to our daily lives, offering a broader range of features and capabilities.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that time is valuable. A timepiece creates an impact on our daily lives since it allows us to materialize a plan to manipulate and maximize the product of our mortal life. Without the idea of timekeeping technology, there may not be a way to create order in our society today.

Work Cited:

• http://www.space-awareness.org/en/activities/6048/build-a-babylonian-sundial/#:~:text=This%20allowed%20them%20to%20perform,day%20into%20twenty%2Dfour%20hours

• https://www.britannica.com/technology/sundial

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundial

• https://www.babylonianhours.com/#:~:text=T

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2020/08/25/the-first-clock-in-america-failed-and-it-helped-revolutionize-physics/?sh=2a8bd8af7d62

• https://www.britannica.com/question/How-are-pendulum-clocks-powered

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendulum_clock#:~:text=Throughout%20the%2018th%20and%2019th,necessary%20for%20the%20Industrial%20Revolution

• https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=3506

• https://museum.seiko.co.jp/en/knowledge/MechanicalTimepieces03/#:~:text=Invention%20of%20the%20isochronous%20pendulum%20clock&text=Galileo%20conceived%20of%20an%20isochronous,inventing%20the%20first%20pendulum%20clock