The Self-Winding Watch : 18th - 21st Century

This book, by one of the world's foremost horological experts tells the story of one of the most important inventions in horological history - that of the self-winding watch. Originally developed because it allowed the elimination of the winding hole, and thus protected the watch's mechanism from dust and shocks, it later came to be appreciated for more practical reasons.

As with almost all inventions, even the most basic ones, it is nearly impossible to determine either the inventor or the precise date of invention.

Even the objectives and the means of attaining them cannot be defined with any degree of precision.

The self-winding watch can be defined as a timepiece that functions without requiring manual winding.

Since the beginning of its history, numerous watchmakers have invented countless devices to allow a watch mechanism to function without the owner's intervention.

Mankind has always been fascinated by the idea of 'perpetual motion'.