In the early 1600’s pendant watches were established to be more of a fashion accessory than they were to be used as a timepiece.

The Pendant watches during this time period were made of gilt metals that could be engraved, or precious metals that could be adored from afar. The metals used in pendant watches were also painted and the recesses of the metal were enameled to provide further decorative value.

The Pendant watches were worn around the neck and typically displayed with a very decorative chain. Since the timepieces required winding twice a day, the pendant watches were designed to be beautiful at all viewing angles. The tops of pendant watches were designed to be twisted open, or a lid was put in place at the top of the pendant watches so that they could be raised to allow access to the timepiece inside the elegant casing.


Models Of Pendant Watches
Some pendant watches were designed with hinges, and other pendant watches had domed coverings on the front and the back. Ease of accessibility to the timepiece was a primary concern, but the decorative value that the timepiece could offer any lady was of primary importance. Some of the pendant watches were so exquisitely made that they were considered to be very delicate. These pendant watches were designed with a matching protective case to keep it from being marred or scratched.

The hands on the face of pendant watches were carefully shaped out of pieces of steel. The inside casing of pendant watches were engraved by German craftsmen and accented with stars or roses. The pendant watch continued to be a useful timepiece and a fashion accessory that was worn around the neck until 1675, when watch designers created watches that fit into the pockets of jackets worn by noblemen.


Splendid Remedies Of Pendant Watches
The inner movement mechanisms that were used in pendant watches changed dramatically due to the influence of English and European craftsmen. The Pendant watches were designed to be slimmer and were equipped with perpetual wheels. These wheels were constructed with two variations of teeth inside that were formed on a wheel. The English created the wheel that had pointed teeth, and the Europeans created a wheel that had clubfoot teeth.

The Pendant watches could be removed from the protective cases at any time. Since all watches were hand finished, the outside surface required special care. The movements inside pendant watches were not interchangeable and required a great deal of handling to keep them clean and operating properly. This presented certain problems in the care of Pendant watches, until the Swiss developed timepieces with interchangeable parts in 1840.