The invention of the quartz clock in 1929 marked a time when "time is money," and quartz clocks gradually replaced mechanical clocks, becoming the most widely used timekeeping tool. The world's first quartz clocks were invented in 1929. From their appearance to their widespread use in ordinary households today, only 70 years have passed.
The advent of clocks has changed the rhythm of people's lives.
For centuries, we have used simple tools to keep track of time. For example, based on the movement of the sun's shadow, a sundial was created; using a uniformly flowing drop of water, a water clock was invented; and using burning incense, people divided time intervals into "one stick of incense," "two sticks of incense," etc. However, these time concepts were not precise.
From the 14th century onwards, mechanical clocks powered by their own weight and gears began to appear in Italian clock towers. However, their timekeeping was not as impressive as their appearance suggested, with a deviation of about 15 minutes per day. In 1583, an accidental discovery by Italian scientist Galileo Galilei ushered in the era of standardized timekeeping. One day, Galileo casually observed the pendulum swings in a church hall. He discovered that the pendulum's oscillation period was highly regular, almost independent of its amplitude; regardless of the amplitude, the frequency remained constant. Based on this principle, over 70 years later, Dutch astronomer Huygens created the first pendulum clock. His clock was so precise that scientists used it for physics experiments; shops relied on it to open and close on time; and workers' wages were calculated hourly. Its impact on human life went far beyond this; the concept of time began to permeate everyone's lives, and punctuality became a virtue.
Afterwards, pendulum clocks and mechanical clocks appeared in large numbers and continued to improve, but in terms of precise timekeeping, they were destined to be replaced by quartz clocks and atomic clocks.
As early as 1880, Frenchmen Pierre Curie and Paul Jacques Curie discovered the piezoelectric properties of quartz crystals, making them an excellent material for manufacturing the "heart" of clocks. When subjected to pressure, a tiny current or voltage passing through the surface of a quartz crystal amplifies and maintains this amplitude, oscillating at a very high frequency. Quartz oscillators can oscillate more than 30,000 times per second, unaffected by external temperature, humidity, and vibration, greatly improving the accuracy of timekeeping.
In 1929, scientists combined an oscillating timer made of quartz crystal with an electronic clock to create the quartz clock.
The advent of the quartz clock caused a sensation at the time. Tests showed that a high-precision quartz clock had an error of only 3-5 seconds per year.
In 1942, the renowned Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, also began using quartz clocks as timekeeping instruments. In many situations, it is also frequently used as a fundamental standard for frequency, for daily measurement and testing.
Around 1970, quartz watches entered the market and quickly became popular worldwide. Today, they are ubiquitous, gradually phasing out mechanical watches. According to a 1994 survey by the Japan Watch Industry Association, global watch production reached 1.075 billion units, of which 988 million were quartz watches powered by button batteries.
With scientific advancements and the emergence of sophisticated electronic components, quartz watches have become increasingly compact and elegant, serving as both practical and decorative items. Sometimes, they are as thin as a five-cent coin, fitting into buttons, pens, hearing aids, eyeglass frames, and hair accessories; other times, depending on individual needs, they function as multifunctional watches, displaying calendars, measuring body temperature, and storing phone numbers. Quartz watches are virtually everywhere, providing convenience and adding new color to people's lives.
