We don't often think about it but, of course, the wristwatch has not been around forever. Once upon a time, someone came up with this now popular and almost indispensable accessory for men and women. And they did. It was in 1810 to be precise, when Napoleon Bonaparte's sister, Caroline Murat, commissioned Swiss watchmaker Abraham- Louis Breguet to create a unique timepiece. Not a timepiece that could be worn in the pocket, as was done by many men at the time, but much smaller still. A watch that could be worn on the wrist was the brief. The product Breguet - still an important and revolutionary watch brand - came up with was a jewel, wrapped in gold and countless jewels. Rather an ornament than a functional timepiece. But officially, this watch made in 1810 was the very first wristwatch ever.
Yet it took almost another century for the wristwatch to become somewhat more commonplace. In World War I, pocket watches proved to be not very practical on the battlefield, and even though the first soldiers to wear wristwatches in this war were often mocked, they did prove indispensable. Swiss watchmakers like Cartier and Patek Philippe capitalised on this and designed watches specifically for men. In previous years, it was mostly women and aristocrats who wore wristwatches. Nowadays, the wristwatch has become an important accessory and fashion item with which you can show who you are and what you stand for.
