Historic wheels of watch manufacturing turning full circle

In 1842 Pierre Frederick Ingold a known European watchmaker and a pioneer of mechanized watch production (he was among the first to automate watch production as he developed machine tools for cutting plates, bridges and cutting wheels and also had patents for the Ingold fraise that was used to correct teeth profile of gear wheels) faced extreme hostility from traditional watchmakers in London when he decided to setup manufacturing facilities under the British Watch & Clock Company banner.

Although the company was British and the objective of Ingold to combat the rampaging American and Swiss watchmaking companies was indeed laudable the watchmakers petitioned Parliament to legislate and prevent Ingold from raising capital.

History has a habit of repeating

The wheel has turned full circle as the people of Britain have mandated Parliament to exit EU (European Union) and the watchmakers of United Kingdom are readying to combat Swiss dominance in the style of Glasshutte by increasing the profile of British watchmaking back to the Golden age of Horology that existed in Britain during the 18^th Century.

History repeats itself is not an idle truism; as the world’s oldest democracy Britain has proved several points

• the will of the people is supreme
• the performance of British resilience is again holding centre stage
• British manufacturing is again rearing to take the world head on

The British watchmakers Guild in a recent meeting had come to the same consensus. A notable outcome of British resilience is the interesting web resource on watches aptly titled Perpetual Time Reviews. British watchmaking history and reviewing it for the benefit of watch aficionados is the primary aim of this web portal. Accompanied by stories that describes the evolution of watchmaking in this country from blacksmiths to fine craftsmanship, taught and practiced in institutions such as BHI (British Horological Institute) the information is indeed a welcome addition. Several Perpetual Time reviews are in agreement about this development and look forward to the future as British watchmaking makes rapid strides.

Related Source: https://perpetualtimereviews.wordpress.com/2016/12/26/historic-wheels-of-watch-manufacturing-turning-full-circle/