December 14, 1656 - Frenchman Jacquin, a rosary-bead maker, first manufactured modern-day imitation pearls; coated  inside surface of a hollow glass bead with a mixture made of fish scales.

1764 - King Louis XV of France gave Bishop de Montmorency-Laval of Metz permission to found a glassworks in the village of Baccarat located in Lorraine in eastern France; November 15, 1816 - first crystal oven went into operation; 1823 - King Louis XVIII commissioned a set of stemware (first royal commission).

1755 - Jean-Marc Vacheron opened watch workshop in geneva, Switzerland; 1770 - created 'complication' watches; 1779 - first engine-turned dials ; 1812 - first production of six quarter-repeater watches (strike hours and quarters on request); 1819 - Jaques-Barthélemy, grandson of Jean-Marc Vacheron, and François Constantin created company name "Vacheron et Constantin"; 1880 - company adopted the Maltese cross as new logo; December 17, 1903 - Wright brothers wore watch housing a calibre by Vacheron Constantin; 1996 - acquired by The Richemont group, a luxury goods holding company (created in 1988 by spin-off of international assets owned by Rembrandt Group Limited of South Africa); oldest watch manufacturing company boasting uninterrupted operation since its founding.

1775 - Abraham Louis Breguet (A. L.) Breguet set up a business on the Quai de l'Horloge, Ile de la Cite, Paris, France; 1780 - first self-winding watches introduced.

October 6, 1783 - Benjamin Hanks patented the self-winding clock.

November 17, 1797 - Eli Terry (Henry Ford of clocks) of East Windsor, CT received first U. S. patent for "Time Keepers, and Watches"; an equation clock with two minute hands (one for mean or true time, other for apparent time as divided by the sun); introduced wooden geared clocks; developed ways to produce inexpensive household wooden clock works by machine.

February 8, 1802 - Simon Willard, of Grafton, MA received a patent for a "Time Piece"; eight-day wall clock, came to be known as "banjo clock"; small inexpensive clock that could be purchased by less affluent citizens of new democracy.

1807 - Seth Thomas joined Eli Terry, Silas Hoadley in business of making clocks at wholesale rate, named Terry, Thomas & Hoadley; 1810 - Thomas, Hoadley acquired Terry's interest; 1812 -Thomas sold his share of company, founded clock factory in Plymouth Hollow, CT; 1814 - acquired rights to manufacture popular shelf clock from Hoadley; built mill for rolling brass, making wire; 1853 - "Seth Thomas Clock Company officially incorporated; 1866 - Plymouth Hollow renamed Thomaston to honor clock maker; October 12, 1926 - registered "Seth Thomas" trademark first used 1813 (clocks); 1931 - became division of General Time Instrument Co.; 1949 - became division of General Time Corp.; 1970 - became division of Tally Industries; America's oldest clockmaker.

1814 - Edward J. Dent established E. J. Dent, constructed Standard Astronomical Clock for Admiralty; 1830 - formed partnership with John Roger Arnold, leading chronometer-makers in London, named Arnold & Dent; 1831- chronometer no. 633 taken aboard H.M.S. Beagle by Charles Darwin; 1836 - received patent for "Improvement in the Balance Springs of Chronometers, and in their adjustments"; 1840 - partnership ended, established Edward J. Dent; 1843 - appointed Chronometer Maker to Emperor of Russia; 1846 - received patent for "The Keyless", first watch that could be wound, set at crown, dispensed with use of key, became most widely reproduced, applied contribution to advancement of watch making; 1853 - renamed Frederick Dent; 1859 - delivered Great Clock of Houses of Parliament, "Big Ben", installed, put into service; 1863 - appointed Watch and Clock Makers to HRH Prince of Wales by Special Warrant; 1871 - manufactured Standard Clock at Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England ("Greenwich Mean Time"); 1876 - registered Dent trademark, triangle, in response to reports of inferior imitators, appeared on back of all watches, clocks from that time on; 1880 - His Majesty Emperor Mejii granted Royal Warrant; 1904 - Shah of Persia granted Royal Warrant; 2008 - launched first range of wrist watches for 40 years.

1830 - Louis Victor and Pierre-Joseph-Celentin Baume founded the "Baume Brothers" watchmaking firm in the village of les Bois in the Swiss Jura mountains; 1918 - William Baume and Paul Mercier formed a partnership; 1921 - awarded the Poincon de Geneve (Geneva Hallmark); 1964 - initiated new emblem, Greek Kletter PHI; 1971 - first tuning fok watch, the "Tronoconic"; 1999 - acquired by the Richemont Group.

September 10, 1832 - Joseph T. Bailey and Andrew B. Kitchen opened Bailey & Kitchen Co. in Philadelphia with $4,100 in the bank, $28 worth of jeweler tools; one of first firms in America to introduce silver of full British standard (925-1000 as opposed to lower American standard of 900); November 18, 1846 - Kitchen retired, Eli Wescott Bailey (brother) joined firm, along with partners Jeremiah Robbins and James Gallagher; name changed to Bailey & Co.; 1851 - Joseph Bailey II (son) joined; 1866 - Joseph Bailey II assumed control; March 1, 1878 - new partnership established with George W. Banks (J.E. Caldwell & Co.) and Samuel Biddle (Robbins, Biddle & Co.), as well as special partners Eli Bailey, Clayton French; name changed to . Bailey Banks & Biddle; March 1894 - incorporated, name changed to Bailey Banks & Biddle Co.; January 27, 1904 - die for the Great Seal of the United States, commissioned by United States government, first used (engraved on hardened steel); 1904 - commissioned by United States government to produce what would become known as the 'Congressional Medal of Honor'; February 22, 1932 - Herbert Hoover revived Purple Heart medal (established by George Washington in New York on August 7, 1782), commission awarded to BBB, produced 40,000 Purple Hearts; designed military's Silver Star by an Act of Congress; October 2, 1961 - acquired by Zale Corporation; 1986 - design for the Great Seal declared the official, final version; September 27, 2007 - agreed to be acquired for $200 million by Findlay Enterprises Inc. (70 retail locations in 24 states).

September 18, 1837 - Charles Lewis Tiffany, John B. Young established Tiffany & Young at 259 Broadway at Warren Street in New York City; sold stationery, soap, parasols, jewelry, novelties; prices of all goods marked "non-negotiable" - revolutionary pricing policy; first day's sales = $4.98; blue box introduced; 1845 - created "Blue Books," catalogs that allowed people all over country to order goods; 1847 - moved to larger building at 271 Broadway, on southwest corner of Chambers Street; 1853 - Tiffany bought out partners, renamed "Tiffany & Co" at 550 Broadway, between Prince and Spring Streets; 1870 - new building opened at 15 Union Square West (cast-iron facade, chosen for its supposed fire resistance); September 5, 1893 - registered "Tiffany" trademark first used in 1868 (jewelry and watches, bronzes, silver and plated ware, and ornamental articles in metal); 1905 - moved to building at 401 Fifth Avenue (at 37th and Fifth Avenue); 1940 - moved to building on Fifth Avenue at 57th Street.

1846 - Ulysse Nardin founded Ulysse Nardin Company in Paris; first watches exported to Central, South America through Paris go-between, Lucien Dubois (only customer for two years); February 20, 1876 - Paul-David Nardin (21) assumed control (at Ulysse death); December 20, 1890 - received Swiss patents (one for mechanism for chronometers which permits daily winding without reversing bowl); January 21, 1911 - received Swiss patent for perfected control mechanism for timing-wheel in chronographic timers (to eliminate uncontrolled leap of chronograph-wheel which could provoke errors difficult to detect); 1983 - acquired by Rolf W. Schnyde; awarded 18 international gold medals, 4,300 first prizes in chronometric excellence.

1849 - Louis-Francois Cartier takes over jewelry workshop of his teacher.

1852 - George and Samuel Shreve opened the doors of a small jewelry shop, The Shreve Jewelry Store, in San Francisco; launched into the design and manufacture of fine quality silver; 1894 - incorporated as Shreve & Co. (George Rodman, the son of George Shreve, as president); 1967 - acquired by Dayton-Hudson Corporation; 1993 - Schiffman Jewelers (Greensboro, NC) acquired Shreve & Co. from Henry Birks Jewelers.

1853 - Charles-Félicien Tissot, Charles-Emile Tissot (son) established TISSOT, watch making company; in Neuchâtel area of the Jura Mountains, in Le Locle, Switzerland; 1930 - merged with Omega, formed SSIH; 1985 - acquired by Swatch Group.

October 1, 1854 - Aaron Lufkin Dennison relocated watch company (founded 1850) to Waltham, MA; renamed Waltham Watch Company, pioneer in American System of Watch Manufacturing.

March 5, 1857 - (Aaron) Benedict & (Gordon W.) Burnham Manufacturing Company formed Waterbury Clock Company to provide affordable timekeeping for working Americans; 1922 - acquired R. H. Ingersoll & Brother, major mail order firm; 1932 - reorganized as Ingersoll-Waterbury Company; 1933 - began production of Mickey Mouse comic character wristwatch (sold 2.5 million in two years); 1942 - acquired by Norwegian investors; 1944 - became known as U.S. Time Company, October 16, 1945 - United States Time Corporation (Waterbury, CT) registered "Timex" trademark first used November 7, 1944 (clocks and watches); 1950 - world's first inexpensive yet utterly reliable mechanical watch movement, called the Timex, debuted; November 1969 - company renamed Timex Corporation.

1860 - Edouard Heuer, 24, founds TAG Heuer, watch-making workshop in St. Imier in the Swiss Jura mountains.

May 14, 1862 - Swiss watchmaker Adolphe Nicole patented the chronograph, able to give split-second timing of sports events.

1867 - Watchmaker/optician Henry Conrad Warner founded Warner Company Jewelers; first store in Gilroy, CA; 1993 - 5-th generation-run company acquired by Casey Stephenson.

1875 - Joseph Bulova (23), immigrant from Bohemia, opened small jewelry shop on Maiden Lane in New York Cit, 1911 - began selling clocks and fine watches; 1923 - name changed to Bulova Watch Company, Inc.; 1928 - introduced world's first clock radio; 1979 - acquired by Lowes Corp.; 1988 - name changed to Bulova Corporation; October 4, 2000 - "Bulova Day" in New York City to honor company's 125th anniversary.

October 24, 1876 - Seth E. Thomas, of New York, NY, received first U.S. patent  for a "Clock-Case"; metal case of one-day back-winding alarm clock; assigned to Seth Thomas Clock Company; 1787 - Levi Hutchins made the first alarm clock (for a preset time that could not be altered) in Concord, NH.

1881 - Achilles Ditesheim (19) hired six watch makers, opened shop in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland; named Movado ('always in motion' in Esperanto).

1884 - Sotirio Bulgari opened first jewelry store on via Sistina in Rome; 1905 - opened 10 via Condotti (flagship store); 1970s - first overseas store, in New York; 1984 - grandsons (Paulo, Nicola) became Chairman, Vice Chairman, respectively; 1990s - diversified into perfumes; 1997 - first silk collection; 1998 - leather goods, eyeglass collection launched; 2001 - Bulgari Hotels& Resorts created (joint venture with Marriott).

1884 - Leon Breitling opened workshop specializing in making chronographs and precision counters for scientific and industrial purposes in St. Imier, in the Jura mountains of Switzerland; 1914 - son Gaston took over; 1915 - created first wristwatch chronograph, subsequently provided pilots with first wrist instruments; 1923 - developed first ever independent chronograph pushpiece; 1932 -Gaston's sons took over control of company; 1936 - became official supplier to Royal Air Force; 1984 - Chronomat launched (return of chronograph); became best selling line in Breitling collection; 1985 - Breitling Aerospace is launched.

1893 - Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in culturing a semi-spherical pearl; first ever grown by man; 1899 - first Mikimoto Pearl store opened in Tokyo's Ginza district; 1913 - first overseas Mikimoto Pearl Store opened in London.

1896 - Estelle Arpels marries Alfred Van Cleef; 1906 - Alfred and Brother-in-law, Charles Arpels, found Van Cleef & Arpels, move into boutique at 22 Place Vendome (Paris); 1908 - Julien Arpels joins company; 1913 - Louis Arpels joins family business; 1939 - opens boutique in Rockefeller Center.

1904 - Paul Cattin and Georges Christian opened Oris watch factory at Hölstein, Switzerland.

1905 - Hans Wilsdorf established watch distribution company in London; 1908 - registered ROLEX as a brand name.

1907 - Sam Kwiat opened store on Canal Street in New York City, specialized in selling vintage diamonds; 1933 - David Kwiat (son) joined company; 1955 - put out jewelry catalog, one of first, to smaller markets around country; 1963 - moved operations uptown, became founding member of new diamond district that developing on New York's 47th Street; 1970s - grandsons joined company; expanded beyond private labeling, launched consumer line under Kwiat brand name; 2007 - fourth-generation of family management.

1932 - Harry Winston (36), son of a jeweler, founded Harry Winston, Inc. in New York; name synonymous with most famous gemstones and jewelry designs in the world (Hope Diamond, Jonker Diamond, Taylor-Burton Diamond); 1958 - presented the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution; April 2004 - Aber Diamond Corporation (Toronto, ON), diamond company focusing on mining and retail segments of diamond industry, acquired 51% interest in Harry Winston Inc. for $85 million, raised ownership to 53%; September 2006 - completed acquisition of minority shareholders' interests for $157 million, company valued at about $330 million.

1947 - Nathan George Horwitt designed watch for Movado - black dial, no brand name, no numbers, small circle at top; 1960 - selected by Museum of Modern Art (NY) for permanent collection, named "Museum Watch".

December 16, 1954 - Prof. H. Tracy Hall produced synthetic diamonds at General Electric Research Laboratories.

January 25, 1955 - Columbia University scientists developed an atomic clock accurate to within one second in 300 years.

January 3, 1957 - Hamilton Watch Company (Lancaster, PA) introduced world's first electric watch, never needed winding (more than ten years to develop); instant success; 1969 - production ended.

October 25, 1960 - Bulova placed the Accutron 214, world's first electronic wristwatch (potential accuracy of better than 2 seconds per day) on sale in New York City; 1953 - Max Hetzel, Swiss engineer, began development of tuning fork watch (prototype watches made in 1955), developed Accutron in New York with William Bennett; 1977 - replaced by quartz watches.

1983 - Nicolas G. Hayek, founder of Hayek Engineering AG (founded 1963) merged ASUAG (founded 1931) and SSIH (founded 1930), formed ASUAG-SSIH Holding Company; first sold Swatch, slim plastic watch with 51 parts, vs. usual 91 parts; 1985 - Hayek became majority shareholder; 1986 - name changed to SMH (Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industries Ltd.); 1998 - name changed to Swatch Group;  2000- sales topped 4 billion Swiss francs.

(Baccarat), Dany Sautot (1993). Baccarat, Une Histoire--. (Baccarat, FR: Editions Baccarat, 95 p.). Compagnie des cristalleries de Baccarat--History; Crystal glass--France--Baccarat--History.

--- (2003). Baccarat: Une Manufacture Francaise. (Paris, FR: Massin, 277 p.). Compagnie des cristalleries de Baccarat--History; Crystal glass--France--Baccarat--History.

(Birks Henry & Sons), Kenneth O. MacLeod (1979). The First Century: The Story of a Canadian Company: Henry Birks & Sons 1879-1979. (Montreal, QU: Henry Birks and Sons, 128 p.). Henry Birks and Sons -- History.

(Canada Clock Company), Jane Varkaris & James E. Connell (1986). The Canada and Hamilton Clock Companies. (Erin, ON: Boston Mills Press, 139 p.). Canada Clock Company -- History; Clock and watch makers -- Ontario; Clock and watch making -- Ontario -- History.

(Cartier), Gilberte Gautier (1983). Cartier, The Legend. (London, UK: Arlington Books, 253 p.). Cartier (Firm); Jewelers--France--Biography.

(Cartier), Hans Nadelhoffer (1984). Cartier: Jewelers Extraordinary. (New York, NY: H. N. Abrams, 292 p.). Cartier (Firm); Jewelers--France--Biography.

(Cartier), Franco Cologni and Ettore Mocchetti (1993). Made by Cartier: 150 Years of Tradition and Innovation. (New York, NY: Abbeville Press, 254 p.). Cartier (Firm); Jewelry--France--History--19th century; Jewelry--France--History--20th century.

(Cartier), Hans Nadelhoffer (2008). Cartier. (San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 352 p.). Former Jewelry Expert for Christie's Auction House in Geneva. Cartier (Firm); Jewelry--France--History--20th century; Jewelers--France--Biography. Rise of  house of Cartier from modest beginnings in Paris to predominance in world of high fashion.

(Chronometer), Dava Sobel (1995). Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time. (New York, NY: Walker, 184 p.). Harrison, John, 1693-1776; Longitude--Measurement--History; Chronometers--History; Clock and watch makers--Great Britain--Biography.

(E. Dent & Co. Ltd.), Vaudrey Mercer; with an introduction by Daniel Patrick Buckney (1977). The Life and Letters of Edward John Dent, Chronometer Maker, and Some of His Successors. (London, UK: Antiquarian Horological Society, 829 p.). Dent, Edward John, 1790-1853; Clock and watch makers--England--Biography.

(Forestville Manufacturing Company), Kenneth D. Roberts and Snowden Taylor (1988). Jonathan Clark Brown and the Forestville Manufacturing Company. (Fitzwilliam, NH: Ken Roberts Pub. Co., 120 p.). Brown, Jonathan Clark, 1807-1872; Forestville Manufacturing Company (Forestville, Conn.)--History; Clock and watch makers--Connecticut--Forestville--History.

(Gemological Institute of America), William George Shuster (2003). Legacy of Leadership: A History of the Gemological Institute of America. (Carlsbad, CA: Gemological Institute of America, 451 p.). Gemological Institute of America--History.

(Movado), Fritz von Osterhausen ; [translator, Derek Pratt] (1996). The Movado History. (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub., 234 p.). Movado Watch Corporation--History; Clock and watch making--Switzerland--History; Clocks and watches--Switzerland--History.

(Arthur Pequegnat Clock Company), Jane and Costas Varkaris (1982). The Pequegnat Story: The Family and the Clocks. (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt, 187 p.). Pe´quegnat family; Arthur Pequegnat Clock Company; Ontario--Genealogy.

(Premier Designs), Andrew J. Horner with Andrea Horner and Dave Wyrtzen (2000). By Chance or by Design?: The Story of Premier Designs and Founders, Andy and Joan Horner. (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 222 p.). Horner, Andy, 1924- ; Horner, Joan; Premier Designs; Jewelry trade--United States; Businesspeople--United States--Biography; New business enterprises--United States--Case studies.

(Ratner Group), Gerald Ratner (2007). Gerald Ratner: The Rise and Fall... and Rise Again. (London, UK: Capstone, 224 p.). Ratner. Gerald; Ratners; Jewelry trade--Great Britain. April 1991 - speech at the Institute of Directors, author said: "We also do cut-glass sherry decanters complete with six glasses on a silver-plated tray that your butler can serve you drinks on, all for £4.95. People say, "How can you sell this for such a low price?" I say, because it's total crap"; November 1992 - Ratner resigned.

(Tiffany), Joseph Purtell (1971). The Tiffany Touch. (New York, NY: Random House, 309 p.). Tiffany and Company.

(Tiffany), John Loring; introduction by Louis Auchincloss (1987). Tiffany's 150 Years. (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 191 p.). Tiffany and Company; Decoration and ornament--United States.

(Tiffany), Gene Moore and Jay Hyams (1990). My Time at Tiffany's. (New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 232 p.). Moore, Gene; Tiffany and Company; Show windows--New York (State)--New York--History--20th century; Advertising--Jewelry--New York (State)--New York--History--20th century; Commercial artists--United States--Biography.

(Tiffany), Clare Phillips (7/17/2006). Bejewelled by Tiffany, 1837-1987. (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 320 p.). Curator in the Department of Sculpture, Metalwork, Ceramics and Glass (Victoria and Albert Museum, London). Tiffany and Company; Jewelers----Biography. Author charts the entire history of Tiffany, from its founding in 1837 to the 1980s.

(Timex), Kathleen McDermott (1998). Timex: A Company and Its Community, 1854-1998, 248 p.). Timex Corporation--History; Clock and watch industry--United States--History.

(United States Watch Company), William Muir & Bernard Kraus (1985). Marion: A History of the United States Watch Company. (Columbia, PA: National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors, 216 p.). United States Watch Company (Marion, Jersey City, N.J.)--History.

(Van Cleef & Arpels), Sylvie Raulet (1987). Van Cleef & Arpels. (New York, NY: Rizzoli, 328 p.). Van Cleef & Arpels; Jewelers--France--Biography; Jewelry--France--History--20th century.

(Harry Winston), Laurence S. Krashes; Ronald Winston, editor (1993). Harry Winston: The Ultimate Jeweler. (New York, NY: H. Winston, 236 p. [4th rev. ed.]). Winston, Harry, 1896-1978; Jewelers--United States--Biography; Jewelry--United States--History--20th century.

Dario Gaggio (2007). In Gold We Trust: Social Capital and Economic Change in the Italian Jewelry Towns. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 352 p.). Assistant Professor of History (University of Michigan). Jewelry trade--Italy, Northern; Gold industry--Italy, Northern; Social capital (Sociology)--Italy, Northern; Valenza (Italy)--Economic conditions; Vicenza (Italy)--Economic conditions; Arezzo (Italy)--Economic conditions; Valenza (Italy)--Social conditions; Vicenza (Italy)--Social conditions; Arezzo (Italy)--Social conditions. Late 1960s -  three small Italian towns led world in production of gold jewelry (virtually no jewelry industry less than a century before, Italy had western Europe's most restrictive gold laws).   

Amy K. Glasmeier. (2000). Manufacturing Time: Global Competition in the Watch Industry, 1795-2000. (New York, NY: Guilford Press, 311 p.). Clock and watch industry--History.

David S. Landes (2000). Revolution in Time: Clocks and the Making of the Modern World. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 518 p. [rev. and enl. ed.]). Clocks and watches--History; Horology--History.

ed. A. Kenneth Snowman (2002). The Master Jewelers. (New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 262 p.). Jewelry--History--19th century; Jewelry--History--20th century. Leading jewelry experts bring the social, aesthetic and business aspects of the world of fine jewelry vividly to life.

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National Watch & Clock Museum Virtual Tour http://www.nawcc.org/museum/nwcm/MusMap.htm                      Click anyplace on the map to get a brief history and images of the exhibits, which include ancient timepieces, American and European clocks, novelty clocks, wristwatches, marine chronometers, and lots more.

Pearls                                    http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/pearls/                                         This exhibition covers the many types of freshwater and marine pearls, how pearls are obtained, and the history of pearls in society from ancient times to modern day. In the section on What are pearls? you will learn naturally occurring pearls appear in only one of 10,000 mollusks; what starts a pearl is much more likely a stray food particle than a grain of sand; and, since the early 20th century, most pearls are cultured. Subjects: Pearls.