The Harwood wristwatch is a rare and wonderful creation, many are compared with the older Rolex watches that even today are so elegant in their design. Created by John Harwood, who set up shop in the Isle of Man in 1922, these watches have a design feature way ahead of their time.
Most Harwood wristwatches have a feature that will escape many at first glance - but closer examination will reveal, or not reveal as the case may be, a missing watch winding stem. Harwood considered that watches were prone to the ingress of dust, which they certainly were due to inadequately sealed cases. He therefore began work on a conversion of a standard Swiss wound mechanism, removing the stem wind and adding an automatic winding device. Turning the bezel allowed the hands to be set.
As Harwood progressed with his invention and his watches became smaller and more refined, he set out to find a financial backer to expand production. Unfortunately most companies did not see any real benefit in the design feature and production was delayed until he approached the Fortis watch making company. Walter Vogt showed a real interest and so it was that the Harwood wristwatch began production in 1926.
As with many watch manufacturers of the time, a worldwide depression caused sever economic hardship and Harwood was certainly affected but kept on designing and manufacturing new models. Surviving the period was another indication of the company's tenacity.
The Harwood wristwatch is still made today by the Harwood watch co, based in Switzerland and distributed through a large retail supplier base. If you are looking for a watch that is different then you can't get much more different than this. Great for collectors of fine watches.
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