The first watches were invented in the early 16th century, probably in Germany
These were called clock watches. Clockmakers back then were usually also locksmiths
Clock watches were worn around the neck like a pendant. About 100 years later, in the 17th century, clock watches became small enough to fit in a pocket
and were renamed pocket watches by King Charles II of England. Pocket watches were owned almost exclusively by the wealthy until about 1850 when improved
production techniques made them much less expensive. The origin of wristwatches is murky
but they were probably invented in Geneva, Switzerland in 1868. Wristwatches did not become popular until World War I, with soldiers moving their pocket watches
to their wrist with trance watches. When the soldiers returned to their homes around the world
wristwatches became popular globally. In 2020, the global watch market was valued at over $61 billion