Early humans, there are a variety of primitive timing methods, any one person, by rising or falling moon or other ways to determine the approximate time. But when time becomes a normative act, the timing is controlled by the right and imperial power, and even the individual's timing behavior is illegal. Divine right divine, and the time of the "secret" is to be granted and controlled by the king. China's ancient cities are the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, there are Qin court supervision within the court, and these are the "making" of the time related things and people.
Gauge, sundial, are early people's time measuring tools 
Clock Tower, is China's ancient city center to the city when the important place
Early mechanical clock in Europe is also produced, as early as the thirteenth century or so, the church for the assembly and well-known members of the public, the church built a stone or metal hammer driven by the clock, the clock has a mechanical power, rather than the past, You need to use the original method to determine the time, and then by people ring the bell and time notification (China's "change" as well). And the clock has a dial that displays instant time, so people in the city can read the clock at any time by the clock.
The earliest mechanical clock, made of stone hammer 
The ancient bell tower of Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy, has a history of more than 500 years 
The ancient belfry of Bern, Switzerland, has clocked the city since the 16th century
After the cumbersome early mechanical clock was produced, the emperors and dignitaries of Europe were not satisfied with every clock before going to the church, and they had to enter their own palace of bells so that the mechanical clocks gradually diminished. Arrived in the palace than outside the church bell, it is even more magnificent and demonstrate the authority and dignity, so all kinds of decorative arts and religious themes are beginning to show up above the bell, the most important and direct nature is the golden eagle and luxurious Jewelry inlaid. Next, with the watch technology and new inventions appear, the clock more and more miniaturized, originally stood on the ground clock became a relatively lightweight desk clock, the wall clock and portable handy carry bell. At this moment, the emperor and the wealthy people got a new idea of ​​carrying the timepiece with them and carrying it elegantly and magnificently. Thus, the earliest tables of the early 16th century were made and produced in Germany. After 500 years of watch is the history of common development and evolution.
The bell of tributes by the European ambassadors used in the court of the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century or the bells made by the Qing Watch and Clock Office 
The gorgeous and precious astronomical clock of the mid-17th century in Germany has a number of sophisticated timing features 
16th and 17th century clocks and tables 
The world's first portable "watch" was born in 1510 in Germany. Since then, the watch and bell history began writing simultaneously
However, until the end of the nineteenth century, the watch still only for the minority owned, because it is too expensive: a gorgeous clock or watch, you can often buy a house or in exchange for how many sheep, horses. Because the production cost is really high. Although after the early 19th century industrialized processing of clocks and watches, but the production of advanced watchmaking is often still slow pace, few people competent, each piece of work requires a long time and investment. A gorgeous complex pocket watch or bell, spent a few years or even ten years to produce is not uncommon. The maintenance cost is not affordable for the average person. For example, at the beginning of the 20th century, the cost of repairing an advanced watch might have been the average person's living expenses for one year-in fact, it is not too expensive. Therefore, the history of mechanical watches for nearly a thousand years, until nearly 100 years before entering the homes of ordinary people. And that's just a normal chronograph. Haute Horlogerie, its role and owner status so far no change. Only now less emperors, have replaced the "local tyrant" ......
China's Emperor Qianlong's 1783 birdcage bell from Jacquelo and perfume bottles owned by other period 
In the 18th and 19th centuries in China, those who could own clocks and watches must be non-rich or expensive royal palaces, or rich officials. The picture on the right depicts the story of "Dream of Red Mansions" 
The Forbidden City, a mechanical part of the existence of a mechanical even by Jacques Drew magical gentleman doll, can be driven by automatic machinery, using a brush to write "eight directions, nine earth to the king" eight characters, this is the European watch in 18th century to meet the preferences of the Chinese emperor made the top watch works 
Napoleon Bonaparte owned Breguet Travel Clock (purchased in 1798), with his expedition battlefield 
This number "NO.5" Breguet pocket watch is almost one of the most beautiful watches in history. Number 5 Pocket Watch is Abraham - Louis Breguet specifically for the production of Count San Mate, began in 1787 development, until 1794 March lasted seven years before it was made.
In 1783, a mysterious admirer ordered a "peerless" pocket watch from Breguet as a gift to Queen Marie Antoinette. The watch was completed 44 years (nearly half a century!) From the order until 1827, when the queen was 34 years old and Mr. Breguet had died for four years, and his offspring delivered the watch. This is really a work of time and love mixed with time.
In 1837, only 18-year-old girl Victoria boarded the throne of the British Empire, began her 64-year rule career. This Patek Philippe earliest pocket watch was held at the Great Exhibition in London on August 18, 1851, with Queen Victoria selected and retained for nearly 50 years.
Shanghai in the first half of the 20th century was the most developed and trendiest city in the Far East. Almost the most famous Swiss and European watch brands all came to China to explore the market. The upstart celebrities in the Republic of China were wearing fashion watches. This is the famous movie star Chen Yun wearing the watch photos, many years later, her beauty and today's big-name celebrity is not bad, or even more mellow taste. Perhaps her wrist is a piece of the most popular Longines brand "Kun table" (ladies watch)
This is a gift of friends and relatives sent by Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling 1927 wedding ceremony, is a square elegant mechanical clock 
The famous American banker Henry Graves customized to Patek Philippe one of the most complicated pocket watches of its time in 1925. The watch was completed in 1932 and was delivered in 1933. In 1999, the watch set a historical auction record of watches for $ 11 million; in 15 years later, in 2014, the legendary pocket watch set an auction record for today's watches at a price of nearly 150 million yuan.
If a Ferrari sedan two or three million, then next to a Vacheron Constantin three thin watch and its price comparable 
If a Bugatti super running price of more than 20 million, then a 175th anniversary of the Patek Philippe commemorative edition of the rare price of 5175 with it equally
Now China's beloved and wealthy people know that there is a Basel watch show in Switzerland, because in this watch show you can see the most full range of watch brands, see the most complete new watch of the year. Many tables, which you see only at the Baselworld Watch and Jewelery Show, may not be seen until the picture or sometime in the future. Because many unique or special custom, limited edition of the table, only in the Basel watch show on the show, from now on directly into the watch main pocket and collection of the.
Basel watch show is gorgeous, suits and ties, handsome beauty, such as the cloud, is the international watch industry's biggest event of the year. The world's most well-known media (you can hardly imagine there are more than 3,000 media people to report at the same time) will now gather in Basel to meet with about 150,000 visitors. All of the brand CEOs made their debut one by one, playing with chicken blood, welcoming guests, media and buyers from all over the world during the 8-day exhibition. A rare big names CEO, in front of the media is very accent and reserved, but if you are a big client, he will also reduce the value of all, for you to brew coffee to tell you a joke, they recommend a good table Give you. So, this is a gathering of super business businesses and also a super bustling private party. Some people may do nothing, they just want to meet all the rare friends and customers who meet in the coming days. Every day at the end of the show, Basel outside the main pavilion should become the city's most lively, most High, most passionate passionate rippling. Every night, the various restaurants and pubs in Basel will also sing all night and night until the show is over in Basel.
The past two years, because of economic reasons, the brand pragmatic work, do nothing aback. Brought are "can wear" exquisite watch - crazy year, eyeful are all kinds of bizarre, maverick characters. Others do not say, even the consistent independent brand MB & F not surprisingly, now the new watch is also quite satisfactory, "wearable" look.
The left is MB & F watch the usual strange shape, the right is it recently relatively "quite satisfactory" watch
In addition, this is a Swiss watchmaking period of decorative culture and art regression. A variety of watch cases that have been lost or stalled, or have never been used, have been fully excavated to decorate the watch. At the same time, the artistic and cultural elements of all countries also appear on the dial. In short, everything is for the beauty of the watch. So that all people can "love at first sight." Because of the cooling down of the crazy watch market in China, the brand owners will not only cater to the Chinese market but will also design and develop new models of cultural elements.
The rationalization of luxury watch prices is also the mainstream reaction from the Basel watch show and the Geneva watch show in 2015. Even though many people and the media are unaware of it, they are constantly erroneously shouting "up and down." Such as China has a huge potential of the watch market has matured consumer, in fact, the spring of the Swiss luxury watch sales really come. But they can no longer deal with the Chinese market and users with the same sense of responsibility and bias as before. Future Chinese users will be more critical and senior than European users.
A few days before writing this essay, I just returned from the annual Geneva Watches Spring Auction. In mid-May each of the most important clocks and watches in Geneva, Sotheby's, Christie's and Antigone were auctioned together. The most important collectors and buyers in the world were on-site or "online" (telephone, internet) Convergence, competition collected to Geneva's best antique clocks and second-hand watches. A Patek Philippe watch made in 1927, although the dial has been mottled, but it has been over the price of 30 million yuan; and you can not wear one, can only be stored at home old pocket watch, but the absolute beauty of your drunk Of the enamel surface in the 1820s exquisite "Chinese market table" to 1.5 million yuan price of the transaction. These "Chinese market table" which is the most top-grade products, are basically the objects in the Qing Dynasty palace or at least the royal family official possession of possession, and even the emperor's toys. The price of a special "China market table" is definitely not high.
A small 35mm, the late 1920s Patek Philippe chronograph steel, recently shot about 30 million yuan in Geneva astronomical 
An elaborate "Chinese watch" (a watch made especially for the Chinese market by Europe and Switzerland during the first half of the 19th century), which was hard to wear on the wrist and exhibited, captured more than 1.5 million yuan
There is no end to the possession of wealth. Beauty has very limited possession. Whether you like a watch worn on the wrist, or you are often happy to collect the old clock, old pocket watch, will make you more happy.
And, this happiness, as long as you are willing or looking forward to, can one day pass vividly to your next generation.
Time is still moving, love and life are so gorgeous.
Author: Bai Yingze
(Original text is published in "Basel Watch & Clock Special Issue 2015" by Hurun Report, with individual revisions and image matching)