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Goldsmiths and other jewelers began crafting timepieces in Geneva as early as 1541 and by the end of the century these timepieces were valued for their high quality. With an increasing number of watchmakers in Geneva, many migrated to the Neuchatel Mountains. This northwestern region of Switzerland was referred to as "Watch Valley". Daniel Jean Richard, the founder of watch making in this region, produced the first watch without any training. Over three hundred years later, this area boasts the highest concentration of watchmaking companies in Switzerland.
The beginning of the 19th century spawned an increasing number of steamboats and railroads. Swiss timepieces were no longer reserved just for the wealthy due to the expanded need for timekeeping and scheduling. These requirements escalated the sale of pocket watches not only for the conductors and steamboat crews, but for their customers. As World War I was beginning, Maurice Eberle was granted a Swiss patent for innovative watch movements and continued to elevate overall watch construction.
Swiss watchmaking became a state-of-the-art industry that included the first wristwatch, the first water resistant wrist watch, the first quartz movement, the thinnest wristwatch, etc.
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| The following presentation does not presume to be an inclusive listing of all the finest qualities found in all Luxury/Prestigious timepieces. Rather, it is a representation of selected features that increase the value and desire to own one of these fine timepieces. The first characttistic is name recognition such as Rolex, Conino Lamborghini and Tag Hauer. These timepieces not only retain their value, but they are much sought after for their prestigious value. The feature that immediately comes to mind is "Swiss made". Many of the pioneer watchmakers were of Swiss descent who not only crafted timepieces of the highest quality and strived to improve their creations; they very often worked with family members and passed their skills and knowledge to their sons. Another sought after feature is a sapphire crystal or a sapphire top-coated crystal. Sapphires are very hard gems that can only be scratched (in the gem world) by a diamond. This feature rewards the owner with many years of scratch-free viewing of the time. Many Luxury watches feature 316L series stainless steel cases, bracelets and/or buckles. This is the highest grade of stainless steel used in watchmaking and produces a very high sheen.
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