Today's watches come with so much technology that they bear little resemblance to the ones that were worn by our ancestors. They not only tell the time of local regions, but can also reflect the time in regions all over the world. Unlike the original watches, they not only tell the hour and the minute but can pinpoint the time down to the second. They reflect the date and often come with built in alarm clocks so that you never have to worry about waking up late or forgetting an important appointment. There are even watches that have technology that light up the components for easy viewing despite varying light levels or that can withstand water pressure so that they can be worn while deep sea diving. Because these types of watches rule today's society, little thought is given about the original ones that were worn by the previous generations.

Before analog watches were the quartz watches and before them was the mechanical watch. These watches use springs that need to be wound by the wearer. Many of the older generation probably remember receiving this type of watch as the first one that they ever wore. If they forgot to wind the watch on a regular basis, the accuracy of the watch would slow down as it lost power until it finally stopped. There are new watches on the market that no longer require the wearer to remember to wind it. A mere shake of the wrist will do the job and since people move their wrists around on a regular basis throughout the day, this will usually take care of the job for them.

When you look at the face of a mechanical watch, all you see are the numbers on the face and the hands that revolve around them. This gives the watch a look of simplicity, but behind that small face is a virtual time factory. A lot goes into keeping the watch running such as a myriad of screws and wheels and even jewels. This intricate system is belied by the steel and face that encases it but an examination of the inner workings will dissolve that illusion.

Rubies are a highly coveted gemstone that many wish to own. What might be surprising is that if you own a mechanical watch you are already the owner of rubies. Its rubies that keep the watch running on a smooth basis. Before you take your watch a part to seek these gemstones and hopefully turn them into a necklace or bracelet, you should know that they are not the type that are worthy of such adornments. Today's watch makers no longer use actual rubies but use man made synthetic ones instead.