WATCHES--A HEARTBEAT

IN my experience, since the invention of the watches, the small machines, there is no dearth of lovers of this tiny as well as bigger MACHINE.....Now i do not know the present generation is aware of the balance moving the watch wheel...and with that beat our hearts...

This was the thing so fascinating that whenever its needles stopped moving or it has started giving incorrect timing, it was a craze to open it by self or to reach the mechanic....There were very few repairers of watches...they will fix the magnifying glass onto their eye and check the faults and till that time our hearts beat like anything....He was clever enough...During repairing, petrol was the most important liquid to put the parts in it...so he will pour small petrol into a small bowl and put the watches parts in it to get them cleaned....and we were waiting for further instructions from him...sometimes when he was overloaded, he wud tell us to come the next day...and here our heart stopped....the curiosity was so exciting, that we wanted the thing on our hand at the earliest possible...but now he won't listen and we wud see, when the next sun rises and his shop opens (some operated from home and one or two in the market)...this was the condition of towns with normal--few thousands--population.....Even in metros the shops were at distances.

Next day he will say that he will have to change the spring/balance or some other small part and this much will be the expenditure...We had to get the watch anyhow on our hands and therefore all agreed...He will do it and again say that he wants to keep the watch for time checking, otherwise we will later make rounds and disturb him for the watch not giving correct timing....lo...this was a next headache...and we get the promise to get the watch next day morning....he will slide a needle to plus or minus sign to try to get the correct time, if it was slow or fast...balancing the timing...After few days of wearing on our wrist, it will go slow or fast and then we will open it and slide the needle to plus or minus....or ultimately stepping in the shop again....That was a great and fascinating experience with everybody, moving with a glaring hand everywhere....THERE WERE WATCHES WITH JEWELS LIKE 17 JEWELS(may be used in place of screws for a long life), WATER RESISTANT and the back was tightened by threads.