TWENTY-FOUR HOUR WATCHES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1586, 18 January 1884, Page 2

TWENTY-FOUR HOUR WATCHES.

(From the New York Tribune.) The now time standard adopted on November 18 is being followed by the introduction of twenty-four hour watch dials, The American watch company of Waltlmm has issued a notice that it is Manufacturing these dials in such shape as will permit of their being substituted for any ordinarily divided watch dials on their watches. At Edwin A. Thrall's, No. 1 Maiden Eane, one of the new dials may bo seen. The hours from 12 to 24 are placed closo to the outer circumference of the dial, the figures from 1 to 12 being within a smaller circumference. Thus just above the figure one is the figure 15; above the figure 2 the figure 14, and so on. The ordinary distinctions between day and night will sufficiently indicate to the observer, unless-he has been on a prolonged spreo, whether thetime indicated is 1 o'clock in the morning or 13 oclock, which would bo equivalent to 1 p.m., according to the present method of registering time, Most of the ordeis for these new stylo watches have thus far come from railroad companies. " I regard them," said Mr Thrall, "as the precursors of a more radical change that is. not far distant. Wo shall soon'have in general use watches with the hours marked from 1 to 24, in which the hour hand makes only one complete revolution in twentyfour hours. In most watches the only change necessary to ollect this will bo a new dial and an alteration in tho minute pinion and the hour wheel, Meanwhile these 'compromise' dials servo to make the oliango gradual find easy.