The Industrial Revolution and the Democratization of Watches

In Episode 2 of Watches and Politics, we explore how the Industrial Revolution transformed not only how watches were made—but who could wear them. From handcrafted luxuries to mass-produced tools of personal discipline, watches became democratized and central to the modern age. We trace how Switzerland and America pioneered different paths to global watch dominance, how marketing shaped consumer desire, and how the spread of timekeeping redefined work, class, and politics. This is the story of how time left the towers and entered our pockets—and why that change was anything but neutral.