For 80 years, this minimalist design with a distinctive red second hand has been a fixture in the country’s train stations.

Quartz, for example, vibrates at a frequency of 32,768 hertz. And if you purchase one of Mr. Zillmann’s watches, you will always know that because the number is printed on the bottom of the dial.

Quartz clock technologies played a central role in twentieth century timekeeping, telecommunication and society at large. This article explores the process of the invention and construction of the ...