John Harwood (watchmaker)

During World War I he served as an armoury staff sergeant, developing an automatic pistol and a screwdriver whose blade turned on impact.

[3] In 1923, supported by a local businessman, he developed a self-winding wristwatch and applied for a patent in Switzerland, which was granted in September, 1924.

His design ensured that the watch could be hermetically sealed against the ingress of water or dust.

After four years, supported by funds from two Manchester brothers, Louis and Philip Alexander, he persuaded Swiss watch manufacturers Anton Schild S.A. and Walter Vogt of Fortis to manufacture the design.

[4] He set up the Harwood Self-Winding Watch Company in 1928 to market the watches in the UK, but the company failed in September 1931, not having sufficient financial resources to withstand the effects of the Great Depression.