Editing Clockmaker (section)

==Guilds==
As the art of making clocks became more widespread and distinguished, guilds specifically for this trade emerged around the sixteenth century. One of the first [[guilds]] developed in London, England, known as the [[Worshipful Company of Clockmakers]]; the group formed after a small number of foreign-trained clockmakers spent time working in [[London]].<ref name="Mones">{{cite web
  | last = Mones
  | first = Richard Ann
  | author2 = George White
  | title = Worshipful Company of Clockmakers
  | work = Antiques and Fine Art magazine
  | publisher = antiquesandfineart.com
  | year = 2012
  | url = http://www.antiquesandfineart.com/articles/article.cfm?request=437
  | access-date = August 2, 2012
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063746/http://www.antiquesandfineart.com/articles/article.cfm?request=437
  | archive-date = March 4, 2016
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref>   A requirement of joining the guild was to practise their craft and gain as much [[experience]] as possible, along with joining one of many other trade guilds, such as the [[Blacksmiths]], [[Stationers]], or [[Draper]]s Company. There are many guilds where clockmakers meet to buy, sell and get clocks to repair from customers, the IWJG is one of the most prominent in the world.

Quality control and standards were imposed on clockmakers by the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, a guild which licensed clockmakers for doing business. By the rise of [[consumerism]] in the late 18th century, clocks, especially pocket watches, became regarded as fashion accessories and were made in increasingly decorative styles. By 1796, the industry reached a high point with almost 200,000 clocks being produced annually in London. However, by the mid-19th century the industry had gone into steep decline from Swiss competition.<ref>{{cite web |title=England: Where watchmaking all began |url=http://www.watchpro.com/england-where-watchmaking-all-began/ |publisher=Watchpro |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=15 January 2013 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919024701/https://www.watchpro.com/england-where-watchmaking-all-began/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Switzerland established itself as a clockmaking center following the influx of [[Huguenot]] craftsmen, and in the 19th century the Swiss industry "gained worldwide supremacy in high-quality machine-made watches". The leading firm of the day was [[Patek Philippe]] founded by [[Antoni Patek]] of [[Warsaw]] and [[Adrien Philippe]] of [[Bern]].{{sfn|Davies|1996|p=435}}