How the Second Hand in Your Watch was Invented

John Floyer (1649–1734) was an English doctor. He studied the human heart and the pulse. He noticed that a person’s pulse can change depending on health, age, and activity.

To measure the pulse correctly, Floyer made a special watch that could time exactly 60 seconds. This watch allowed him to count the heartbeats for one full minute. With it, he could study the pulse in a new and precise way.

Because of Floyer’s pulse watch, doctors could measure the pulse more carefully. The idea of timing 60 seconds led to the invention of the second hand on modern clocks. So, the second hand on your watch came from Floyer’s idea to measure the pulse accurately.