Convergence Gadget of the 16 Century
If you were a well-off soldier (or just someone who did a lot of hunting) in the 16th century, you'd probably want to have a gadget like this wristwatch mentioned on The Watchismo Times
. Crafted in Germany in 1590, this example of convergence from the late Renaissance incorporates a flask for gunpowder, a small sundial for telling the time during daylight hours and a north-south compass. An opening on the side of the watch allowed the insertion of more power via a small tube.
Pretty cool idea, but like all convergence gadgets this watch had its issues: the compass wasn't adjusted to make corrections for magnetic north and the gnomon on the sundial was only calibrated for one latitude, making getting around and telling the exact time an even more inexact science. Still, I bet this watch was quite a must-have when it hit the market.
Via CrunchGear
