Antique Clocks

Clock, the name is derived from the Latin word cloca which in regional language means “bell”. It is a devise or a scientific object to measure time. Time is the basis and essence of everything, everywhere. Time is the only relative entity which has being constant since the inception of the universe. Hence it is natural that Man tried to measure it with different methods. Clock is an instrument, which was designed by man to measure time. Antique clocks are the ones which date back to many centuries or even millennium. Antique clocks are a collector’s dream because it relates to the time, thinking and progress of the historical events put in prospective in the present era. These antique clocks can be found in various museums, which show case historical articles for the general public to witness and to relate to them. There are museums worldwide which are especially dedicated to the antique clocks.

Previously the time was measured with the different techniques. Our ancestors have concluded that time is related to the rising and setting of sun daily. Hence it was infrenced that solar rays are the basis of measuring time. Sundial was thus invented and so was born the clock. These sundials when worked upon gave quite accurate time, it will be surprising to know that even now in modern times, clocks and there performances are compared with the sundial to detect any discrepancy in the clock. Chronometer is a term used for the clocks which are highly accurate. The clock and its invention can be termed as the foremost of human inventions. People used to measure time with different methods like the Egyptians who used even mercury and water to measure the unit of time.

Hour glass was also used especially in the Arabic world to measure the time. These hour glasses were customized to measure unit of time as one hour or couple of hours or even a day. Here the sand used to fall from a small hole from upper compartment to the lower compartment. Modern clock as we see with three arms denoting hours, minutes and seconds is supposed to be invented in the 13th (thirteenth) century. The antique clocks were made of a metal, wood or plastics. Clocks are covered with glass to minimize the impact of air and other resonance effects which might affect or distort the working of a clock and its accuracy.

Clocks find references in 12th century and 13th century because of the church’s daily record keeping. At the end of 13th century clock towers were build for the convenience of the people to relate there activities and daily routine in keeping with the time. The oldest mechanical clock is the one at Salisbury cathedral, which is believed to be built in the early years of 15 century. These mechanical clocks worked on the falling weight principle and were converted to coiled spring afterwards. It consisted of inter locking geyer.

Antique clocks, the ones which are small were designed and developed in 15th century in Europe. These clocks were used not only by the state administrations and royalty but also by the explorers, navigators, and sailors to keep track of accurate time. Thus clocks without pendulum were designed for explorers and sailors, as pendulum is rendered useless on ships. Eli is considered as the father of clock industry in America. Pendulum in the clocks worked on electro magnetic fields. These days the time keeping is done on two different scales namely 12 hour scale and 24-hour scale.

Scientific invention and technical advancement have made even a 30 years old clock to be an antique in this age when analogue and digital clocks are in use. Digital clocks do not have any traditional parts like dials or geyer wheels etc and provide high level of accuracy.

Addition of new features like alarms have popularized and diversified the roll of clocks. The solar clocks (sundials) were even popular in the Asian countries where huge structures were built not only to measure time but also to track the path of the planets and the positioning of the stars. The famous and marvelous structures like JANTAR MANTAR in New Delhi, India, helped the scholars of the era to closely study the planetary movements and measure not only time but also study the effects of various alignments of heavenly bodies. The solar eclipses and lunar eclipses were thus calculated to accurate timings. The effect of lunar movements on the water bodies were also understood precisely. The solar clocks gave the very accurate time and were adjusted as the winters came in to work in sync with the directional change or tilt of the earth. The time systems across the world are for the local substitutions and are synchronized with the GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) which is taken as reference point for assigning the time worldwide. Time is calculated in accordance to the coordinates of that place. Longitude and latitudes when referred give the exact location of a place. Time keeping is done at micro level by the various scientific departments to while gauging the earth’s movement around the sun and around its axis. Time unit is disintegrated to the smallest level to give more precise variations (if any). There is a concept of time saving in the USA (United States of America) when the time or clocks are tuned to an hour late or an hour early as per the climate. This time saving is done twice a year. Antique clocks not only relate to the wall clocks but also the small one that were carried on person by the user. These were designed meticulously and styled accordingly, to suit the tastes of the person owning these. The watches sported chains and were hooked to the part of the clothing there by making them easy to carry and use. Wrist watches were introduced pretty recently. Wrist watches have become more of an accessory which could be used for time. Jewel studded watches have become the fancy piece of accessories for the rich and the famous. Clocks and time, have bound the imagination of generations, though we take them for granted but when looked closely, there’s a lot behind measuring time.