By Neil Day
In this technological age, many people, especially the younger generation, would not see the need or appreciate the qualities of a chain pocket watch.
Pocket watches are seen as old fashioned. The ability to tell the time comes to people from all sorts of sources. Wristwatches are now the norm and yet even they seem to be dated, as a lot of people in this day and age don’t even wear watches any more. They simply use their mobile phones or personal digital assistants to tell the time. Yes, our ability to tell the time is taken for granted now.
That hasn’t always been the case. The history of pocket watches extends back to the 16th century, when craftsmen were first able to create portable clocks small enough to hang around the neck or fit inside a pocket. It was at this time when watches emerged as highly desirable commodities.
Imagine the skill needed to hand-produce things as intricate and complex as pocket watches, without modern tools and factories. A watchman would spend months creating a pocket watch. Watch making back then was one of the most difficult, but most respected professions. This craftsmanship didn’t come cheap, as each piece was very expensive.
To emphasise the work behind every piece, a pocket watch was usually encased in gold, adding even more value to the masterpiece. It goes without saying that only the rich were able to afford a pocket watch.
But why did they create a pocket watch, you might ask? Why the chain? Surely a wristwatch would have been more practical?
There are two simple reasons for this:
Firstly watches back in the 16th century were specially made with the rich people in mind. That was their market as they were the only ones who could afford to the instruments and pay for the clockmakers skills.
Secondly, rich gentlemen in Europe, where the pocket watch originated from, would never expose their arms in public. They believed that they had to distance themselves from the masses and dress in a way that displayed their wealth. Only labourers exposed their arms, as they had to do the menial jobs. It would have been unthinkable for a person of wealth and position to expose their arm to view the time.
That is why the value of a chain pocket watch has endured, and flourished, throughout the years. It still carries with it the elegance of the upper class and there are many who appreciate its rich history and own some beautiful collections.
Some collector’s pieces sell for thousands of dollars. Perhaps the next time you see such a pocket watch being sold on eBay you will understand why it attracts such a high price. Pocket chain watches are beautiful, classic instruments that tell us the time in a far more elegant way than a cell phone.
Neil Day is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Antique & Modern Pocket Watches.
He provides more free information on gold pocket watches, musical pocket watches, pocket railroad watches and pocket watch repair and more that you can research on his website.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Day
By: Charles Kassotis
Tick-tock, tick-tock, a clock sounds like a heartbeat, doesn’t it? Maybe that’s one of the reasons that so many people enjoy collecting clocks, showcasing them at home, or buying them as presents for others. If you’re not a devoted fan of clocks, you may wonder what all the excitement is about. After all, a clock just tells time, right? Everyone has the same amount of time to spend, just 24 hours a day. Yet, for some, time is the essence of all things. An extra minute here or there can make life a little more enjoyable. That’s why some people really prize their clocks and make efforts to stay aware of time all around them.
To buy a clock as a gift, you will first want to be sure the recipient likes clocks and will have a place for the one you have in mind. No matter how attractive or reliable the timepiece may be, the receiver may not appreciate having it unless a clock is on his or her gift list. Assuming that a clock is at least a possible gift option, here are some ideas to consider:
1. Business people like desk clocks. Of course, it needs to be small enough to not take up much space, and it should have a style that will fit either the desk or a bookshelf, given spatial constraints the executive might face. Try to learn the style of dcor that is used in his or her home or worksite office so the clock will fit in. You also might try to find out if the person would prefer an LCD display, and Roman or Arabic numerals. If he or she is nearsighted, large numbers might be appreciated, too.
2. Travelers prefer small clocks. You can get a travel alarm clock for a modest price at many types of stores. Many people who travel for business or pleasure prefer a small, easy to pack clock with an alarm that can go anywhere. A clock radio, if small enough, might be preferable.
3. Anniversary couples appreciate decorative or commemorative clocks that enrich their home dcor. You can buy a clock with an insignia for a 10th, 25th, or 50th wedding anniversary. Or you can buy a newly married couple a wall clock for their home. There are key-wind clocks, electric clocks, and battery clocks, so try to get a clue as to which type your intended recipient will prefer.
4. Children enjoy theme clocks. Depending on their age, kids like Disney clocks, or those emblazoning favorite characters, cartoons, or toys. These may come with an attached light and shade, or they may be stand-alone units. Get some ideas from the parents before going shopping.
Clocks are fun to choose, affordable to buy, and easy to wrap. Put some on your next holiday or birthday shopping list to help friends and families keep up with the times. Then you may decide to ask for a clock of your own the next time a special occasion rolls around.
About the author:
For more information on choosing a gift clock, Visit The Clock Cart
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Article courtesy of: ClockTips.com
By: Rita Preece
‘My Grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf, So it stood ninety years on the floor… …And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died.’
Do you remember that song? The grandfather clock actually exists and the story it tells is a true one. In fact, it’s how the grandfather clock got its name.
The George Hotel is a 16th century coaching inn on the banks of the River Tees in Piecebridge, North Yorkshire, England.
In the late 19th century, the George Hotel was managed by the Jenkins brothers, a couple of bachelors. In the hotel lobby stood a long case clock which could always be relied on to keep good time.
Sadly, one of the brothers died suddenly and the clock began to lose time - at first just 15 minutes a day, then up to an hour a day and no clockmaker could repair it. The locals thought it no coincidence that when the other brother died at the age of ninety, the long case clock stopped, never to go again.
The hotel’s new manager left the clock exactly as it was in the lobby and in 1875 a visiting American songwriter heard the story of this amazing coincidence and came to the George Hotel to see the clock for himself. He told the story in a song and Henry Clay Work’s lyrics were published when he returned to America. Over a million copies of the song sheet, ‘My Grandfather’s Clock’ were sold.
And that’s how the grandfather clock got it’s name.
The George Hotel still stands on the banks of the River Tees in Piecebridge, North Yorkshire and offers reasonably priced accommodation. It has four poster beds, a bar and restaurant and an inglenook fireplace. It is a convenient base for exploring the North Yorkshire Moors and the Dales, as well as being a living piece of grandfather clock history.
My Grandfather’s Clock
By Henry Clay Work
Copyright unknown
My Grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf, So it stood ninety years on the floor. It was taller by half than the old man himself, Though it weighed not a pennyweight more.
It was bought on the morn of the day he was born, It was always his treasure and pride, And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died.
In watching its pendulum swing to and fro, Many hours he spent as a boy. And in childhood and manhood the clock seemed to know, And it shared both his sorrow and joy.
And it struck twenty-four when he entered the door, With a blooming and beautiful bride, And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died.
Ninety years without slumbering, tick, tock, tick, tick, It’s life seconds numbering, tick tock, tick, tock, And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died.
My Grandfather said that of those he could hire, Not a servant so faithful he found. It wasted no time and it had one desire, At the end of the week to be wound.
And it stayed in its place, not a frown upon its face, And it’s hands never hung by it’s side, And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died.
Now it rang an alarm in the still of the night, An alarm that for years had been dumb. We knew that his spirit was pluming in flight, That his hour of departure had come.
Still the clock kept its time with a soft and muffled chime, As we silently stood by his side, And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died.
Ninety years without slumbering, tick, tock, tick, tick, It’s life seconds numbering, tick tock, tick, tock, And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died.
About the author:
The author is a lover of grandfather clocks and will one day inherit her great-great grandfather’s long case clock. She hopes it doesn’t stop when its current owner dies.
Article: Courtesty of Tags: Grandfather Clocks
August 18th, 2007 · 1 Comment
By: Peter Bishop
Watches are classic. They are an essential part of every wardrobe, but they must also possess style and functionality to the wearer. For years, watches have been extremely popular gift ideas while remaining a constant self-indulging accessory.
In 1881, Kintaro Hattori opened a clock shop in Tokyo, which established a foundation for modern clock and watch making in Japan. This new brand was titled Seikosha. The store was the direct ancestor of the current Seiko corporation, Tokyo, which is the parent company of Seiko corporation of America. Eleven years later, Hattori opened a clock factory with ten employees. Two months after it is inception, the first dozen clocks were produced. In 1895, the production of pocketwatches began. Following that trend, the company began to produce alarm clocks in 1899, which was followed by the introduction of table and musical clocks in 1902. In 1912, Hattori began considering ideas regarding the production of a Japanese wristwatch. The following year, his company began working on the first Seikosha wristwatch to ever be made in Japan. In 1924, the Seiko brand was officially created. After 43 years of the company’s existence, the first Seiko wristwatch was made.
Since that time, there have been many modern advancements to the world of watches. But, throughout the changing times, Seiko has remained a powerhouse in the timepiece industry. In 1956, they produced the first self-winding wristwatch made in Japan. In 1964, Seiko released the worlds first quartz chronometers and became the official timer of the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. In 1968, they introduced the worlds first quartz wall clock. The following year, in 1969, Seiko released the first quartz watch. Also that year, Tiffany & Co. began selling the Seiko Astron 35SQ, which was encased in solid 18kt yellow gold. During the next several years, Seiko introduced many firsts to the world of watches, including the first multi-function digital watch and the first LCD quartz watch with six-digit digital display.
Seiko has served as the official timer for various athletic competitions and events. Among the collections offered by Seiko include the Tressia, La Grand Sport and Elite Collections, which includes the Sportura, Arctura and Coutura. Their line of technology timepieces include the Kinetic Perpetual, Kinetic Chronograph, Kinetic Auto Relay, Kinetic, Analog Digital, Chronograph, Flight Computer and Perpetual Calendar. The majority of Seiko timepieces are designed to be water resistant. The U.S. warranty for Seiko watches, which are sold by Seiko Corporation of America, is three years. The warranty for clocks is one year. Certain restrictions and exclusions may apply, so be sure to read your warranty information closely when purchasing any new timepiece and always retain a copy of all such warranties.
As with any timepiece, caring for your watch will promote a longer life for the product. If the battery is in need of changing, be sure to have this done immediately. Seiko advices that customers contact an authorized Seiko dealer for battery and other minor repairs. If the timepiece needs further repair or replacement parts not serviced by an authorized dealer, customers may return the watch to the address on their warranty card for proper handling. If the watch is under warranty, the repairs should be done at no cost. If the warranty has expired, however, the customer will be responsible for the cost of repairs and replacements.
About the author:
Peter Bishop manages the watches portal at www.llcwatches.com and is a true seiko watches fan himself.
Article: Courtesty of Tags: Seiko Watches
Everything has its beginning. And if you believe that time starts from somewhere, also consider the beginning of time measurements.
Early people have devised a system to tell the exact date. But a device that exactly tells the precise time comes much later. Water clocks, sundials, and candle clocks are the earliest instruments that somehow manage to tell time but accuracy is far from achievable.
In the 13th century, weight-driven clocks were developed. It used gears while hour hand was already used while the minute hand was an indication of luxury and wealth. The weight-driven clocks were publicly displayed on church towers, city halls, and monasteries.
In the 16th century, clocks were produced using spring instead of weight. The portable clocks or the pocket watches were the first timepieces that the public can own. During this time, the only persons who can own them were the rich and owning one signified the status, authority, and wealth of the person. Often, portable watches were placed on the wall of the house. The term portable though did not mean it could be carried on your pocket. The term changed its meaning some years later.
The first transportable watches or pocket watches was used also in the 16th century. This time, clocks no longer had to stay at one place. Pocket watches can already be worn around the neck or carried on a pocket. The same era also brought revolution to the development of pocket watches. Mechanisms were introduced to bring time-telling precision. Some packet watches even had an alarm.
The entry of the 17th century made pocket watched even more desirable. The box-like image was removed and was replaced by more rounded and slimmer cases. Clockmakers also became instant artists as they infuse designs and craftsmanship to every pocket watch the made.
When Christian Huygens discovered the law of pendulum, which for your information was different from Galileos, clock had yet again moved one step further. The law proved to be very helpful in the development of pocket watches.
In the 18th century, pocket watches continued to evolve. This time, jewels were used as bearings. Diamonds became part of some pocket watches that boosted the price of a single pocket watch to the ceiling. Oil was also became part of pocket watches during this period. This was to lubricate and smoothen the movement of the watchs hands. In the second half of the 18th century, pocket watches were produced with three hands. Contrary to the inclusion of the minute hand during the 16th century, second hand made sense since accuracy in telling time was far better.
In the 19th century came the glory days of the packet watches. This era brought the several watchmakers into the picture. Names such as LeCoultre & Cie, Ulysse Nardin, Minerva, Heuer, IWC, and many others were established in this period. The quality of pocket watches became better than ever.
By the turn of the 20th century, certificates were issued to those watchmakers that created precise watches. Unlike the previous years, issuance of certificate became more of a requirement than luxury.
And as the years gone by, the popularity of pocket watches diminished as wristwatches became more popular.
Although pocket watches are not so much used today, it has served as one of the important instruments for several centuries.
About the Author:
Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides pocket watch resources on www.about-pocket-watches.info.
Article: Courtesty of Tags: Pocket Watches
I have been posting around the second week of each month a “THANK-YOU” post, like this one, to all the advertisers from the previous month listed as at month end. That’s a permanent link in this blog, under the category heading which I call .. “Sponsor Appreciation”. I know it’s hard out there trying to figure out where to spend your advertising dollars .. and well .. THANKS for considering the Corydon Clock Repair Blog.
I have compiled a new advertising page for the HART-Empire Network of sites for your perusal.
Please Support Our Sponsors From June 2007
Thank-You Sponsors!
Tags: Sponsor Appreciation
I have been posting around the week of the 10th of each month a “THANK-YOU” post, like this one, to all the advertisers from the previous month listed as at month end. That’s a permanent link in this blog, under the category heading which I call .. “Sponsor Appreciation”. I know it’s hard out there trying to figure out where to spend your advertising dollars .. and well .. THANKS for considering the Corydon Clock Repair Blog.
I have compiled a new advertising page for the HART-Empire Network of sites for your perusal.
Please Support Our Sponsors From May 2007
Thank-You Sponsors!
Tags: Sponsor Appreciation
I have been posting around the week of the 10th of each month a “THANK-YOU” post, like this one, to all the advertisers from the previous month listed as at month end. That’s a permanent link in this blog, under the category heading which I call .. “Sponsor Appreciation”. I know it’s hard out there trying to figure out where to spend your advertising dollars .. and well .. THANKS for considering the Corydon Clock Repair Blog.
I have compiled a new advertising page for the HART-Empire Network of sites for your perusal.
Please Support Our Sponsors From April 2007
Thank-You Sponsors!
Tags: Sponsor Appreciation
Written By: Kristy Annely
Like the storied countryside of England, grandfather clocks from that country are rich in history and tradition. The first known pendulum clock was made in 1656. Grandfather clocks got their name in 1875 from a song by Henry Work. Grandfather clocks are also known as longcase or tallcase clocks.
English clockmakers have been involved in grandfather clock design and construction since the beginning. English grandfather clocks span a period of history that included the reign of Charles II, the Queen Anne period, the Georgian period, and the days of Queen Victoria. In fact, the famous Eastgate Clock was designed to celebrate Queen Victorias 80th birthday in 1897.
English grandfather clocks are not the work of a single man. Rather, they exemplify the best in teamwork. Each clock is a testament to a fine collaboration between designers, woodworkers, and silversmiths. Only the finest craftsman in each category worked on the clocks. Together, they created grandfather clocks that were beautiful, functional, and long-lasting.
In early 18th century, English grandfather clocks were made with moon dials. This enabled clock owners to know the moon phase at a glance, in addition to the hour and the minute.
More than just a stylish fad, the moon dial was critical to the lifestyle of the day. This feature was helpful to travelers, as they often needed their journeys to coincide with the moons phases. Journeys were safer by the light of the moon. Moon phases were also helpful for farmers. Some clocks today still feature a moon dial and lunar calendar.
Today, many antique English grandfather clocks are still in circulation. These valuable clocks are quite popular with collectors. Some popular English grandfather clocks include those by Holmes, Trubshaw, Thomas Cartwright, Thomas Wright, Matthew & Thomas Dutton, Daniel Quare, Allam & Clements, and Thomas Johnson. For a clock of enduring quality and classic beauty, any of these fine examples would be a valuable prize for someone considering the purchase of an English grandfather clock.
About the author:
Grandfather Clocks Info provides detailed information on antique, contemporary, discount, English, and German grandfather clocks, as well as kits and repair information. Grandfather Clocks Info is the sister site of Cuckoo Clocks Web.
Article: Courtesty of ClockTips.com
Tags: Grandfather Clocks
