About the Clocks

According to the encyclopedias, clock is an instrument for measuring or indicating time, especially a mechanical or electronic device having a numbered dial and moving hands or a digital display. The clock can be used not only for displaying of the time, but also to control a device according to time, e.g. an alarm clock.

Today, there are many different clock sizes and styles to choose from, reflecting people's changing tastes in home decorating. Clocks make one-of-a-kind gifts for graduations, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and housewarming parties. It’s a special kind of gift that your family and friends never forget. Wall, mantel or floor clock styles also can be a timeless treasure in your own home! Throughout time, people enjoy clocks for the simple yet beautiful way they bring the reassuring qualities of stability, handcrafted design and even the reverberating melodies of classical chimes to your home. Clocks also are a wonderful way to link generations of your family. Like fine art or unusual paintings, clocks can be an excellent way to build or continue a design theme that is an expression of your individuality

A little history.....

Historically we have been able to gather only a little knowledge about the methods of time keeping in prehistoric eras, but we do know that in practically every culture just as today, people have been preoccupied with measuring and recording the passage of time. The celestial bodies of the Sun, Moon, Planets and Stars have allowed ancient civilizations to create systems to provide a measuring of seasons, months, and years.

In Europe it has discovered archaeological finds which indicate that over 20,000 years ago scratched lines on sticks and bones, or carefully gouged holes were used as ancient calendars, believed by academics to demonstrate ways of indicating the days between phases of the moon, 'lunar cycles'.

The first way that people could tell the time was by looking at the sun as it crossed the sky. When the sun was directly overhead in the sky, it was the middle of the day, or noon. When the sun was close to the horizon, it was either early morning (sunrise) or early evening (sunset).

In ancient times, the best timepiece was the clepsydra, or water clock, which measured time by the regular dripping of water through a narrow opening. As water accumulated in the lower reservoir, a float carrying a pointer rose and marked the hours.

The earliest reasonably accurate clocks are the 13th century tower clocks probably developed for monks in Northern Italy. These were used to announce the canonical hours or intervals between set times of prayer.

In the 1590’s, the Italian scientist Galileo measured the speed of falling bodies. This was the crucial beginning of modern physics and of modern science. He noticed the swaying chandeliers in cathedral and it seemed to him that the movement back and forth was always the same. Galileo timed that the “pendulum” was a way of marking off small intervals of time. So we may say that it is the beginning of the time measure.

The mechanical clock was invented in medieval Europe. Clever arrangements of gears and wheels were devised that could be made to turn by weights attached to them. As the weights were pulled downward by the force of gravity, the wheels were forced to turn in a slow, regular manner. A pointer, properly attached to the wheels, marked the hours. These mechanical clocks were less delicate than water clocks and required less maintenance. They became common in churches and monasteries and could be relied on to tell when to toll the bells for regular prayers or church attendance.

The earliest table clocks that survive in any quantity are clocks from mid-16th century from the metalworking towns of Nuremberg and Augsburg. These clocks have only one hand. The dial between the hour markers is divided into four equal parts making the clocks readable to the nearest 15 minutes.

Essential step in the process of the clock’ development was discovery of the pendulum clock in 1657. The excitement over the pendulum clock attracted the attention of designers resulting in a proliferation of clock forms. Notably, the longcase clock was created to house the pendulum and works. The English clockmaker William Clement, inventor of the anchor escapement, is credited developing this form in 1670. It was also at this time that clock cases began to be made of wood and clock faces to employ enamel.

By the end of the 19th century and early into the 20th century, the push for standardization of time went global and international agreements were established.

Learn also about:

Atomic Clocks - Atomic Clocks are the most accurate clocks in the world. They are accurate to within ten billionths of a second and you will never need to resetting, adjust for Daylight Savings Time or bother with the date. If you want to know more about the atomic clocks, read about their history, how they work and why we need them.

Grandfather Clocks - The Grandfather clocks are more than just clocks. They can be a piece of fine furniture, a family heirloom, and probably one of the most impressive clocks you will have. Fortunately, the Grandfather clocks are no longer just for the wealthy, and now anyone can own one of these gorgeous clocks. Read about Grandfather Clocks and learn about their history, how they work and how they got their names.

Cuckoo Clocks - The cuckoo clocks are clocks of the past, present and the future, still much loved by children and grandchildren. They are still based on the original designs and are hand carved by skilled craftsmen. Read about the Cuckoo Clocks and learn about their history and how they work.

Cuckoo Clocks - FAQ - Read the answers of the most Frequently Asked Questions about the Cuckoo Clocks: How does a cuckoo clock work? Where to place my Cuckoo Clock? How to wind my cuckoo clock? My Cuckoo Clock doesn’t keep accurate time? How to setting the hands of the Cuckoo Clock?