It's All About the Clocks

The first clocks, going way back to the 1300s, were a big step up from sun dials as a means of telling time, but it's hard to say that they were very accurate. Large springs and heavy weights: these were the things that powered the first mechanical clocks. It's hard to believe, given today's clocks, that the coil springs, which allow clocks to keep more accurate time, were not invented until the late 1400s.

Of course, “more accurate” at that time, was a relative term. It was the quest for clocks that were far more reliable that led to additional advances within the field of clock making. A current standard for watches and dial clocks, the minute hand, was not a feature of clocks until after 1577, when a clock maker was asked to invent something that would enable an astronomer to keep better track of the time while stargazing and making observations.

Another seventy-five years passed before the pendulum was invented for use within clocks – a way of keeping time even more accurately that was based on the designs of Galileo. However, once this step in the history of clocks was taken, changes started to come a bit more consistently. Cuckoo clocks were created and made advancements over time. Electric clocks were designed, and time could be kept more accurately.

By the early 1900s, quartz was discovered to create accurate vibrations that could track time, and began to be used in clocks on a more regular basis. Self winding watches were developed at roughly the same time and, as the years passed, what changed more was the way in which clocks were designed – drawing on the atomic clock and the convenience of digital displays.

Still, for those who are passionate about clocks and recognize that time is more than just something that we can use to determine when to leave home to get to work, clocks are pieces of art, conversation pieces and a vital part of home décor. Some of the most common modern clocks – those that are the most popular – include:

Grandfather clocks. Grandfather clocks get their name, in part, because these large, majestic clocks are often passed through families as heirlooms. Whether in the office or the home, grandfather clocks in a variety of materials, styles and designs become a focal point in any room.

Cuckoo clocks. Cuckoo clocks serve two purposes: there's the obvious time-keeping function, but there's also the whimsy of dancing girls and full scenes that are depicted.

Mantel clocks. Both key wound and quartz mantel clocks can create a look that completes any fireplace mantel and that can help to create a look that simply makes your house feel a bit more like a home.

Still, there are a wide variety of clocks that can best be described as decorative clocks. Decorative clocks allow you to choose a timepiece that fits into the overall look of your modern dining room or to choose a fanciful way of teaching kids to tell time – clocks that are focused on sports or animals. Similarly, some decorative clocks that are shaped like guitars, may contain a neon element of are made with a background of beveled glass, are ideal for keeping track of time and fitting into “recreational” rooms and other more “fun” areas within the home.

When you are looking for the ideal clock for your home, chances are good that you won't be thinking about the history of time or the ways in which clocks have evolved and become more accurate. Ultimately, on those days when you're quite sure that you're running late, you might wish that there were less accurate clocks out there that could take the blame.

Still, whether you are looking for grandfather clocks that remind you of a family heirloom from the past, or you are looking to find the ideal clock to someday pass onto your own children, or perhaps you're looking for practical clocks or something that's a bit more fun, it's important to know that there is a clock out there that will be ideally meet your specific desires. You just have to make an effort to find it.

Andy Lipps