K1: Larcum Kendal's reproduction of Harrison's H4 marine chronometer

Larcum Kendall And K1: The Greatest Watchmaker And Watch You Have (Probably) Never Heard Of (Archive)

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You may have heard of a few or more of the following historical people and events: Thomas Mudge, George Graham, John Harrison, the Longitude Prize, Captain James Cook, and the mutiny on the ‘HMS Bounty.’ However, you are less likely to have heard the name of a horologist who played a pivotal role in all of the above: Larcum Kendall (1719–1790). Come with me on a worldwide adventure involving timekeeping and history.

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Fine German watchmaking from A. Lange & Söhne, Tutima, Nomos Glashütte, Moritz Grossmann and Glashütte Original

Made In Germany: The Glory Of Glashütte

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When we talk about Germany, we do not necessarily think of watches: luxury cars, high-tech machines, and Oktoberfest spring to mind. The “made in Germany” predicate is generally associated with quality, well-designed products, added value, and longevity. But watches? Yes, watches.

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Both sides of the Perpetual calendar side of the Dominique Loiseau 1f4, the case is turned by simply pulling out and rotating the lugs

The Most Complicated Watch You Have (Probably) Never Heard Of: 1f4 Grand Complication By Dominique Loiseau With Daniel Montandon

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Gone but not forgotten in the minds of true watch fans, we briefly revisit the horological genius that was Dominique Loiseau (1949-2013) and his ultra-complicated 1f4.

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Clock in the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria hotel, New York

The Fantastic Clock In The Lobby Of New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria Is Pure History

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While passing through New York City recently, I decided to duck into the historic Waldorf Astoria hotel to have a look at its famous lobby before the hotel closes for construction at the end of February 2017. And what I found was a historical clock with electrifying presence.

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K1: Larcum Kendal's reproduction of Harrison's H4 marine chronometer

Larcum Kendall And K1: The Greatest Watchmaker And Watch You Have (Probably) Never Heard Of

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You may have heard of a few or more of the following historical people and events: Thomas Mudge, George Graham, John Harrison, the Longitude Prize, Captain James Cook, and the mutiny on the ‘HMS Bounty.’ However, you are less likely to have heard the name of a horologist who played a pivotal role in all of the above: Larcum Kendall (1719–1790). Come with me on a worldwide adventure involving timekeeping and history.

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Diagram from a book by Urbain Jürgensen, part of the F.P. Journe/Sabrier library at the Journe atelier in Geneva

F.P. Journe Displays Extensive Library Of Jean-Claude Sabrier At Geneva Atelier

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If you’ve never been to visit François-Paul Journe’s atelier in the heart of Geneva, now would be a very good time to visit it. Aside from the astounding watches you will likely encounter on display, there are a great number of other interesting objects a fan of good watchmaking shouldn’t miss. Including the nearly one thousand books, historical manuscripts, letters, and catalogs once belonging to the extensive horological library of departed historical expert Jean-Claude Sabrier.

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The movement from the Ferdinand Berthoud pocket watch from 1806, which is on display at Chopard’s L.U.C.eum in Fleurier

Who Was Ferdinand Berthoud And Why Should We Care?

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Ferdinand Berthoud was born in 1727 in Switzerland. When he passed away in 1807, after having lived most of his life in Paris, he left behind a vast body of work in marine chronometers, clocks and watches, tools, scientific measuring instruments, and written publications including dozens of specialized books and treatises encompassing 4,000 pages and 120 engraved plates. The search for precision was his life. But why are we bringing this up now?

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The ‘Watch’ painting by American artist Gerald Murphy

‘Watch’ Painting By American Artist Gerald Murphy On Display In Dallas Museum Of Art

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A visit to Dallas, Texas gifted me with a surprise: I came across a very large painting simply entitled ‘Watch’ at the Dallas Museum of Art. Further inquiry into its painter, Gerald Murphy, revealed a fun historical anecdote and a bit of a mystery. Why did Murphy paint a giant Cubist impression of two watches in 1925, and which watches were they?

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Part of Balcony House in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

How The Native American Ancestral Puebloans Kept Track Of Time

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If you’ve been lucky enough to travel to the “four corners” area of the southwestern United States (where U.S. states Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico “meet”), then you may have seen or even visited some of the cliff dwellings built by ancient native Americans that were erroneously called Anasazi for thousands of years and now go by the term Ancestral Puebloans. Read on to find out what we know about how this ancient tribe of people kept time and why they needed to do so.

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Radium Watch Dials And Radium Girls: Who Would Have Thought ‘Eating’ Radioactive Material Was Deadly?

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One of the last of the so-called Radium Girls passed away at the age of 107 in late 2014. These were women working in factories tasked with painting the numerals and other markings on watch dials with a luminous paint comprising glue, water, and radium powder. Little did they know the consequences this job would have.

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