Regulator Clock

A classic piece of luxury horology, antique regulator clocks represent the pinnacle of accuracy during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The regularity and reliability of these clocks made them ideal for setting other household clocks. A collection of antique regulator clocks is available on online auctions of Bidsquare, which is one of the premier listings in the category. There are many distinctive clock designs featured, including Bracket clocks, Master clocks, Anniversary clocks, and Cartel clocks. Many antique regulator clocks are housed in sleek, streamlined wooden cases, which allow their precise movements to be displayed to the best advantage. However, there are also decorative examples that display attractive gilt bronze ornamentation. Some of these clocks are floor-standing or desk-mounted and offer additional functions such as astronomic measurements or equations of time. The clocks, designed and created by the most accomplished artisans of their time, give testimony to the continual pursuit of increasing timekeeping precision and aesthetic excellence. 

With the convergence of Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts in the early 20th century, the effusive design gave way to Jugendstil, something of a prelude to the modernism of the 20th century. It was like going back almost a century, but this time with softer lines and more massive boxes. Additionally, many of the Viennese regulators of these times featured beveled and leaded glass, and the woods included maple and walnut. A number of 19th-century clockmakers in the United States, including Sessions, Seth Thomas, Ingraham, and New Haven, also manufactured regulators. A few of these vintage regulator clocks featured short-and-wide variations of the popular banjo clocks, while others came with numerals and hands reminiscent of a train station, commonly called "railroad regulators". Timekeeping accuracy was assured by the regulator clocks for 270 years until quartz clocks were invented. In today’s world, they are seen as a symbol of precision and timeless style. Regulator clocks offer an elegant aesthetic and scientific accuracy that far surpasses many digital timepieces made today, which lack the artistic appeal of clocks crafted a century ago.

Interesting Facts about Regulator Clock

• After Christiaan Huygens invented the pendulum clock in 1656, clocks became more accurate by around 15 seconds per day instead of 15 minutes.
• Rather than the name of the landmark clock, Big Ben is the name of the largest bell among the five that hangs within.