Jump to content

Shortt–Synchronome clock


Tmuir

Recommended Posts

The Perth Observatory has in their possession a Shortt–Synchronome clock, this clock used to be the clock that provided the time for Western Australia.

For those that have never heard of it, this is the most accurate pendulum clock ever made. When it was made in the 1920s and 30s it was believed to have an error of 1 second a year, but in 1984 one of these clocks was compared to an atomic clock and found to have an error of only 1 second every 12 years.

It achieves this by having 2 pendulums, one that swings in a vacuum which is the master and via magnetic sensors it sends pulses to a slave clock that displays the time.

I was just wondering is anyone here ever has had the chance to see or touch one of these clocks?

Currently the observatory is looking to get this repaired, I have no involvement in this, but I do know people that are tendering to repair the clock and should they be successful I will be asking if I can atleast come up and see the clock whilst they service it. Just stressing I won't be working on the clock, but to get a chance to see a clock like this serviced would be too good an opportunity to miss.

For those that would like to do some more reading on this clock it has a wiki page.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortt–Synchronome_clock

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, Tmuir said:

I was just wondering is anyone here ever has had the chance to see or touch one of these clocks?

I have seen them before there are various ones on display in museums in the U.K, I have seen one at the Greenwich Observatory and the science museum has one in its collection and quite surprisingly they do turn up in auctions I have a Christies catalogue for a specialist horology sale in which one is listed.

As for touching one I always heed the signs that say "Do not touch the exhibits":)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • people be honest.... Swatch is evil for the watchmakers and repairers, BUT not everything in watches from Switzerland is from the Swatch-Group. As far as i know, Selitta got sacked by Swatch as a Movement-Assembler for them and they started to produce Movements in their own Name with slight Modifications. As far as i know, they sell Parts to the Market for their Movements. In most cases, if a ETA-Movement fails, it is a valid Option to replace it with a Selitta Movement, which i consider the Solution for this Mess with the Swatch-Group...... I have no Connection to anybody at Selitta, but being a Swiss-Guy, i still like to have Swiss-Made Watches, but not from the Swatch-Group.   ok ? regards, Ernst
    • Just one more greedy act by Swatch. They started a number of years ago here in the US..cutting off supplies to watchmakers that could build complications that many Swatch houses couldn't even touch. Old school masters who had gone through some of the most prestigious houses in the world. Otto Frei has some statements on their page about it. I tell all my customers to avoid new Swiss watches like the plague,..unless they just want an older one in their collection that still has some parts out on the market, or they have really deep pockets and don't mind waiting months and paying through the nose to get it back. Plenty of others to choose from..IE Seiko,..or other non-swiss brands Even a number of Chinese brands are catching up with the Swiss,..and I think that in time, their actions will be their downfall
    • Yes. If that's not what you are experiencing...start looking for something rubbing. A 1st guess is that one of the hands is rubbing against the hole in the center of the dial. Especially if you now have lower amplitude in face up/ face down positions.
    • Once a movement has the dial and hands put back and it is recased, would you expect the assembled watch to have the same amplitude as when the movement is in a movement holder and is without hands and dial? Thanks
    • C07641+ not sure what the "+" is for after the last digit.
×
×
  • Create New...