The International Monetary Fund (IMF) the watch guardian of economy all over the world has sounded alarm bells on the impending Article 50 triggering Britain’s formal divorce from the European Club. In a recent report (WatchPro) it was stated that retailers in Britain are increasing their cash savings to match the national average of 38% with the aim of building a cash buffer.
The British watchmakers Guild is of the view that it is time for British watch brands to step out of the shadow of big watch brands and establish their place in the watch world. The signs are ominous.
Robert Hooke and John Harrison
Robert Hooke’s (1635 – 1703) inquiring scientific mind resulted in the pendulum as the perfect regulatory mechanism in clocks. He also introduced the balance spring that sparked the revolution of a watch on the wrist (there was heated debate about this claim as Christiaan Huygens had also invented the verge escapement. However, the debate was settled firmly in Robert Hooke’s favour in 2006 when forgotten notes handwritten by Hooke were found in a cupboard). It was his work as part of being a royal commissioner under the aegis of King Charles II in 1674 that led to the establishment of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich that furthered the program of measuring the position of stars accurately which in turn helped the Board of Longitude to establish the Longitude Prize.
This prize along with similar prizes offered by France, Spain, Holland around the same time (1600-1700) is understood to be the greatest scientific endeavor to determine a practical method of calculating the longitude of a ship at sea. It is to the credit of another Englishman born a carpenter named John Harrison from Yorkshire who created the world’s first marine chronometer that worked perfectly during sea trials. (Since he did not have Royal patronage he was not given the prize; Harrison fought and eventually was recognised and awarded the Longitude Prize in 1773).
These stories testify to the times and prove the point of original British watchmaking skills are embedded into the English DNA. A Perpetual Time review remarks on this wonderful trait of originality. Perpetual Time is headed by another Englishman Alex Photi who has the genes of Robert Hooke, John Harrison and other English horologists flowing in his blood that augurs well for Britain to regain its rightful place in the world of watchmaking.. In the same report of WatchPro it came to light that leather straps are more in vogue as compared to steel. This is another British tradition befitting the compliments paid in a Perpetual Time Review of the excellent restoration work done by this reputed watchmaking firm.
Perpetual Time Reviews 