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NewsletterFebruary 2017
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WATCH AND CLOCK COLLECTORS INC
First Australian Chapter 72 Inc
www.aussieclocks.com.au
Big Ben will fall silent for several months after it closes its doors to visitors for a major three-year £29million refurBishment project.
the iconic london landmark is expected to stop chiming as it undergoes a series of repairs under plans to stop the clock from grinding to a halt.
it will Be the third time that the chime has not rung out over london for 150 years, having previously stopped for nine months of repairs in 1976
and six weeks in 2007.
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PRESIDENT Peter Simonis
VICE PRESIDENTS Colin Thompson Hugh Gaynor SECRETARY Greg Kelly
TREASURER Kevin Pile
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Grant Griffiths John Hurst Rien Touw Rick Veisteegh
PAST PRESIDENT Doug Minty
NEWSLETTER TEAM Peter Foster Colin Thompson Graham Mitchell
Officers
Here’s how to get in touch with us: PRESIDENT Peter Simonis Tel: 0416018320 Email: [email protected] SECRETARY Greg Kelly Tel: (m) 0400 341 957 Email: [email protected]
TREASURER Kevin Pile Tel; 9594 4456 Email: [email protected] NEWSLETTER Peter Foster Email: [email protected]
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CONTENTS 02 OFFICERS 02 HOW TO GET IN TOUCH 03 FEBRUARYCONTRIBUTORS04 COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT REPORT05 IMPORTANT NOTICE06WHAT HAPPENED AT THE DECEMBER MEETING08 SWISS MAD WATCH
February Contributors
10 DEALING WITH BARREL BULGE12 SWATCH VS COUSINS13 BIG BEN REPAIRS AND HISTORY20 RESTO OF MARINE OCTAGONAL CLOCK24 SEIKO KINETIC REPAIR25 AUSTRALIAN WATCH AND CLOCK SUPPLIES 26 UPCOM1NG EVENTS AROUND AUSTRALIA 28 MINTYS MAGIC MOULDINGS -PREVIEW
Grant Griffiths describes how he approached the restoration of a ma-
rine Octagonal clock
Other contributors this month:
Greg Kelly - Colin Thompson
Richard Holt - TelegraphDan Hudson and Andrea Gilpin
Laura Hughes - TelegraphAnthony Cousins
Peter Foster
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EXTRACT OF THE MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT (Com)
MEETING DATED 20 JANUARY 2017, 7:30pm (@ Peter Simonis’ factory: Unit 11/21 = 23 Daniel St, Wetherill Park)
The meeting opened at 7:30pm with a welcome extended to all.
1. Present: Peter Simonis (President), Colin Thompson (Vice-President), Hugh Gaynor (Vice-
President), Greg Kelly (Secretary), Rien Touw (Archives/library), John Hurst & Rick Versteegh Apologies: Kevin Pile (Treasurer), Grant Griffiths 2. Minutes of the CoM of 4/11/16 were accepted. 3. Business Arising from the Minutes:
a) Show and Tell – promotional circular circulated. b) “Laurie Smith Auction” – Discussed and the CoM updated.
Secretary to coordinate and finalise whilst liaising with the CoM c) Carrs Park Field Trip – stood over to next meeting. The Secretary to chase an update.
4. Portfolio Responsibilities:
a) Administration (General administration, membership, finance, secretarial responsibilities) – Secretary’s Report/Business
o Kerry Siegel letter – representations calling for the committee to circulate the letter and investigate and review membership and the related costs. The CoM received the letter. Following discussion it was agreed to circulate the letter with a covering statement on behalf of the CoM calling for members to indicate their support or nonsupport for investigating the options related to the letters content.
Treasurer’s Report/Business o Reports recd and any questions stood over.
b) Education (Sunday program, meetings, library, workshops, short courses) – Program for February meeting: Discussion on general meeting content.
c) Events (Free marts, auction, field trips, regional and public display days) Field Trips – update
Museum at Carss Park – Proposal for trip May or June – Doug Minty coordinating. (this trip is associated with railway clock repairs)
Power House back of house tour - enquiries being made Sydney Observatory – enquiries being made
d) Communication (meet and greet program, website, newsletter, publicity and promotion of Chapter.
Facebook page discussed and the CoM updated e) Meeting Venue (Asset management, hall setup and related equipment, refreshment provisions)
5. General Business: Nil 6. Next meeting: 3 March 2017 @ 7:30pm. Appreciation being expressed to the host Peter Simonis, the meeting closed at 9:30 pm Greg Kelly, Secretary
24 January 2017
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IMPORTANT NOTICE A letter from Kerry Siegel has been received by the Committee with a request it be circulated to the membership. The Committee is circulating their comment with the letter printed on the reverse as a separate sheet with this copy of the newsletter. The committee requests you take the time to read the letter, the committee’s comments and respond to the question whether you wish the Committee to investigate the issue/s raised. A “YES” or “NO” vote has no impact nor precedent for any change to the Chapter’s constitution, the requirements related to membership nor the operation of the Chapter. It will only provide the Committee with the opinion of members as to whether the matter/s raised in the letter should be investigated and reported back to the membership. Please complete the response section at the bottom of the Committee’s comments on the sheet provided, detach it and return it to the Secretary or any member of the Committee by the 25 February 2017. Your input will be greatly appreciated. Remember: “YES” - indicates you wish the Committee to investigate and report back. “NO” - indicates you do not wish the Committee investigate and report back. Please note: To amend or change any provision within the Chapter’s constitution requires a special meeting where the members vote.
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REPORT SYDNEY CHAPTER 72 MEETING AND AGM DEC 2016
By Colin Thompson
ATTENDANCE
The meeting was opened by President Peter Simonis. There were 86 members present, 7 apologies tendered and 2 new members.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Greg Kelly reminded the members to register if they wished to attend the Slate Clock Workshop on the 19th Feb 2017. He also advised the members that the 2017 Chapter 72 Calendar was inserted into the Dec Newsletter and that extra copies were available at the desk. The members were advised that the Chapter was looking at holding an auction in March of approx. 500 lots for a member who was shutting down his business in Australia.
SHOW AND TELL
Tale of Two Carriage Clocks with Rodger Little
Rodger had bought a Repeat Alarm Carriage clock which rings on bell for the half hour and a gong for the hour. He had also bought a grand soniere carriage clock with some of the rewind gears missing which he was in the process of making. Rodger also presented a segment on the tools of the trade that he used.
Jerome Wall Clock by Grant Griffith
Grant had bought a Jerome clock from an auction house which had not turned out to be as old, or good condition as he had expected. The movement had been abused with bent pivots and the plates next to the escape wheel bent in to compensate for the esc wheel balance staff being too short. Grant made a new staff, straightened pivots and re-bushed the clock, but it still won’t reliably run.
New Library Additions by Rien Touw
Rien had purchased for the library books on the Eureka Clock and French Bronze Clocks. He reminded members that they could borrow books from the Library.
Out and About with Rodger Little
Restoration of a Clock from Proserpine by Doug Minty
Doug was asked to restore an ornate picture framed clock by a client in Proserpine Queensland. The Queensland Museum and the Sydney Powerhouse Museums had said they couldn’t help, but the Powerhouse had referred them to Doug. The picture frame was very ornate with flowers, leaves and vines running around the outside and a decorative inner border. The problem being that over 50% of the decoration was
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missing. Doug purchased a 2 part epoxy resin kit from a theatrical supply company and made silicon moulds of the existing parts to make new copies. These were attached to the frame and all damaged original parts repaired. The completed frame was finished with black Japan and the clock mechanism restored and installed. The end result was magnificent and the new parts undetectable from the old.
What on Earth is this Tool ??? by Grant Griffith
Grant put up pictures of tools he had come across in old catalogues and asked the audience what they were for. The pictures were of, main spring hole punch, upright for turn, impulse jewel adjuster, watch band pin remover and a universal fob watch key. Some of them had a lot of the members puzzled.
MEETING CLOSE
The raffle was drawn and the meeting closed for the Christmas Party to begin.
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H. Moser & Cie creates million-dollar watch made of Swiss cheese
Richard Holt The Telegraph 13 January 2017
Swiss Mad Watch It may be far too early for an April fool, but this story will certainly have you wondering if somebody is having a laugh at your expense: the luxury watchmaker H. Moser & Cie has made a watch that costs a million dollars and has a case made from genuine Swiss cheese.
It may sound like a joke, but the watch is genuine, and the motivation behind it is very serious. Moser, an independent luxury watchmaker, is protesting at the rules governing the label “Swiss-made”. It argues that the regulations are so loose, and the enforcement of them so lax, that it is possible to have so-called Swiss-made watches that are in fact largely produced elsewhere, notably in the Far East
Despite the fact that Moser watches are entirely made in Switzerland – apart from the straps, which are made in Italy – the company announced that this year it is removing the “Swiss-made” label from all of its watches in protest. The Swiss government rules recently changed so that 60 per cent of a watch’s value must come from Switzerland, up from 50 per cent previously following complaints from others in the industry.
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But as this figure now includes research and development costs, it means that many companies outsource the vast majority of their production to cheaper countries, and critics like Moser CEO Edouard Meylan say that this renders the label meaningless.
“I could make tons more margin by making my watches abroad,” Meylan says. “But I am the fifth generation in my family to work in the Swiss watch industry and I believe in the value of our tradition and I think it needs to be protected.”
He decided to highlight the issue by making a watch emphasising the importance of Swissness, and what could be more Swiss than cheese?
The watch comes on a strap made of Swiss cowhide and the case is made from a proprietary polymer mixed with Vacherin Mont d’Or médaille d’or, a cheese from Meylan’s home village. The end material has been thoroughly tested for durability and, Meylan says, “does not sweat, is not greasy and does not smell”. The cheese, potential buyers will be pleased to know, was pasteurised before it was put into the watch.
The aptly named Swiss Mad Watch is a one-off piece and is going on sale for 1,081,291 Swiss francs (almost £900,000) a symbolic price that references the signing of the Swiss Federal Charter in August 1291. There have already, according to Meylan, been several offers of “in the hundreds of thousands of francs” for the watch, which will be sold to the highest bidder at the end of next week’s SIHH watch fair. The proceeds of the sale will be used to help support Swiss-based suppliers to the watch industry.
For those put off by the high price – or the lactose content – there is also a non-cheese version available for £15,500. It has the same in-house, hand-wound movement but a case made not from Swiss cheese, but from white gold. Associated Press.
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RepRoduced fRom ottawa chapteR 111 NewsletteR
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I am once again pleased to give you another positive update on the action brought against Cousins by Swatch in the Bern Court.
When our Swiss lawyers studied the claim Swatch made, they formed an opinion that Swiss law does not allow such a case to be dragged to Switzerland, and that the real reasons Swatch had made the claim were to try and intimidate us, to drain our resources, and to delay things for as long as possible. We are optimistic that the Bern Court will take a very dim view of such legal tactics.
In our response to the Court, we detailed all the arguments that support this opinion, and requested a ruling from the Judge that he suspend hearing the full case until he had decided whether or not the case was admissible at all. Logic dictates that it makes no sense to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on legal fees, and days of court time arguing about EU Competition Law, only to find out afterwards that the whole case was not admissible.
On receipt of our request, the Judge forwarded our arguments to Swatch and asked for their response. Unsurprisingly, Swatch did not agree with our challenge, dismissed it out of hand, and requested that the Judge give us very limited time to present our response to the entire case.
However it seems that our arguments about the legitimacy of Swatch’s actions are well enough founded and need to be considered, because the Judge has now issued an order in line with our request, and against Swatch’s preferred procedure. This order greatly simplifies and speeds up matters. In my opinion, this decision clearly shows that the Bern Court does not hesitate when it comes to ensuring that the rules are followed fairly, and to further ensure that the minnows have a genuine opportunity to defend themselves when attacked by the whales. I am grateful to the Judge for his actions in this regard.
The practical upshot of all this is that we will get a much quicker decision from the Swiss court on where the full case will be held. If our points of procedural law win the day, then ultimately the case will return to the English courts where it will be considerably easier to argue a matter of English and EU law. If the Swiss Court does not agree with our arguments, then we will have the more difficult option of arguing the matter in a foreign language some 600 miles away from home.
What Swatch should by now have learned from all this, is that whatever legal tactics they employ, Cousins resolve remains as strong as ever when it comes to obtaining a ruling that their parts embargo breaches English and EU competition law. We continue do everything we can to support our trade customers in their efforts to provide the end consumer with quality services at a fair price. Kind regards Anthony Cousins
Swatch v Cousins Despite Swatch objections, Swiss Judge agrees Cousins request to limit the case
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Big Ben will fall silent as iconic clock undergoes major repairs By Laura Hughes, POLITICAL
CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH
Big Ben will fall silent for several months after it closes its doors to visitors for a major three-year £29million refurbishment project.
The iconic London landmark is expected to stop chiming as it undergoes a series of repairs under plans to stop the clock from grinding to a halt. It will be the third time that the chime has not rung out over London for 150 years, having previously stopped for nine months of repairs in 1976 and six weeks in 2007.
Final tours took place this afternoon and scaffolding will go up in the New Year.
Parliament say at least one face is intended to remain visible at any time, and tolling will be maintained for important events like New Year’s Eve or Remembrance Day Officials have warned that the clock is in a "chronic state" and may fail if work is not carried out urgently.
It is more than 30 years since the last significant conservation work was carried out.
The clock, and the Elizabeth Tower which houses it, will be moderinsed and restored after an investigation found serious problems including corrosion and cracks.
Big Ben will not ring out over the capital as specialists dismantle the clock mechanism and replace the pendulum suspension spring after concerns were raised that the clock may fall out of time
A new paint job is also on the cards, according to the plans, which could see intricate gold works around the clock face returned to their original colours, thought to include green and blue.
In a release accompanying the announcement experts warned: " Despite attention from specialist clock makers on a daily basis, it is estimated that if problems are not addressed soon, there is a high risk that the clock will fail."
A House of Commons spokesperson said: “We do not know exactly when Big Ben will stop ringing, but we estimate that the clock mechanism will need to be stopped for several months in order to carry out essential maintenance. "During this period there will be no chiming or striking. Striking and tolling will be maintained for important events, for example, on New Year’s Eve.”
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Big Ben From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Elizabeth Tower (previously called the Clock Tower), more popularly known as Big Ben,[3][6] was raised as a part of Charles Barry's design for a new palace, after the old Palace of Westminster was largely destroyed by fire on the night of 16 October 1834.[9][10] The new parliament was built in a neo-gothic style. Although Barry was the chief architect of the palace, he turned to Augustus Pugin for the design of the clock tower, which resembles earlier Pugin designs, including one for Scarisbrick Hall in Lancashire. The design for the tower was Pugin's last design before his final descent into madness and death, and Pugin himself wrote, at the time of Barry's last visit to him to collect the drawings: "I never worked so hard in my life for Mr Barry for tomorrow I render all the designs for finishing his bell tower & it is beautiful."[11] The tower is designed in Pugin's celebrated Gothic Revival style, and is 315 feet (96.0 m) high.[12]
The Palace of Westminster, Big Ben and Westminster Bridge
Big Ben and environs, including St Margaret's Church, Parliament Square, Portcullis House, and the London Eye
The bottom 200 feet (61.0 m) of the tower's structure consists of brickwork with sand-coloured Anston limestone cladding. The remainder of the tower's height is a framed spire of cast iron. The tower is founded on a 50 feet (15.2 m) square raft, made of 10 feet (3.0 m) thick concrete, at a depth of 13 feet (4.0 m) below ground level. The four clock dials are 180 feet (54.9 m) above ground. The interior volume of the tower is 164,200 cubic feet (4,650 cubic metres).
Despite being one of the world's most famous tourist attractions, the interior of the tower is not open to overseas visitors, though United Kingdom residents are able to arrange tours (well in advance) through their Member of Parliament.[13] However, the tower currently has no lift, though one is planned, so those escorted must climb the 334 limestone stairs to the top.[12]
Due to changes in ground conditions since construction, the tower leans slightly to the north-west, by roughly 230 millimetres (9.1 in) over 55 m height, giving an inclination of approximately 1/240. This includes a planned maximum of 22 mm increased tilt due to tunnelling for the Jubilee line extension.[14] Due to thermal effects it oscillates annually by a few millimetres east and west.
Big Ben at twilight
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Journalists during Queen Victoria's reign called it St Stephen's Tower. As MPs originally sat at St Stephen's Hall, these journalists referred to anything related to the House of Commons as news from "St. Stephens" (the Palace of Westminster contains a feature called St Stephen's Tower, a smaller tower over the public entrance).[9] The usage persists in Welsh, where the Westminster district, and Parliament by extension, is known as San Steffan.
On 2 June 2012, The Daily Telegraph reported that 331 Members of Parliament, including senior members of all three main parties, supported a proposal to change the name from Clock Tower to Elizabeth Tower in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in her diamond jubilee year. This was thought to be appropriate because the large west tower now known as Victoria Tower was renamed in tribute to Queen Victoria on her diamond jubilee.[15] On 26 June 2012, the House of Commons confirmed that the name change could go ahead.[16] The Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced the change of name on 12 September 2012 at the start of Prime Minister's Questions.[17] The change was marked by a naming ceremony in which the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, unveiled a name plaque attached to the tower on the adjoining Speaker's Green.[1
Dials
The dial of the Great Clock of Westminster. The hour hand is 9 feet (2.7 m) long and the minute hand is 14 feet (4.3 m) long. The rear of the clock face
The clock and dials were designed by Augustus Pugin. The clock dials are set in an iron frame 23 feet (7.0 m) in diameter, supporting 312 pieces of opal glass, rather like a stained-glass window. Some of the glass pieces may be removed for inspection of the hands.
The surround of the dials is gilded. At the base of each clock dial in gilt letters is the Latin inscription:
DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM
Which means O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First.
Unlike most other Roman numeral clock dials, which show the '4' position as 'IIII', the Great Clock faces depict '4' as 'IV'.
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Movement
The clock's movement is famous for its reliability. The designers were the lawyer and amateur horologist Edmund Beckett Denison, and George Airy, the Astronomer Royal. Construction was entrusted to clockmaker Edward John Dent; after his death in 1853 his stepson Frederick Dent completed the work, in 1854.[19] As the tower was not complete until 1859, Denison had time to experiment: instead of using the deadbeat escapement and remontoire as originally designed, Denison invented the double three-legged gravity escapement. This escapement provides the best separation between pendulum and clock mechanism. The pendulum is installed within an enclosed windproof box beneath the clockroom. It is 13 feet (4.0 m) long, weighs 660 pounds (300 kg), suspended on a strip of spring steel 1/64 inch in thickness, and beats every 2 seconds. The clockwork mechanism in a room below weighs 5 tons. On top of the pendulum is a small stack of old penny coins; these are to adjust the time of the clock. Adding a coin has the effect of minutely lifting the position of the pendulum's centre of mass, reducing the effective length of the pendulum rod and hence increasing the rate at which the pendulum swings. Adding or removing a penny will change the clock's speed by 0.4 seconds per day.[7]
On 10 May 1941, a German bombing raid damaged two of the clock's dials and sections of the tower's stepped roof and destroyed the House of Commons chamber. Architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed a new five-floor block. Two floors are occupied by the current chamber, which was used for the first time on 26 October 1950. The clock ran accurately and chimed throughout the Blitz.[20]
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Malfunctions, breakdowns, and other interruptions in operation
The south clock face being cleaned on 11 August 2007
1916: For two years during World War I, the bells were silenced and the clock faces were not illuminated at night to avoid guiding attacking German Zeppelins.[12]
1 September 1939: Although the bells continued to ring, the clock faces were not illuminated at night through World War II to avoid guiding bomber pilots during the Blitz.[12]
3–4 June 1941: The clock stopped from 10:13 p.m. until 10:13 the following morning, after a workman repairing air raid damage to the clock face dropped a hammer into the works.[21]
1949: The clock slowed by four and a half minutes after a flock of starlings perched on the minute hand.[22]
New Year's Eve 1962: The clock slowed due to heavy snow and ice on the long hands, causing the pendulum to detach from the clockwork, as it is designed to do in such circumstances, to avoid serious damage elsewhere in the mechanism – the pendulum continuing to swing freely. Thus it chimed in the new year 10 minutes late.[23]
30 January 1965: The bells were silenced during the funeral of statesman and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.[24]
5 August 1976: First and only major breakdown. The air brake speed regulator of the chiming mechanism broke from torsional fatigue after more than 100 years of use, causing the fully wound 4-ton weight to spin the winding drum out of the movement, causing much damage. The Great Clock was shut down for a total of 26 days over nine months – it was reactivated on 9 May 1977; this was the longest break in operation since its construction. During this time BBC Radio 4 broadcast the pips instead.[25] Although there were minor stoppages from 1977 to 2002 when maintenance of the clock was carried out by the old firm of clockmakers Thwaites & Reed, these were often repaired within the permitted two-hour downtime and not recorded as stoppages. Prior to 1970 maintenance was carried out by the original firm of Dents, and since 2002 by parliamentary staff.
30 April 1997: The clock stopped 24 hours before the general election, and stopped again three weeks later.[26]
27 May 2005: The clock stopped at 10:07 p.m., possibly because of hot weather; temperatures in London had reached an unseasonable 31.8 °C (90 °F). It resumed, but stopped again at 10:20 p.m. and remained still for about 90 minutes before resuming.[26]
29 October 2005: The mechanism was stopped for about 33 hours to allow maintenance work on the clock and its chimes. It was the lengthiest maintenance shutdown in 22 years.[27]
7:00 a.m. 5 June 2006: The clock tower's "Quarter Bells" were taken out of commission for four weeks[28] as a bearing holding one of the quarter bells was worn and needed to be removed for repairs. During this period, BBC Radio 4 broadcast recordings of British bird song followed by the pips in place of the usual chimes.[29]
11 August 2007: Start of 6-week stoppage for maintenance. Bearings in the clock's chime train and the "great bell" striker were replaced, for the first time since installation.[30] During the maintenance works the clock was driven by an electric motor.[31] Once again, BBC Radio 4 broadcast the pips during this time. The intention is that the clock should run accurately for a further 200 years before major maintenance is again required.[32]
17 April 2013: The bells were silenced as a mark of "profound dignity and deep respect" during the funeral of Margaret Thatcher.[33]
August 2015: The clock was discovered to be running 7 seconds fast, and coins were removed from its pendulum to correct the error, which caused it to run slow for a time.[34]
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Bells Great Bell
The second "Big Ben" (centre) and the Quarter Bells from The Illustrated News of the World, 4 December 1858
The main bell, officially known as the Great Bell but better known as Big Ben, is the largest bell in the tower and part of the Great Clock of Westminster.[35]
The original bell was a 16 ton (16.3-tonne) hour bell, cast on 6 August 1856 in Stockton-on-Tees by John Warner & Sons.[1] The bell was possibly named in honour of Sir Benjamin Hall, and his name is inscribed on it.[36] However, another theory for the origin of the name is that the bell may have been named after a contemporary heavyweight boxer Benjamin Caunt.[37] It is thought that the bell was originally to be called Victoria or Royal Victoria in honour of Queen Victoria, but that an MP suggested the nickname during a Parliamentary debate; the comment is not recorded in Hansard.[38]
Since the tower was not yet finished, the bell was mounted in New Palace Yard. The first bell was transported to the tower on a trolley drawn by sixteen horses, with crowds cheering its progress. During the bell's testing, it cracked beyond repair and a replacement had to be made. The bell was recast on 10 April 1858 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry as a 13½ ton (13.76-tonne) bell.[1][39] This was pulled 200 ft (61.0 m) up to the Clock Tower’s belfry, a feat that took 18 hours. It is 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m) tall and 9 feet (2.74 m) diameter. This new bell first chimed in July 1859; in September it too cracked under the hammer. According to the foundry's manager, George Mears, the horologist Denison had used a hammer more than twice the maximum weight specified.[1] For three years Big Ben was taken out of commission and the hours were struck on the lowest of the quarter bells until it was repaired. To make the repair, a square piece of metal was chipped out from the rim around the crack, and the bell given an eighth of a turn so the new hammer struck in a different place.[1] Big Ben has chimed with a slightly different tone ever since, and is still in use today with the crack unrepaired. Big Ben was the largest bell in the British Isles until "Great Paul", a 16¾ ton (17 tonne) bell currently hung in St Paul's Cathedral, was cast in 1881.[40]
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Cultural importance
Double-decker buses frame a
busy Whitehall with Big Ben in the
background.
Big Ben replica at Legoland Windsor
The clock has become a cultural symbol of the United Kingdom, particularly in the visual media. When a television or film-maker wishes to indicate a generic location in the country, a popular way to do so is to show an image of the tower, often with a red double-decker bus or black cab in the foreground.[52]
In 2008 a survey of 2,000 people found that the tower was the most popular landmark in the United Kingdom.[53] It has also been named as the most iconic film location in London.[54]
The sound of the clock chiming has also been used this way in audio media, but as the Westminster Quarters are heard from other clocks and other devices, the sound is by no means unique. Big Ben is a focus of New Year celebrations in the United Kingdom, with radio and TV stations tuning to its chimes to welcome the start of the New Year. To welcome in 2012, the clock tower was lit with fireworks that exploded at every toll of Big Ben.[55]Similarly, on Remembrance Day, the chimes of Big Ben are broadcast to mark the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and the start of the two minutes' silence.[56] Londoners who live an appropriate distance from the tower and Big Ben can, by means of listening to the chimes both live and on analogue radio, hear the bell strike thirteen times. This is possible because the electronically transmitted chimes arrive virtually instantaneously, while the "live" sound is delayed travelling through the air since the speed of sound is relatively slow.[57]
ITN's News at Ten opening sequence formerly featured an image of the tower with the sound of Big Ben's chimes punctuating the announcement of the news headlines.[58] The Big Ben chimes (known within ITN as "The Bongs") continue to be used during the headlines and all ITV News bulletins use a graphic based on the Westminster clock dial. Big Ben can also be heard striking the hour before some news bulletins on BBC Radio 4 (6 p.m. and midnight, plus 10 p.m. on Sundays) and the BBC World Service, a practice that began on 31 December 1923. The sound of the chimes is sent live from a microphone permanently installed in the tower and connected by line to Broadcasting House.[59]
At the close of the polls for the 2010 general election the results of the national exit poll were projected onto the south side of the tower.[60] On 27 July 2012, starting at 8:12 a.m, Big Ben chimed 30 times, to welcome in the London Olympic Games (i.e. the 30th Olympiad), which officially began that day.[61]
Cultural Depictions The Clock Tower features in many dramatic representations, and as a specific location in:
My Learned Friend, 1943 film starring Will Hay
Peter Pan, 1953 Walt Disney animated feature "The Nightmare Man", a 1978 episode of Return of the Saint starring Ian Ogilvy The Thirty-Nine Steps, 1978 film starring Robert Powell "Aliens of London", a 2005 Doctor Who episode
This article has 62 references which may be found on the Wikipedia website
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Restoration of a Chauncey Jerome Marine Octagon c1850 By Grant Griffiths
I felt sorry for the very last item in the Chapter auction 3 years – I won the only bid at $30.
It had an interesting part label on the back. ago which I thought was “Pomeroy” from New Haven
However the NAWCC message board soon put me straight
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Chauncey Jerome (1793–1868) was an American Clockmaker in the early 19th century. He made a fortune selling his clocks, and his business grew quickly. However, his company
... failed in 1856, and he died in poverty.
So it’s an early spring-driven clock, that’s the good news.
The bad news is that you thought it looked rough on the outside
That’s not camera distortion!!
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The strike-side spring was the original, showing crystal grains in the metal typical of the period.
Cleaned the parts in the brass brew
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The solder-enhanced counterweight for the pallet lever just fell off
So made a new counterweight that pressed onto the arbor to avoid remaking the whole lever
Panelbeat, grained, and re-bushed the plates,
Straightened and polished the pivots,
Made a new balance staff about the right length,
Removed the hooks from the escapement wheel teeth
Made it tick
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What do you do when a Seiko Kinetic Watch is rejected for repair by the Manufacturer’s service Department ?
By Peter Foster
22 years ago I bought my wife a Seiko Kinetic watch for a 25th Anniversary present, and since then have serviced it at the Seiko service department, which is geographically close to where I live.
Imagine my disappointment recently when they told me that they no longer carry spares and have ceased to service them. They gave me list of possible repairers but made no guarantees.
I rang a Chapter 72 member who recommended David Thomas of Thomas Timepieces in Newcastle who he considered one of the best in Australia for this type of watch and would probably have a source of spares.
This turned out to be the case.
David who turned out to be a very modest character and his wife Maureen run the business. Chatting to Maureen it was evident the lengths to which they go to ensure sentimental watches keep going.
Thomas' Timepieces has been operating in the Newcastle Hunter Street mall since 1988. With a fully qualified watchmaker in store, they provide watch and clock repairs, valuations as well as vintage and antique timepiece restorations
So if you have a similar Seiko Kinetic Watch that needs repairing consider contacting David or Maureen. Contact them through their website which is : https://www.thomastimepieces.com.au
.
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Official Tag Heuer agent Rolex, Omega, Eta parts
Vintage spare parts, Clock parts Watchmaking tools Crystals & plexi’s
Email – [email protected] Web – australianwatchclocksupplies.com.au
Phone – 02 8677 3314
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Upcoming Events around Australia in 2017
Sydney Chapter 72
General Meetings Normally held at Wentworthville Uniting Church Hall near the corner of Station and McKern Streets Wentworth-ville. 1pm for 1.30pm finishing around 5pm. A ‘Mart’ is held at each meeting with tables are available (at no cost), for items that you wish to sell. Visitors are welcome – see on of the members behind the desk on arrival if not accompanied .
Our next General meeting is: Sunday 2nd April 2017
Watches
Electrical Horology Group These are normally Friday night meetings 6.30pm – 9.00pm with a light supper .
The meetings are held in member‘s homes. Meetings are informal, can have a show and tell, a mini mart, some practical work or demonstration . Contact: Graham Mitchell for venue: email: [email protected] phone:Home (02) 9416 2766
Next meeting is 10th March 2017:
Next meeting is on Sunday 5th March Replacing a broken JewelMeeting’s will be held commencing at 1.30pm and finish approx 4.30pm Contact: Venues to be decidedColin Thompson : email : [email protected] ph: 98360237
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Upcoming Events around Australia in 2017
Sydney Chapter 72
General Meetings Normally held at Wentworthville Uniting Church Hall near the corner of Station and McKern Streets Wentworth-ville. 1pm for 1.30pm finishing around 5pm. A ‘Mart’ is held at each meeting with tables are available (at no cost), for items that you wish to sell. Visitors are welcome – see on of the members behind the desk on arrival if not accompanied .
Our next General meeting is: Sunday 2nd April 2017
Watches
Electrical Horology Group These are normally Friday night meetings 6.30pm – 9.00pm with a light supper .
The meetings are held in member‘s homes. Meetings are informal, can have a show and tell, a mini mart, some practical work or demonstration . Contact: Graham Mitchell for venue: email: [email protected] phone:Home (02) 9416 2766
Next meeting is 10th March 2017:
Upcoming Events around Australia in 2017continued
CHAPTER 168 - TORSION PENDULUM CLOCKS
Meetings are open to members of Chapter 72 and 168 and any other person with an interest in torsion Pendulum Clocks, and are held at the rear of Doug Minty’s house at 69, Railway St Wentworthville. Use side gate to gain access and follow the path past the pool to the workshop. Commencing at 6.30pm the meetings typically end around 10.30pm. Supper is provided. If you have a problem, bring it along to the meeting for discussion and a possible solution.
Meetings for 2017 are held on the Friday following the bimonthly Chapter 72 meeting The next meeting has to be confirmed for10th February Contact: Colin Thompson : email : [email protected] ph: 98360237
Other Chapter HappeningsBrisbane Chapter 104 Meeting Venue: General Meetings are normally conducted at the Clubhouse 1430 Ipswich Road Rock-lea 4106 commencing at 1pm and concluding at approximately 4.00pm Contact: Allan Roberts, President, Tel: 07 3277 7858
Melbourne Chapter 122 Meeting Venue: Eley Park Community Centre, Eley Rd Blackburn South at 8pm Contact: Mick Connelly 0395702898
Canberra Chapter 182 Meeting venue: The Irish Club. 6 Parkinson St. Weston, ACT Contact: Roger Little, President, Tel: 02 6254 9243
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MINTY’S MAGIC MOULDINGS
Will appear in the Next Newsletter
