Newsroom Archive 2015
December 10, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
NEW YEAR’S AT NOON
COLUMBIA, PA: Ring in the New Year with Father Time and Baby New Year at the place that is the center of time—The National Watch and Clock Museum. The Museum’s New Years at Noon event on December 31 is the only local New Year’s Eve party designed specifically for children during daylight hours.
Children will learn about the passage of time using traditional adult activities presented in a child-friendly manner. As part of the traditional celebration, the Museum will host a countdown with Father Time, complete with a balloon drop at the strike of noon. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Father Time will lead guests in a dance party full of fun and swinging music.
Activities include time to:
• Make New Year’s hats out of recycled materials with the Lancaster Creative Reuse center booth
• Pose in the Museum’s New Year’s photo booth while you show off your party hat
• Play a New Year’s trivia game testing your knowledge of New Year’s traditions and history
• Participate in family challenges like Minute to Win It as you race against the clock
• Meet and greet with Dutch Wonderland’s Princess Brooke during story time
• Create a time capsule to remember 2015
• Write your resolutions for 2015 on Resolution Wall
• Decorate a cookie like a clock face with Rivertownes PA, USA and enjoy it as a snack afterward
• Accessorize with glitter tattoos and face painting by Mimzy’s Face Painting
Advanced registration is not necessary and all activities are included with regular paid admission of adults $9, senior citizens $8, children age 5-16 $5, children younger than 5 free, and a family rate of $23. For additional information, contact 717.684.8261, ext. 237.
November 9, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SANTA SETS HIS WATCH AT TIME MUSEUM
COLUMBIA, PA: No one needs to watch his time more that Santa does! With the days ticking down to that big night of traveling to all the homes he must visit, Santa knows the importance of time. There’s no better place to synchronize his watch than at the center of time - the National Watch and Clock Museum.
After he arrives at the Museum on Saturday, December 12, and sets his magical watch, children may visit with Santa Claus from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm and share with him their holiday wishes. Parents are welcomed to take pictures and enjoy yuletide music and punch and cookies around the Christmas tree.
“I was always convinced, even as a child, that Santa was able to manipulate time somehow in order to deliver all of those Christmas gifts,” states Museum Director Noel Poirier. “It’s only natural that Santa would want to come to the only national museum dedicated to the story and technology of time and timekeeping.”
November 9, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
TEA TIME WITH MRS. CLAUS
COLUMBIA, PA: The National Watch and Clock Museum is hosting a “Tea Time with Mrs. Claus” at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 12.
Celebrate the holiday season by enjoying a special tea and Christmas story reading with Mrs. Claus. Following this special time with Mrs. Claus, all the younger guests will have time to make a special clock to take home and at noon spend time visiting with Santa in the Museum’s spacious marble rotunda.
All the tea’s guests are encouraged to dress in their fancy and finest attire for this special occasion and bring along their own cameras to capture all the special moments – including the visit with Santa.
The tea includes assorted sweets, scones with jam, and tea or hot chocolate. Children age four and up are invited to attend the tea accompanied by an adult. Cost for the tea is $18 per child and $12 for each adult. Included are making the clock, the story reading, a visit with Santa, and admission to the Museum.
Please call 717-684-8261 ext. 211 for reservations. Seating is limited.
November 3, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WEBINAR: EXPLORING THE MUSEUM’S COLLECTION FROM THE COMFORT OF HOME
COLUMBIA, PA: The NAWCC will present “Exploring the Museum’s Collection from the Comfort of Home” Sunday, November 15, from 7 to 8 p.m.
With a click of your mouse or a touch of your finger, you can explore the entire Museum collection, a database that contains thousands of objects and images. The database is always a work in progress, with new Museum and archival items updated or added every week. Join Museum Director Noel Poirier for a “how-to” on using the Museum’s Online Collection Database.
The NAWCC webinars cover various horological topics, ranging from ephemera and time zones to many watch and clock programs, with speakers from across the country. Individuals or Chapters may view the recorded presentations at any time; the NAWCC Library also has DVDs available for borrowing if access to the Internet for streaming a presentation is not available.
There is no charge for the webinar; if you are interested, go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8843627475236394497.
After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar. Please view system requirements before logging on to make sure you will be able to access the program. This information will be found in the registration link and registration confirmation. If you cannot attend this webinar live and want to view a recording of it, please register for the webinar, and you will be automatically notified when a recording is available.
October 22, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LUXURY OR LIE? New NAWCC Course Breaks New Ground
COLUMBIA, PA: The new educational course “Luxury or Lie? How to Identify Genuine from Fake Watches” was a resounding success! Instructor Adam Harris designed and developed the course held the first week of October at the NAWCC campus in Columbia, PA. The course included an overview of watch types, terminology, and techniques to detect counterfeited or reworked luxury timepieces from the genuine.
Among other topics the course covered the following:
• Historical chronology of the watch, its terminology, and complications
• The differences between “homage,” “Frankenstein,” “re-worked,” “fake,” and “super-fake” timepieces
• Best ways to identify the components of a GENUINE timepiece and reference its original manufacturer
• Tips to quickly identify the genuine from the fake: “Hands On” Fakes vs. “Genuine” vs. “Reworks.” Participants received a special tool (the “Litmus Test”) to determine very quickly without opening the case whether the timepiece was not genuine and correct.
Attendance was high among horological collectors and multiple professionals from the jewelry and appraisal industry, and the course was universally praised by the following attendees:
“Thanks again for the course you prepared; its knowledge was well worth every minute of it!” (Josh Bryant, A Yankee Peddler and Loan)
“It was excellent and I will tell the other members of Chapter 12 of the NAWCC and also the members of the Potomac Guild of the Horological Association of Virginia (HAV).” (Joseph Jabbour, Clock and Watch Appraisal Services of Northern Virginia, LLC)
“The class was a great asset to my business, and I will use what I learned daily. Thanks for offering the course. Please give my regards to everyone at NAWCC. It's great to be a member!” (Martin Fuller, Martin Fuller Appraisals LLC)
“Great job! You'll be pleased to know that we were able to apply some of the new techniques within 24 hrs.” (Anthony LoRe, The Provident Loan Society of New York)
“I learned so much from your seminar, especially the Never 31 or 7 and the Litmus Test (so clever!)” (Zully Patino, The Provident Loan Society of New York)
“I’ve been telling my colleagues how terrific you were and that it is an essential course to take the next time it comes up.” (Gina D’Onofrio, Jewelry Appraisal Services)
NAWCC Director of Education Katie Knaub is enthusiastic about the new offering. “We are thrilled to continue to offer this course because we have heard from many people who deal with luxury watches on a daily basis that this course has fulfilled a definite training need not offered elsewhere.”
The course will be offered again on May 21-23, 2016, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the classroom facilities at NAWCC headquarters in Columbia, PA. For further information and to register, contact Director of Education Katie Knaub at 717-684-8261, ext. 237 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
October 15, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
BUCKWALTER HONORED FOR HIS TIME AT THE WATCH AND CLOCK MUSEUM
COLUMBIA, PA: The National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors (NAWCC) named Mountville resident Terry Buckwalter Volunteer of the Year. Recently, Terry received an award for his generous contribution of time to the Museum and the Library during the past three years.
“At the end of May, Terry finished a project that he had been working on for more than two years—an inventory of the Lending Library. Row by row Terry took the books off the shelves and made a note of the barcode for each one. While conducting the inventory, he also worked on scanning the covers of all the books and the table of contents and indices of most of them and updating copy information. In the end Terry handled every one of the more than 15,000 books in the Library,” shares Librarian & Archives Supervisor Sara Dockery.
“Terry’s work has been invaluable, updating information that will help NAWCC members identify materials to borrow and to more easily find information. He has identified errors in the records and materials that are in need of repair or conservation. In addition to his inventory project, Terry has also pitched in to help in other areas of the Library whenever asked and has always worked diligently without a single complaint. For his hard work and always pleasant demeanor we would like to see him recognized for this honor,” adds Dockery.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Watch & Clock Museum and the Library & Research Center. In 2014 more than 50 dedicated volunteers gave over 4,000 documented hours—a huge savings for the Association. These dedicated individuals provide much of the manpower needed for daily operations, programs, special projects, and events. From event planning to education aides to exhibit construction, to archival research, volunteers get involved at various levels that fit the individuals’ time and commitment availability. If you have extra time on your hands and are interested in volunteering, please call the volunteer coordinator at 717-684-8261, ext. 237 to request an application. The application is also available on the Museum’s website at www.museumoftime.org.
October 12, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
A SPECIAL INVITATION TO HOMESCHOOLERS
COLUMBIA, PA: The National Watch and Clock Museum has declared Tuesday, November 12, Homeschool Day. Families who homeschool are especially invited to spend time at the Museum and participate from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the following crafts and activities:
• Learn how water can be used to tell time
• Experiment with pendulum painting and learn the science behind it
• Make a working clock to take home
• Go on a scavenger hunt through the Museum exhibits
• Learn about how the sun can be used to tell time
• Play time-related games
• Learn how to research a timepiece
• See a watchmaker at work
Registration for the Homeschool Day is required by November 7; cost per student is $10 with no charge for one accompanying adult. For each additional adult attending there is a $6 charge with no charge for children under 6 years of age (unless they want to make a clock for $6). Please contact the Education Department at 717-684-8261, ext. 237 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register or for more information.
“Along with other events and workshops, the Museum enjoys planning a Homeschool Day each year because it’s another opportunity for families to see that the Museum is not only educational, but a whole lot of fun too—for all ages,” stated Director of Education Katie Knaub.
October 1, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
TIME FLIES ON HALLOWE'EN - VIA BROOMSTICK!
Welcome all witches and creatures of fright, devils, demons, and ghouls of the night! Like a witch on her broomstick, time will fly on October 31 as the National Watch and Clock Museum holds its first Witching Hour Halloween Ball.
On this Daylight Saving Time weekend join the Museum from 7 to 10 p.m. as it marks the end of daylight saving time with mysterious music, devilish drinks, and hallowing hors d’oeuvres. A haunting hearse will welcome each guest to the Museum, and a spooky signature drink will be available at the cash bar. Costumes always add to the fun and are strongly encouraged, but not required. Parisan and Sons Entertainment will provide the dance music, and media sponsor 96.1 SOX will announce winners of several categories for best costume.
Tickets for this 21 and over event are $15 per person and $25 per couple and may be purchased by calling 717-684-8261 ext. 211 or visiting museumoftime.org.
September 15, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
COLUMBIA, PA: What happens after the National Watch and Clock Museum locks its doors each night? Does the mouse run up the clock, does the grandfather clock begin to talk, or does time really fly?
It’s easy to take the watches and clocks in your home or office for granted. With a quick glance, there’s the time telling you whether it’s time to head to work, get lunch, pick up the kids, or go to bed.
The Museum, located in Columbia, is truly the center of time and is home to close to 12,000 watches and clocks. Why not bring your family and go on an exploration of time?! After a stroll through the Museum’s time tunnel, you will find yourself transported to the time of Stonehenge and water clocks, where timekeeping first got its start. From there, you begin your journey through time where thousands of years later (or an hour and a half in museum time) your family will stand speechless before the Mars Clock wondering, “Where did the time go?”
The Family Overnight is a unique opportunity for children ages 6 to 12 to spend the night at the Museum and enjoy activities including decorating a clock to take home, munching on a snack, and exploring the many Museum’s exhibits. October 23 is the next sleepover. Cost is $20 for children and $12 for adults, with payment due prior to the sleepover. The adult chaperone must be at least 21 years old and is required for every five children participating.
Admission includes:
• Scavenger hunt activity through the Museum
• Museum exploration
• Make-a-clock program for children
• Snack and light breakfast
• Souvenir patch for children
Register by October 16 for the Family Overnight by calling 717-684-8261, ext. 237 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to reserve a space and receive an information packet. Space in this program is limited to 80 participants.
September 1, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CLOKTOBERFEST!
COLUMBIA, PA: On Saturday, September 26, in conjunction with Smithsonian Magazine’s Free Museum Day, the National Watch and Clock Museum will hold its first Cloktoberfest. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. enjoy live music, behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum, clock, and watch evaluations, children’s activities, area food trucks, beer, vendors selling horological, industrial, steampunk, and handmade items and more!
“The behind-the-scenes tours will include a peek into the area of the Museum that many do not get to see. Visitors can expect to see pieces that are not on display, a look into how these items are stored, and information on what goes into the National Watch and Clock Museum’s nearly 13,000 object collection. Three tour times will be offered: 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. to allow more personal experience,” explains Curator of Collections Kim Jovinelli.
Ever wondered about the history of that old clock on the mantel or where the pocket watch you inherited from your grandparents came from? Experts with the Library & Research Center will help you learn the origin and history of your timepiece. For a $10 fee they will look at up to two timepieces, with $5 applied for each additional piece. The mystery behind your time treasures can finally be unraveled!
Kids of all ages will also make their own clock to take home. Our popular Make-and-Take program will be available for participants to create a unique clock. There is a fee of $8 per clock. Participants will choose from a variety of wooden shapes for the base of their clock and then add their own distinctive touches with paint and materials provided. Our Education Department will also offer a free pendulum-painting station. Children will learn about the science behind a swinging pendulum with this activity that combines science and art.
Food trucks, including Bountiful Feast, York City Pretzel Co., Baron Von Schwein, and Scoops, will be on hand with plenty of delicious food, including grilled chicken and burgers, wraps, kabobs, bbq, macaroni and cheese, gourmet soft pretzels, and ice cream. Columbia Kettleworks is even creating a special brew for the event!
Media sponsor for Cloktoberfest is 96.1 SOX.
August 8, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WEBINAR: THE 7 CLOCK COMPANIES OF JOSEPH HENRY EASTMAN
COLUMBIA, PA: The NAWCC will present “The 7 Clock Companies of Joseph Henry Eastman” with Ken Hogwood Sunday, August 23, at 7 p.m. EDT. The program focuses on Joseph Henry Eastman’s life and the seven clock companies he was associated with during his life.
Ken is a collector, researcher, and restorer of antique carriage clocks. He also enjoys researching famous clockmakers and presenting his research in PowerPoint presentations at Chapter meetings. Ken gave a presentation on American carriage clocks at the 2012 Ward Francillon Time Symposium, which featured carriage clocks from around the world. The Watch & Clock Bulletin has published several articles by Ken, and The Carriage Way newsletter has also published articles by Ken.
The NAWCC webinars cover a wide variety of horological topics, ranging from ephemera and time zones to a variety of watch and clock programs, with speakers from across the country. Individuals or Chapters may view the recorded presentations at any time; the NAWCC Library also has DVDs available for borrowing if access to the Internet for streaming a presentation is not available.
There is no charge for the webinar; if you are interested, go to the following link to register:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2909942550049878529
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Please be sure to view system requirements before logging on to make sure you will be able to access the program. This information will be found in the registration link and registration confirmation. If you cannot attend this webinar live and would like to view a recording of it, please register for the webinar and you will be automatically notified when a recording is available.
July 1, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WEBINAR—ON THE CLOCK: CHANGING THE INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD
COLUMBIA, PA: The NAWCC will present “On the Clock: Changing the Industrialized World” with Museum Curator Kim Jovinelli Sunday, July 12, at 7 p.m. EDT.
This overview of the National Watch and Clock Museum's latest special exhibit will focus on time recorders as accents to the labor movement in America. An exhibit walkthrough will look at how the workday has changed over the years, the advancements that had to happen to bring us to where we are today, and what the future could look like as technology progresses.
The NAWCC webinars cover a wide variety of horological topics, ranging from ephemera and time zones to a variety of watch and clock programs, with speakers from across the country. Individuals or Chapters may view the recorded presentations at any time; the NAWCC Library also has DVDs available for borrowing if access to the Internet for streaming a presentation is not available.
There is no charge for the webinar; if you are interested, go to the following link to register:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3976829470707913217.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Please be sure to view system requirements before logging on to make sure you will be able to access the program. This information will be found in the registration link and registration confirmation. If you cannot attend this webinar live and would like to view a recording of it, please register for the webinar and you will be automatically notified when a recording is available.
June 18, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LUTHER GODDARD POCKET WATCH ACQUIRED BY NATIONAL WATCH AND CLOCK MUSEUM
COLUMBIA, PA: The National Watch and Clock Museum recently acquired a rare and important pocket watch by early American watchmaker Luther Goddard. This early example of American craftsmanship is in excellent condition, and its workmanship is achieved by only a few. The Museum is honored to add this outstanding pocket watch to its collection.
"This is why we exist: to ensure that objects like this very important, early American technological achievement are available to be enjoyed by the public and not stored away in a private collection." says Museum Director Noel Poirier. "Watchmaking was one of America's first industries, and this watch represents one of only a handful of these incredibly early examples to survive."
Luther Goddard was one of America's earliest watchmakers. He began his career in 1778 at the age of 16 when he apprenticed under his cousin, Simon Willard. He later settled his own homestead where he farmed during the summer months and fixed clocks in the winter.
By 1790 he built a full workshop and small foundry. However, by 1807 Congress, under the leadership of President Thomas Jefferson, enacted the Embargo Act of 1807 to economically coerce England and France to respect American trade during the Napoleonic Wars by banning all exportation to the two countries.
Luther Goddard saw this situation as an opportunity and converted his clock shop into a watch factory. This is considered the first major push for the watch trade in America, and Goddard is the first American watchmaker to create serialized timepieces. In total, Goddard created only about 600 watches before he died in May 1842.
June 16, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
MAKE AND TAKE TIME
COLUMBIA, PA: “At the National Watch and Clock Museum you don’t have to just visit time. You can take time home with you!” explains Marketing and Special Events Coordinator Kim Craven.
Make-and-Take Workshops will be held at the Museum on Mondays June 1 through August 31 between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Participants can choose the clock they want to make for themselves or for a gift. There is a small fee of $8 and large groups should make reservations by calling 717-684-8261, ext. 237.
“A workshop like this one is another opportunity to encourage families to visit and see that our Museum is not only educational, but a whole lot of fun, too – for all ages,” states Director of Education Katie Knaub.
June 9, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WATCH AND CLOCK MUSEUM OFFERS FREE ADMISSION TO MILITARY
COLUMBIA, PA: The National Watch and Clock Museum launches Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment of the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums across America. Free admission for active-duty military members (ID required) and their families (up to five) runs through Labor Day, September 7, 2015. Active-duty military includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and active-duty National Guard, and active-duty Reserve members.
Parents of young children tell us that they go together to museums to learn new things and have family time together,” said NEA Chair Jane Chu. “Blue Star Museums helps them do both, by helping military families learn about the cultural resources in their communities, and offering a fun, high-quality experience that’s budget friendly as well as family friendly. We’re proud to help connect museums to military communities nationwide.”
“Blue Star Museums has grown into a nationally recognized program that service members and their families look forward to each year,” said Blue Star Families Chief Executive Officer Kathy Roth-Douquet. “It helps bring our local military and civilian communities together and offers families fun and enriching activities in their hometowns. We are thrilled with the continued growth of the program and the unparalleled opportunities it offers.”
More than 2,000 (and counting) museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in this year’s initiative. Blue Star Museums represents not just fine arts museums but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and dozens of children's museums. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find the museums that are participating, visit www.arts.gov/national/blue-star-museums. The site also includes a map to help with visit planning.
On the Clock: Changing the Industrialized World is on special exhibit at the National Watch and Clock Museum through December. Running late for work? You can blame it on the dog, blame it on your kids, blame it on the traffic… But the time clock knows YOU ARE LATE! Museum Curator Kim Jovinelli shares, “I am excited to give the public a glimpse into something many of us have to do on a daily basis and what exactly had to happen to get us to this point. Having a job is an integral part of survival in the modern era. This exhibit is a look back at history, an examination of the present, and a look forward to the not too distant future.”
A new ongoing exhibit, James Bond Wore the Quartz Revolution, will challenge what visitors think they know. Displays will feature important wristwatches from the commercial industry as it unfolded—all worn by the James Bond character in the EON Productions movies of the period.
May 29, 2015
Contact Name: Markus Harris - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LUXURY OR LIE? How To Identify Genuine From Fake Watches
COLUMBIA, PA: The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) has initiated a new educational course “Luxury or Lie? How To Identify Genuine From Fake Watches,” designed and developed by the National Watch and Clock Museum guest wristwatch curator and instructor Adam Harris, as a guide to detecting counterfeited or reworked luxury timepieces. The course includes an overview of watch types and appropriate terminology, establishing criteria for making judgments of authenticity based on comparative analysis. Participants will learn watch examination techniques and methods and how to apply the best critical detection skills to discern the genuine from the fake.
Among other topics, the course will cover:
• Historical chronology of the watch and understanding its complications
• Watch terminology
• Chronograph movements and ETA (VALJOUX) dials
• Complications explained
• Differences between “homage,” “Frankenstein,” “re-worked,” “fake,” and “super-fake” timepieces.
• Best ways to identify the components of a GENUINE timepiece: the case (weight and finish), the dial and hands, the strap, the complication, and the movement.
• Best methods to quickly reference a timepiece to its original manufacturer.
• Tips to quickly identify the genuine from the fake: “Hands On” Fakes vs. “Genuine” vs. “Reworks.” Participants will be given a special tool (the “Litmus Test”) to determine very quickly (and without opening) the timepieces whether it is 100 percent genuine.
This course will include the following watch brands/makers: Omega, Hublot, Rolex, Breitling, Cartier, Tag Heuer, Panerai, Bell & Ross, Patek, Montblanc, and Girard Perregaux.
“After working in a pawn shop for some years, I realized how difficult it was to quickly and correctly differentiate a genuine piece from a fake… long gone are the days of cheap Chinese fakes and we are now being offered ‘Super Fakes’ that even defy the ability of the manufacturers to tell the difference,” said instructor Adam Harris. “The new course will reveal many of the major manufacturers’ counterfeit measures, some hidden, and some still unknown. Although it’s impossible to know every manufacturer and all their models, I’ve developed my own ‘Litmus Test’ that—in most types of timepiece—can immediately identify a fake.”
Instructor Adam Harris was born in Scotland, lived in England, and retired to Spain. He has served as a guest wristwatch curator at the National Watch and Clock Museum from 2012 to 2015. He served as vice president of Fujitsu Europe before retiring to pursue horological study under Mme Cinette Robert, former owner of Dubey and Schaldenbrand, and Marcus Hardy of Vintage Jewelry. He has also acted as a guest appraiser in a pawn shop: Gold Rush. Adam’s large collection of more than 200 vintage watches has aided in his knowledge of appraising timepieces.
“I am confident all attendees will leave with enough new knowledge to prevent future purchases of fake or re-worked watches,” continued Harris. “The course includes a follow-up webinar and one year of online support.”
NAWCC Director of Education Katie Knaub was enthusiastic about the new offering. “The NAWCC Education Department is thrilled to offer this course for the first time. We have been working on the development of this course for some time with Adam and are excited to offer this as part of our educational training.”
The cost for the full 2-1/2-day program is $1,250; an advance “early bird” registration rate of $1,000 is available for attendees who register before September 1, 2015. NAWCC Members may qualify for an additional discount rate of $900 if they register before September 1.
This course will be held October 3-5, 2015, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, October 3, and Sunday, October 4, and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, October 5. The program will be taught at the classroom facilities at NAWCC headquarters in Columbia, PA.
Webinar Portion: After the on-site course ends, a follow-up Internet webinar session will be hosted for attendees during the week of November 9, 2015. In the webinar participants may ask further questions and share their experiences with fellow attendees after implementing the techniques learned in the course.
May 26, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CLOCK MUSEUM AWARDED CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE
COLUMBIA, PA: The National Watch and Clock Museum has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade honors hospitality excellence for establishments worldwide that consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. Recipients represent the upper echelon of business on their website.
TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm that considers reviews ratings. Businesses must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five. Additional criteria include a business’ tenure and popularity ranking on the site.
“Winning the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride for the National Watch and Clock Museum. We’d like to thank all of our past guests who took the time to complete a review on TripAdvisor,” said Museum Director, Noel Poirier. “There is no greater seal of approval than being recognized by one’s customers. With the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of confidence to our Museum and our continued commitment to excellence.”
“TripAdvisor is pleased to honor exceptional hospitality businesses for consistent excellence,” said Marc Charron, president of TripAdvisor for Business. “The Certificate of Excellence award gives top performing establishments around the world the recognition they deserve, based on feedback from those who matter most – their customers. From Australia to Zimbabwe, we want to applaud exceptional hospitality businesses for offering TripAdvisor travelers a great customer experience.”
May 11, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
HOPS ’n’ CLOCKS
With more beer and food than ever before!
COLUMBIA, PA: It’s time to sip on some hops and check out the clocks! The National Watch and Clock Museum will hold its eighth annual beer-tasting event, Hops ’n’ Clocks, on Friday, July 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. Come sample local brews and the area’s fine food, enjoy live music, and maybe even walk away with a door prize!
Three new breweries are joining the fun this year: Gift Horse Brewing, Roy Pitz Brewing, and Wacker Brewing, along with Bailees’s Homebrew & Wine Supplies. Returning breweries include Lancaster Brewing, Liquid Hero Brewery, Troegs Brewing, Columbia Kettleworks,J & J Miracle Mead, and Wyndridge Farm with its crafty hard cider. And what’s beer without something to go with it? Providing tasty samples to complement the beer will be two new caterers to Hops ’n’ Clocks: Hurricane Pizza and Annie Bailey’s Irish Pub & Restaurant. Those returning include Union Station Grill, Half Nuts Popcorn, Hinkle’s, the Original Pickle Co., Baum’s Bologna, Isaac’s Restaurant and Deli, Prudhomme’s Lost Cajun Kitchen, Bully’s, Burning Bridge Tavern, and the Wrightsville Inn. For designated drivers or those just looking for an alternative, Turkey Hill also will provide plenty of nonalcoholic drinks!
Live music by the energetic and popular Irish group Fire in the Glen returns with a rollicking selection of traditional music from Ireland, Scotland, and the Canadian Maritimes, including blistering fiddle tunes, mug-thumping pub songs, and soulful airs and touching ballads … and some unusual twists as well!
“The People’s Choice” will be awarded at the conclusion of the evening after everyone has visited all the breweries and restaurants and voted by ballot for his or her favorite!
A limited number of tickets will be sold. Tickets are $30 and $15 for designated drivers. Attendees must be 21 or older and IDs will be checked at the door. The ticket price includes beer tasting, food sampling, a commemorative glass, Museum admission, live music, and even a chance to win a door prize! Proceeds benefit the National Watch & Clock Museum, Library & Research Center.
To order tickets visit www.museumoftime.org or call 717-684-8261, ext. 211.
Media sponsor for Hops ’n’ Clocks 2015 is ESPN Radio 92.7 FM.
May 7, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
MAKE AND TAKE TIME
COLUMBIA, PA: “At the National Watch and Clock Museum you don’t have to just visit time. You can take time home with you!” explains Marketing and Special Events Coordinator Kim Craven.
Make-and-Take Workshops will be held at the Museum on Mondays June 1 through August 31 between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Participants can choose the clock they want to make for themselves or for a gift. There is a small fee of $6 and large groups should make reservations by calling 717-684-8261, ext. 237.
“A workshop like this one is another opportunity to encourage families to visit and see that our Museum is not only educational, but a whole lot of fun, too – for all ages,” states Director of Education Katie Knaub.
April 28, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
JAMES BOND WORE THE QUARTZ REVOLUTION
COLUMBIA, PA: James Bond Wore the Quartz Revolution—a brand new exhibit—will challenge what visitors think they know. Displays will feature important wristwatches from the commercial history as it unfolded—all worn by the James Bond character in the EON Productions movies of the period.
The exhibit opens June 3, 2015, at the National Watch & Clock Museum in Columbia, PA. Bond expert Dell Deaton (JamesBondWatches.com) will curate the latest addition to expanded Museum displays to enhance the vital contributions of wristwatches to societies.
"We hope to correct myths arguing that the Quartz Revolution was nothing more than about making watches cheaper," says Deaton. "Or that an understanding of this 'revolution' requires no more than understanding how Quartz oscillators work as a time-basis.
"This exhibit seeks to explain why this revolution happened when it happened and shows how it continues to remain invaluable to contemporary society—at the very least, to reopen the discussion and move beyond cliché.
"The most important outcome of the Quartz Revolution was that it delivered a vast leap in one’s personal, mobile ability to control his own timekeeping. It was the culmination of a centuries-old pursuit, and it was delivered at exactly the period in history when consumers were ready for it and demanding it. None of this was simple or obvious as it was happening," Deaton continues.
"The Quartz Revolution is essentially a consumer-driven story. That’s something too easily missed when you exclusively focus on the watch companies, betting on winners and losers who anted up for the battles as they played out in the 1970s, ’80s, and then finally settling down in the 1990s."
"By focusing on the fictional 'James Bond' character, we create a proxy for the consumer that can stand as a brand on equal footing with those of watchmakers. Thus, we can tell this story from its necessary, original perspective. I also think that makes it more globally objective as well."
At the center of this exhibit are examples of all 12 quartz James Bond wristwatches representing screen-correct models of those featured in EON productions movies premiered from 1973 through 1995.
It is believed that this is the first time ever that all real-world Bond quartz watches have been shown side-by-side and running. Moreover, these watches optimally reflect key challenges, solutions, and innovations of the Quartz Revolution in their own rights: They just happen to have been James Bond choices as well.
“We’re excited once again to explore an important aspect of wristwatch development through the story of James Bond,” says Museum Director Noel Poirier. “The Bond story is universally understood and relatable for our visitors and allows us to explore the significant influence of the quartz revolution in an engaging way.”
Access to the James Bond Wore the Quartz Revolution gallery is included with Museum admission.
April 27, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
THE AMERICAN WATCH CO. GRADE—40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
COLUMBIA, PA: The NAWCC will present “The American Watch Co. Grade—40 Years of Excellence” with instructor Tom McIntyre Sunday, May 17, at 7 p.m. EDT.
The Waltham Watch Company was the first successful watch factory and was responsible for many of the key innovations in watchmaking in America. In 1859 the company name was changed to the American Watch Co. after the merger of the Waltham Improvement Co. and the Appleton & Tracy Co. In the same year Waltham sold its first watches with the grade name of American Watch Co. on the watch. This grade name always represented the very best product the company could make. The 1899 Bridge Model was the last of these designs to be produced. This talk explores the nine models produced over this 40-year period in the American Watch Co. grade.
The NAWCC webinars cover a wide variety of horological topics, ranging from ephemera and time zones to a variety of watches and clocks programs, with speakers from across the country. Individuals or Chapters may view the recorded presentations at any time; the NAWCC Library also has DVDs available for borrowing if access to the Internet for streaming a presentation is not available.
There is no charge for the webinar; if you are interested, go to the following link to register:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2690065513306855169.
After you register, a confirmation email will be sent containing information about joining the webinar.
For questions or additional information, contact Katie Knaub at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 717-684-8261, ext. 237.
March 26, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">
PUNCHING TIME
COLUMBIA, PA: Running late for work? You can blame it on the dog, blame it on your kids, blame it on the traffic… But the time clock knows YOU ARE LATE!
On the Clock: Changing the Industrialized World opens at the National Watch and Clock Museum on Friday, April 24. Time recorders from Edward J. Watkins and pieces from the Museum’s collection will highlight the important advancements in labor in the United States.
Beginning in the late nineteenth century the National Labor Relations Act protected the rights of employees and employers, and the Fair Labor Standards Act outlined minimum wage, overtime pay, record keeping, and youth employment standards. The exhibit also highlights the first time-recording companies, the typical workday in the nineteenth century, labor unions, and the possibilities the future workday may hold.
Museum Curator Kim Jovinelli, who joined us in December, debuts with the On the Clock exhibit. Kim shares, “I am excited to give the public a glimpse into something many of us have to do on a daily basis and what exactly had to happen to get us to this point. Having a job is an integral part of survival in the modern era. This is a look back at history, an examination of the present, and a look forward to the not too distant future.”
On the Clock is sponsored by the E. G. Watkins Family Foundation, runs through December, and is included with Museum admission.
January 19, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PUT ON YOUR GLASS SLIPPERS!
COLUMBIA, PA: Bibbidi bobbidi boo! The National Watch and Clock Museum invites you! Pull out your inner princess and be crowned at our royal tea on Saturday, February 14, at 11 a.m.
If you are a princess or you have a little princess, wear your fanciest dress and glass slippers and come sip tea, enjoy decadent morsels, make a Cinderella-themed clock to take home, and then tour the Museum.
“The Museum is always thrilled to bring in visitors for events like this one. Following special teas with Mrs. Claus, Alice in Wonderland, and beloved teddy bears, the Cinderella Tea is another one that promises to be just as exciting and memorable long after visitors leave the Museum,” shares Marketing and Special Events Coordinator Kim Craven.
The cost is $22 per child (ages 4 and up) and $12 per adult. Please call 717-684-8261, ext. 211, for reservations. Seating is limited.
January 18, 2015
Contact Name: Kim Craven - Communications Dept.
Phone: (717) 684-8261 - E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
MUSEUM KEEPS TRACK OF TIME
COLUMBIA, PA: The National Watch and Clock Museum welcomes a special exhibit—one that doesn’t have faces or dials and by itself does not tell time. But it is very integral to the history of timekeeping.
From February 14 to 21 the Museum will open its doors to the Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders and its members, who build, display, and operate layouts throughout Central Pennsylvania. There is no admission charge to see this railroad display in the Museum’s rotunda.
"Timekeeping has been integral to railroads, and modern travel in general, since the beginning of rail travel allowed for the movement from place to place at a pace never seen before." says Museum Director Noel Poirier. "Railroads and their time schedules forced the establishment of standard time zones and the development of highly accurate timepieces. The Lower Susquehanna Valley Model Railroader display will allow the Museum to honor the significance of railroads to the history of horology while providing our visitors a great visual and auditory experience."
The Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders (LSMR) is a group of O-gauge enthusiasts from the Lower Susquehanna Valley Region of Pennsylvania. Some customers and employees of CoolTrains Hobbies in Salunga, PA, came together in July 2009 to form the LSMR and have expanded it since. LSMR offers the public a chance to see a model train display in operation and especially looks forward to setting up their display for those visiting the National Watch and Clock Museum.
“I still have my train from when I was ten years old,” shares LSMR member Gary Schlossman. “I can still remember when my brother Dennis and I would put up the plywood in our basement and we would carefully set up each of our trains, one by one. I’ve always been especially drawn to the older steam engines like the Pennsylvania Railroad, but my brother has always preferred the more modern style like the Norfolk Southern. The difference didn’t matter. The trains brought us together, just like the Railroaders’ group brings train enthusiasts together today.”