John Kirk discusses the Clockmakers' collection
       at the Science Museum in London

 

2022 Scheduled Meetings

Mid-Winter Regional (February 18 – 19, 2022, Lakeland, Florida

Philadelphia maker Robert Leslie. Leslie  was in the forefront of invention and innovation of clock and watchmaking in the 18th century and was awarded the first clock and watch patents in America.  This updated presentation of research, first published in 2018, includes newly discovered watches and clocks including an amazing one-wheel clock likely made by Leslie for none other than President George Washington.

Lecture by Richard Newman

Southern Ohio Regional (April 7 – 9, 2022, Wilmington, Ohio)

Presentation on karrusel, tourbillon and spring detent escapements using examples from John Kirk’s personal collection. 

Lecture by John Kirk

 

NAWCC Annual Convention (June 23-26, 2022, Dayton, Ohio)

Early Case Making; The Art of the Silversmith by Ken Rockwell. Although a vast number of pocket watch cases were handmade in the 18th century, the craft is almost lost today. Insights, techniques, and tools for fabricating a case for an important 18th-century Thomas Tompion pocket watch movement will be discussed. 

 

Past Meetings 2021

Southern Ohio (June 2 - 5, 2021, Wilmington, Ohio)
Anatomy of a 30-Day Windmills Tall Case Clock
Mid Lecture by Safwat Wahba

 

National Convention (July 15 - 18, 2021, Hampton, Virginia)
James Ferguson Astronomical Click
Lecture by Craig White

 

Past Meetings - 2020

Florida Mid Winter (January 24 - 25, 2020, Kissimmee, Fl.)

A Retrograde Journey
Lecture by Ken Rockwell

Experience a collaborative and creative solution in the restoration of an early eighteenth century London timepiece having a glass chain protector and a portrait outer case. The drawer of the hopeless found Mr. Lampe's circa 1710 watch languishing for at least a century. The communication and input from a large community of NAWCC members gave this timepiece new life.

Ken Rockwell is the 2013 NAWCC Pritchard Award Winner. He is also an accomplished gold and silversmith and has restored hundreds of antique watches. He has a BS from Southern Illinois University, an MS and a Master of Fine Arts from Florida State University.

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Past Meetings - 2019

Florida Mid Winter (February 7 - 9, 2019)

Extraordinary Finds
Lecture by Howard Gitman

Howard Gitman joined the NAWCC in 1971 and has been in the antique watch business for well over 50 years.
Specializing in antique watch restoration and repair, he is considered one of the world's leading authorities on rare and complicated watches.

Mr. Gitman's talk, titled "Extraordinary Finds," is an informal presentation on some of the more interesting timepieces that he has handled over the years. This is a very unique opportunity to see, discuss, and learn first-hand about a number of very rarely seen American chronometers and early English pocket watches.

2018 National Convention, York, Pennsylvania (July 18 - 22, 2018)

Introduction & Comparison of Mean Solar Clocks and Regulators made by George Graham
Presentation by James Cipra

Jim has been collecting for over 50 years with a broad horological over view and a special interest in precision and technically elegant timepieces. He is President of the AHS USA Section and co-chairman for horological study tours for that group. Jim is also a member of Chapter 56, 161, 159 and the Old timers and Fellows Chapter. He was co-chair for the NAWCC Ward Francillon Time Symposium on French Horology held at the J. Paul Getty Museum in 1988 and co-chair for the 2013 Time for Everyone Ward Francillon Time Symposium held at Caltech where he was responsible for the Tompion display of clocks, watches and sundials at that event.

Southern Ohio Regional, Wilmington, Ohio (April 12 - 14, 2018)

Discovery & Analysis of a Massachusetts Colonial Watchmaker's Account Book
Presentation by Andy Dervan

Samuel Bemis (1754-1818) was a clock and watch maker in Cambridge, MA. Unknown to the Horological community, his post-revolutionary war account book survives at the Henry Ford Museum. I spent a year transcribing his account book that dates from 1785-1798. It was challenging to decipher his writing, spelling, and 18th-century watch repair terms. It was also fascinating reading about the variety of watches that he repaired from customers often many times and distances the watches traveled to him for repair. This presentation is an exciting look over the shoulders of a Colonial craftsman.

Andy Dervan, FNAWCC, joined the NAWCC in 1997 and has found researching the histories of various makers and companies as challenging and exciting as collecting. His principal collecting interest is weight-driven clocks from late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  Mr. Dervan retired from DuPont Performance Coatings and spends some of his free time writing articles for the Clock and Watch Bulletin along with volunteering at the Henry Ford Museum and a local animal shelter.

Florida Mid-Winter Regional, Lakeland, Florida (February 9 - 10, 2018)
British Horology Meeting Friday, February 9th at 2:30pm
Presentation by David Cooper
Analysis & Restoration of a 17th Century "Star of David" Travel Clock

David Cooper, FNAWCC, AWI-CMC, is a Past President of Chapter 21, recipient of numerous NAWCC awards and author for publications including the Bulletin and Horological Journal. There is virtually no part of a watch or clock that he has not made at one time or another.

Past Meetings - 2017

Ken Rockwell is an accomplished gold and silversmith and has restored hundreds of antique watches. He has a BS from Southern Illinois University, an MS and a Master of Fine Arts from Florida State University. Ken has given numerous lectures at NAWCC events and often speaks about Horology's contribution to the arts. In this lecture, he will focus upon watch and clock embellishments, including; Enamels in The Golden Age (1640 - 1700); Piercing and Engraving; Champlevé and Repoussé; and Shell and Skin Coverings.

 
 
Mid-Winter Regional, Lakeland, Florida (February 10th at 3pm)
An Interesting Cruciform Watch
Presentation by David Cooper

David Cooper is presenting a program on an interesting and early Cruciform watch that is the process of being restored. These unusual timepieces are normally associated with Continental makers; however, David has discovered some very interesting connections to British makers as part of his research.

David Cooper, FNAWCC, AWI-CMC, is a Past President of Chapter 21, recipient of numerous NAWCC awards and author for publications including the Bulletin and Horological Journal. There is virtually no part of a watch or clock that he has not made at one time or another.

Past Meetings - 2016


National Convention, Louisville (July 20-23, 2016)
An Inspirational Look at Thomas Windmills
Presentation was by Ken Rockwell



This presentation was is on the renowned London maker Thomas Windmills (1672 - 1737). Windmill's watch movement #2577 and movement #9003 were used as the vehicles for dialog, and the history of the time period, often referred to as the "Golden Age of Watch and Clock Making" was explored.

Ken Rockwell is the 2013 NAWCC Pritchard Award Winner. He is also an accomplished gold and silversmith and has restored hundreds of antique watches. He has a BS from Southern Illinois University, an MS and a Master of Fine Arts from Florida State University. 


Southern Ohio Regional, Wilmington (Friday, April 8th at 1:45pm)
Sir William Congreve and his Unusual Clock
Presentation was by Bob Pritzker
(With a Short Chapter Show-and-Tell Afterwards)  

This presentation consisted of four parts. First, a look at Congreve, his background, personal life and his inventions. Second, the rationale behind the clock - Congreve's patent, the construction of the prototypes and their success. Third, a description of the operation of the Congreve Clock and it's most typical form. Finally, Bob talked on his own experiences and observations with a couple of examples of these clocks and discussed why they are such poor time keepers in practice.


Mid-Winter Regional, Lakeland, Florida (Saturday, February 13th at 1:30pm) 

"Robert Leslie Remembered 
The Untold Story of an Important Early American Watch & Clock Inventor" 
Presentation was by Rich Newman

Robert Leslie's story is a truly American tale. Coming from the humblest of circumstances in rural Maryland, Leslie was a self-taught clock and watchmaker who made his way to Philadelphia and worked with America’s most revered statesmen and inventors including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.  Obliterated from history by a catastrophic fire that destroyed his records in the 1830’s, Leslie received the first clock and watch patents in America and his inventions amazingly still influence makers to this day. This presentation culminates two years of research and tells the “rags to riches to rags” story of perhaps greatest American clock and watch inventor of his era, and includes an exhibit of his patents and a rare surviving watch.

Past Meetings - 2015

National Convention, Chattanooga (Friday, June 19th from 1-2:00pm)
Presentation was by Philip Priestley  
"Impact of American Technology on the English Watch Trade" 

The lecture aims to explore the relationship between American and English watch manufacturing during the second half of the 19th century. In part it is based upon the travels of Aaron Dennison, the subject of the lecturer's recent book which is on sale from NAWCC gift shop. In 1850 Dennison as one of the partners in the newly established Boston Watch Company travelled to England and Switzerland to buy materials such as jewels, balances, springs etc, for mass-production of watches in the USA. As he journeyed through England he saw the workshops in Prescot, Lancashire, and other towns and met key players in the developing trade in England. Suffice to say that the American company went on to high achievements, but that is another story. William Ehrhardt was an early pioneer in Birmingham, England, who started his first watch factory in 1855. By 1880 this firm was making 500 watches per week with 400 hands, using both old-fashioned and modern methods, also using female labour. When Dennison was ousted from the Waltham Watch Company in 1861 and after failed endeavours with the Tremont & Melrose "hybrid" watches in Zurich, he started the Anglo-American Watch Company in Birmingham using unsold hybrid movements, but this also failed. He persevered and formed the Dennison Watch Case Factory in Birmingham which went on to famous acclaim.

In 1873, Waltham established a London Office and started to use Dennison cases for their movements and soon 10% of Waltham's output was coming through this office with an adverse impact on the UK watch trade. Waltham then introduced the cheap Traveler movement with 7 jewels with great success into the UK. Rotherhams of Coventry were another famous UK firm who use American methods of mass-production and lasted until the second World War. In 1872, John Wycherley of Prescot received a Patent for the production of rough movements in his factory and this was another early attempt at mass-production. He eventually sold out to the instigators of the Lancashire Watch Company who established a factory in Prescot in 1891, based partly upon the iconic Elgin Watch Factory in Illinois, and using American lathes and tools from the Waltham Tool Company. Unfortunately, this failed in 1911 and was the last attempt to manufacture watches on a large scale in Britain. By now American and Swiss imports had dealt a deathblow and the English trade was in terminal decline with perhaps only Rotherhams and the high end makers Nicole-Nielsen and Samuel Smith in London who made repeaters etc. Smiths turned into the giant conglomerate Smiths Industries Limited, still in business today.


Southern Ohio Regional, Wilmington (April 9-11, 2015)
Friday at 1:45pm
Chapter Show-and-Tell
Bring an interesting item from your collection to share with members!


Florida Regional, Kissimmee (March 13-15, 2015)
Presentation by Philip Poniz  
"Watch Ebauches" 

Prior to the age of machine made parts, watches were hand-made by dozens of separate specialist trades working in cottage industry conditions, and, with few exceptions, watches sold from London to Paris to New York, even chronometers and those with complications, owe their origins to one of the movement manufacturing supply centers (predominantly) located in England and Switzerland. While watchmakers from the early 18th century could order both unfinished and finished movements made to his specification and desired quality finish, the focus of this lecture is on unfinished movements, also known as rough movements, movements in the grey and ebauches. British Horology is pleased to have Philip Poniz, the well-known antiquarian horological expert, share his original research and insights into this fascinating yet often misunderstood topic.  

Philip Poniz has worked with Sotheby’s, Antiquorum and Patrizzi & Co., and has handled and studied many of the most important watches and clocks that survive.  He is currently a partner and lead expert at WatchInvest, Inc., where he advises high-end watch collectors and investors, and owner of European Watch & Casemakers, Ltd, a company specializing in restoring mechanisms in ultra-complicated watches and clocks.  Amazingly, Philip additionally owns and manages the largest electronic horological library in the world with over eight million files.

Past Meetings - 2014

69th National Convention (June 17-21, 2014)
Friday, June 20 from 2:30 to 3:30pm
Presentation was by Dennis Radage
"Early English Longcase Clocks, 1660 to 1730" 

This is a brief story of the English longcase clock focusing mostly on early clocks and the development of styles and functionality. The presentation starts by describing the first longcase clocks from about 1658, the case style, the movement and the dial features. The introduction of the anchor escapement greatly improved accuracy while the introduction of the rack and snail striking control, replacing the countwheel, allowed for increased striking consistency and simpler repeating. Dennis explains why the full transition from countwheel striking control to the rack and snail took some fifty years to complete. The evolution in case styles is illustrated along with the changing wood from ebony and walnut to marquetry, then back to walnut before mahogany started to dominate case finishes. The evolution of marquetry is illustrated over its thirty years of dominance as a case finish. The characteristics of the movement are described and why these differ so much from those used in spring clocks of the day. Next to the aesthetics of the case, the dial is the most significant component of the longcase clock, and dial features and their evolution are discussed in detail. Dennis explains how a clock can be dated using the case style, movement features, and particularly the dial features and engraving. The program concludes by examining what characteristics to look for in identifying marriages and alterations.


Southern Ohio Regional
Roberts Convention Centre, Wilmington, Ohio (April 10-12, 2014)

Presentation was by Mark Frank
"A Brief History of the Great Clock at Westminster Palace, 
It's Concept, Construction, the Accident and It's Aftermath" 

Mark Frank investigated the protagonists involved with the building of the tower and the clock at Westminster Palace, and how a unfortunate contest of wills between them planted the seeds of the accident which was to befall the great clock 118 years later. Mark utilizes little known rare photos of the actual parts involved, and a diagrammatic time line outlining the sequence of events during the few seconds leading up to the “Big Ben” disaster on the morning of August 5th 1976.

Mark Frank has been researching and collecting timepieces for the past 25 years that exhibit interesting mechanical characteristics as demonstrated through complexity, novelty, or visual appeal and was most recently a featured speaker at the 2013 Time Symposium, “Time For Everyone”. 



Florida Mid-Winter Regional
Daytona Beach, Florida (February 13-15, 2014)

Presentation was by David Cooper
Friday from 12:30 to 1:30
"Arnold #10" 

David Cooper, FNAWCC, AWI-CMC, is a Past President of Chapter 21, recipient of numerous NAWCC awards and author for publications including the Bulletin and Horological Journal. There is virtually no part of a watch or clock that he has not made at one time or another. 

David presented a marine chronometer made by John Arnold (pictured below), including the making of a detent, and discussed the differences between Arnold and Earnshaw chronometer escapements. 

Past Meetings - 2013
 
Florida Mid-Winter Regional
Daytona Beach, Florida

Presentation was by Johnny Wachsmann
9 am on Friday, February 15th, 2013
"Collecting Pocket Watches"  
 
Longtime NAWCC member Johnny Wachsmann began his interest in pocket watches over 40 years ago and is co-founder of Pieces of  Time London (www.antique-watch.com), a premier website specializing in English and Continental pocket watches that has steadily grown to be the largest on-line source of watches and movements in the world, most recently expanding operations to China. 
 
Johnny imparted his experiences collecting English and Continental watches and discussed what collectors should consider when building their collections.  This was a rare opportunity to learn about the international marketplace and participate in an interactive session that was of interest to beginners and experienced collectors alike.

Southern Ohio Regional
*** Please Note New Location from Previous Years ***
Roberts Convention Centre
Wilmington, Ohio

Presentation was by Dan Osterud
2 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013
"Timepieces for the Turkish Market"
 
Dan gave a presentation on “Timepieces for the Turkish Market” that is based upon many years of study and research. The presentation explained what those funny symbols on Turkish market timepieces are, their origins, and how to read them. He then covered aspects of Ottoman history and culture and how they relate to timekeeping in the Ottoman Empire. He also talked about trade, both import and domestic, as well as fashions in Ottoman timepieces and prominent makers for the Turkish market.

 
68th National Convention
Dayton, Ohio

Presentation was by Philip Poniz
"Isochronal Regulators"
Friday, July 5, 2013

Few clock collectors are aware of the subtle discoveries that eminent clock makers such as Huygens, Ellicott, Breguet, and Janvier made regarding the difficult challenge of isochronism in pendulums, yet many of us have witnessed, for example, the transfer of energy between the weights and pendulum in long-case clocks that impacts the amplitude of the pendulum and causes the weights to swing when wound down to the level of the pendulum bob. Probably even fewer collectors are aware of the complicated solutions that were devised to battle the problem. Philip Poniz will present this topic for the first time that includes his investigation into the concept of clock tourbillons, showing examples by Breguet and others, and how this fascinating topic, that spans over 200 years with arguably the most complex regulators ever built, was borrowed and is being used by modern manufacturers of ultra-complicated watches.

Mr. Poniz is a mathematician and well-known antiquarian horological expert having worked with Sotheby’s, Antiquorum and Patrizzi & Co., where he handled the majority of the most important watches and clocks that came onto the market.  He is currently a partner and lead expert at WatchInvest, Inc., where he advises high-end watch collectors and investors, and is also owner of European Watch & Casemakers, Ltd, a company specializing in restoring mechanisms in ultra-complicated watches and clocks.  Amazingly, Philip additionally owns and manages the largest electronic horological library in the world with over eight million files.

Presentation was by Philip Poniz
"Isochronal Regulators"
Friday, July 5, 2013

Few clock collectors are aware of the subtle discoveries that eminent clock makers such as Huygens, Ellicott, Breguet, and Janvier made regarding the difficult challenge of isochronism in pendulums, yet many of us have witnessed, for example, the transfer of energy between the weights and pendulum in long-case clocks that impacts the amplitude of the pendulum and causes the weights to swing when wound down to the level of the pendulum bob. Probably even fewer collectors are aware of the complicated solutions that were devised to battle the problem. Philip Poniz will present this topic for the first time that includes his investigation into the concept of clock tourbillons, showing examples by Breguet and others, and how this fascinating topic, that spans over 200 years with arguably the most complex regulators ever built, was borrowed and is being used by modern manufacturers of ultra-complicated watches.

Mr. Poniz is a mathematician and well-known antiquarian horological expert having worked with Sotheby’s, Antiquorum and Patrizzi & Co., where he handled the majority of the most important watches and clocks that came onto the market.  He is currently a partner and lead expert at WatchInvest, Inc., where he advises high-end watch collectors and investors, and is also owner of European Watch & Casemakers, Ltd, a company specializing in restoring mechanisms in ultra-complicated watches and clocks.  Amazingly, Philip additionally owns and manages the largest electronic horological library in the world with over eight million files.