Clocks

From the Sands to Electric, Clocks

By hamilet
  • 3500 BCE

    Obelisk

    Obelisk
    Constructed in ancient Egypt, were among the first shadow clock around 3,500 B.C.
  • 1500 BCE

    Sun Dial

    Sun Dial
    Dating back from 1,500 B.C., the sun dial also appeared around ancient Egypt was used to measure parts of the day.
  • 400 BCE

    Water Clock

    Water Clock
    Though there is no confirmed civilization, it is said to have been invented by the ancient Greeks around 4th century B.C., and was later made to be more accurate than around 325 B.C.
  • 520

    Candle Clock

    Candle Clock
    First mentioned in Chinese poems around 520 A.D. said that the it was a graduated candle measured by its burn rate to determine time at night.
  • 996

    Clock Tower

    Clock Tower
    Built as necessity for the use in church life, the first built by future Pope Sylvester II in 996 A.D. and later the famous clock, Big Ben, in 1908 was built for the public.
  • 1301

    Mechanized Clock

    Mechanized Clock
    Beginning in Europe around the 14th century, later on would be the standard kind of clock used to this day.
  • 1401

    Hourglass

    Hourglass
    From around the 15th century and on was the first dependable, reusable, accurate, and easy to make device comprised of 2 glass bulbs connected with material that can trickle through.
  • 1504

    Wrist Watch

    Wrist Watch
    In 1504 Germany, Peter Henlein invented the first portable timepiece, though was not very accurate.
  • 1577

    Minute Hand Improvement

    Minute Hand Improvement
    Jost Burgi invented the minute hand on a clock for astronomers who needed an accurate clock for stargazing.

  • Pendulum Clock

    Pendulum Clock
    Invented by Christian Huygens, pendulum clock are the classically seen clock with a swaying weight at the bottom that make the clock more accurate.

  • Mechanical Alarm Clock

    Mechanical Alarm Clock
    An American innovator, Levi Hutchins invented the mechanical alarm clock that only rang at 4 a.m. Another innovator, Seth E. Thomas, in 1876 patented the wind-up version.

  • Introduction of Standard Time

    Introduction of Standard Time
    Developed by Sir Sanford Fleming, as of still used today, in 1878 out of the need to aid weather forecasting and train travel and as of today, are evenly divided by geological areas into time zones.

  • Digital Clock

    Digital Clock
    The first digital timepiece ws invented by Austrian engineer Josef Pallweber using the "jump-hour" mechanism that has a rotating disk changing the numbers.

  • Battery-Powered Clock

    Battery-Powered Clock
    Made by the Warren Clock Company produced the first clock that was battery-powered. Commonly prior to this, clock were either wound up or had a pendulum.

  • Self-Winding Watch Improvment

    Self-Winding Watch Improvment
    Of 1923, the watch was developed by Swiss inventor John Harwood.

  • Quartz Clock

    Quartz Clock
    Based on the vibration of quartz crystals in an electric circuit, was invented by Canadian engineer Warren Marrison for more reliable telecommunication.

  • Atomic Clock

    Atomic Clock
    It was the ammonia maser device that was the first atomic clock in 1949, the beginning of the dawn of modern clocks. It was based on the concept of "Magnetic resonance" by Isidor Rabi,and built at the U.S. National Bureau of Standards.

  • Introduction of Phones Used for Timekeeping

    Introduction of Phones Used for Timekeeping
    Introduction of the first smartphone was marketed in 1994 by telecommunication company BellSouth under the name Simon Personal Communicator. There for, the phone is called the Simon.