The History of Clocks

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Friday, February 2nd, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

The clock has been around for centuries, and is one invention that has maintained its importance to this day. Over time, refinements to the measurement of time have taken place to where we can now measure accurate time to the mili-second. As a matter of fact, every household can now have this same precision in time tracking through affordably priced radio-controlled or atomic clock.

The manufacture of clocks, which is an integral part of history, is enhanced through time to improve performance and to meet a variety of needs. Although each kind of new clock had similar functions, they brought their own unique construction and features. Over the years, clocks have become quite elaborate and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

How Have Clocks Developed Through the Ages?

Even when the Egyptian civilization was in decay, many believed that they were about to invent a system which would have divided a day into segments, very similar to what are called ‘hours’ today. During this time, sun clocks were commonly used to track time of day.

- Obelisks

Around 3500 BC, obelisks were constructed geographically in the civilized world. They worked by providing information about the two halves of each day. These ‘clocks’ worked by watching how the sun moved across the obelisks, casting a shadow to determine night and day.

- Water Clocks

Water clocks were a unique invention at the time, being the first time-keeping device ever documented which didn’t require observation of celestial bodies. These water clocks were used by ancient Egyptians to determine the hours of the day and night.

Unfortunately, the water clocks had a problem because these devices were not able to give accurate information. The reason being is that their measurement system was based on water inflows and outflows using a specially designed container that had indicators around its sides.

- Pendulum Clocks

The first mechanical, or Pendulum, clocks were made by Christian Huygens in the late 1650’s. Compared to water clocks, the pendulum clock was more accurate, but still had a minor error – it was delayed for less than a minute per day. Although Huygens’ invention was still inaccurate, it was defined as a great leap in developing the accuracy of time keeping. This design is still being used on today’s wristwatches, but with more accuracy and extra features.

- Quartz Clocks

In the 1960s, the quartz clock was developed. This modern day time device was made up of an electronic oscillator and quartz crystal and provided for a far more accurate time. These Quartz clocks are still being sold today because of there versatility. They can provide different information, including number display of time, in units of seconds, minutes and hours.

The Continued Drive for Time Accuracy

The drive for more accurate and fashionable time pieces has led to the ongoing development of more and different high-tech clocks. A prime example of this effort is the atomic clock, also known as a radio-controlled clock. These clocks were developed to maintain the most accurate time possible through the capture of a radio signal transmitted out of Ft. Collins Colorado by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

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