Southern Clocks

Thinking Time

27 Dec 2022

The philosophy of analogue time - Taylor Swift

27 Dec 2022

It is encouraging to see recently that despite the rise of 'phone time', i.e. random digital displays on every gadget, that analogue displays are still a 'thing'. Luckily this extends across the generations too, with youth music icon, Taylor Swift, releasing an entire album with a clock dial focus.

Available in vinyl limited editions there are four different back covers that when arranged together create a complete clock dial. Quite right too. Not only that but a wall clock can be purchased on eBay from iPod200 that allows fans to make proper use of them on the wall.

27 Dec 2022

21 Mar 2022

Timeslip

21 Mar 2022

Clocks dont have to be 'officially' antique to be historically significant and hugely satisfying. We had the pleasure of a lovely ‘timeslip' recently when we restored the works dial clock of heritage Jaguar dealer, Quinn Lyons, formerly R A Creamer. The clock had originally been commissioned by the first dealer principal, Sydney Creamer, in the 1940's, and has always hung on the wall overlooking operations.

21 Mar 2022

2 Nov 2021

Looking forward to the seasons

2 Nov 2021

What a meal we make of clock changing time! What misinformation and nonsense gets spouted too! There is a wall of commentary about jet lag equivalents, apparently as if we had flown to Reykjavik (some chance), and about people's psychological states and the damage that putting the clocks back can cause.

In fact there are few facts about any of it, but it gives a chance for an expert to add their comments in the hope of some coverage. So, yes why not, let's look at it and add more comment to the soup.

2 Nov 2021

28 Oct 2021

The state of the City

28 Oct 2021

Central London brings a mass of sights for the horologist but fewer now than of old. It was great to have the chance to try some long exposure night time photography in the City. Thank you @grantcsmith for the tuition. However it is sad that the eastern City has all but got rid of its public clocks. Modern commercial office towers somehow don't have the room for a clock dial, and in any case the current generation of office workers are so busy looking at their phones that they wouldn't notice anyway.

28 Oct 2021

7 Sept 2021

Puzzling Time

7 Sept 2021

Clocks are perennially puzzling. I was delighted to be presented with this characterful relic the other day when visiting a clock customer. First impressions are of an Act of Parliament tavern clock and the dial is made from diagonal wooden planks with painted finish including the numbers and 'Tempus fugit'; but in fact it is a long, thin and free-standing long case……….

7 Sept 2021

22 Jul 2021

TV presenters…digital or human?

22 Jul 2021

Southern Clocks doesnt spend much time watching breakfast television. Well, no time at all. Luckily as it turns out. Apparently two people called Dan Walker and Louise Minchin have struggled to cope with their onscreen clock malfunctioning so ended up with clocks between them on the sofa and an argument over whether to go with an analogue dial or a digital display.

22 Jul 2021

15 Apr 2021

Life, the universe and everything

15 Apr 2021

What a pleasure it is to work on an orrery! What is an orrery? Named after the Earl of Orrery, who commissioned the first one in 1704, it is a model representation of some part of the solar system that shows where and how the planets interact. They are lovely things and just a short time spent with one helps to ground one’s feelings about life, the universe and everything.

15 Apr 2021

13 Aug 2019

Online auctions – a warning

13 Aug 2019

Southern Clocks has failed dismally to turn a terrible clock into a fully functioning runner and striker, and learnt a lesson in the process. The clock had been bought by the customer sight unseen on a well-known online auction site.

13 Aug 2019

Victorian values

13 Aug 2019

As with any antique, a clock can often be an open window to the cultural attitudes of its day. A clear example of this came into the workshop recently. An eight day longcase, made by Atkinson of Rawtenstall, was in for servicing and it was quickly dubbed the ‘porno’ clock by the Southern Clocks team when the painted dial was examined closely.

13 Aug 2019

14 Jan 2019

Time stands still

14 Jan 2019

I had the honour of riding as a passenger on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run last year. I was delighted to receive an invitation to join Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust patron and DNA Jaguar personality Michael Quinn as one of his passengers in the Trust’s 1901 Lanchester.

14 Jan 2019

13 Jan 2019

Time in public

13 Jan 2019

Time governs our activities, whether it is catching a train or turning up for a scheduled meeting. When we are out and about we are usually rushing between events. Knowing the time is vital so that we don’t pile stress on ourselves by worrying that we may be late, or indeed be rude to our friends or contacts if we are.

13 Jan 2019

12 Jan 2019

Analogue motorcycles

12 Jan 2019

I organised a motorcycle ride last Autumn to get out and enjoy the roads before the clocks went back. I had planned a route of interesting country roads so that we could enjoy the changing seasons. With motorcycling one experiences the road and the weather first hand, not insulated by hermetically sealed wall-to-wall in-car-entertainment and ‘is my phone working?’

12 Jan 2019

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