David Rittenhouse was an American astronomer, inventor, clockmaker, mathematician, surveyor, scientific instrument craftsman, and public official. Rittenhouse was a member of the American Philosophical Society and the first director of the United States Mint.
A 1796 portrait of Rittenhouse
Rittenhouse's home as it appeared in c. 1919; from this lawn, in 1769, Rittenhouse observed the transit of Venus.
Valley Forge Medical Center and Hospital
A diagram from Rittenhouse's observations of the 1769 transit of Venus
A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and/or repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly to repairing clocks and watches. Clockmakers must be able to read blueprints and instructions for numerous types of clocks and time pieces that vary from antique clocks to modern time pieces in order to fix and make clocks or watches. The trade requires fine motor coordination as clockmakers must frequently work on devices with small gears and fine machinery.
Lateral view of a Timothy Mason longcase clock movement with striking mechanism, c. 1730
View inside the Relojes Centenario factory in Zacatlán, Puebla Mexico
Finnish School of Watchmaking, Leppävaara, Espoo
The statue of the clockmaker-locksmith (by Jean Cuypers – 19th century) – Brussels