Simon Willard was a celebrated American clockmaker. Simon Willard clocks were produced in Massachusetts in the towns of Grafton and Roxbury, near Boston. Among his many innovations and timekeeping improvements, Simon Willard is best known for inventing the eight-day patent timepiece that came to be known as the gallery or banjo clock.
Simon Willard Roxbury Tall Case Clock. Circa 1793. A brass plaque reads “Given by John Goddard as a wedding gift to his son Benjamin Goddard, M. Louisa May, 1793.” Dial signed “Simon Willard.”
A c. 1810 Simon Willard gallery clock in the lobby of the West Wing of the White House.
Old South Meeting House's Willard gallery clock, now at Old South Church.
Carlo Franzoni's 1819 sculptural chariot clock, the Car of History depicting Clio, muse of history, recording the proceedings of the house. Fitted with a clock mechanism by Simon Willard in 1837.
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
