The accuracy of measuring time attained by means of clocks and watches was infinitely less than the precision of sandglasses and water clocks. These discoveries truly mark the beginning of the craft of horology.
HOROLOGY DEGREE PORTABLE
At this time the spiral spring originated, replacing the weights used in clocks to drive the mechanism weights are not suited to a portable device constantly subjected to motion and tilting, etc., which would hinder the action of a weight. When this kind of clock had been achieved, smaller ones were made for use in bedrooms, and eventually skilled workmen made portable clocks, which were called watches. See the Abrégé chronologique de l'histoire de France, by Président Hénault, tome I, p.
Therefore, the invention of mechanical clocks was attributed to the monk Gerbert, who became archbishop of Rheims around 991, and then Pope with the name Sylvester II. With this addition the hour could be known during the night without the aid of light, very useful in monasteries because until then the religious had to observe the stars during the night in order not to miss the hour of service, which was not very convenient for them. Once these clocks were available, the first ones being installed in the towers of churches, skilled and intelligent workmen improved on these discoveries, adding a train of wheels beside the clock whose function was to strike a bell with a hammer indicating the hour shown on the dial. The hand makes one revolution in twelve hours, or two revolutions from noon of one day till the following noon. The last method of measuring time, imperfect as it is, was used till the end of the tenth century, which is the period when clocks were invented: motion relayed by gear wheels, speed governed by an escapement, wheels driven by a weight, and time shown by a hand on the shaft of a wheel, on a dial divided in twelve equal parts. Plainly, this method was subject to many difficulties, for the hour could not be observed during the night, or when the sun was hidden by clouds this gave rise to the invention of clepsydras or water clocks, etc.
This in general is the origin of time measurement by the motion of the sun. Therefore, they divided the time between two noons, or one revolution of the sun, into twenty-four parts or hours, which gave rise to sundials with hours marked by lines. But because men's needs increased as they became better educated, they had to have time divisions that were smaller. It seems that the next measurement was the time from the sun's highest point above the horizon (called noon ) till its return to the same point. It must have soon been realized that this measurement was faulty, since this kind of day was longer in summer than in winter. It seems likely that the first means used to measure time were the daily revolutions of the sun thus the time elapsed from sunrise to sunset was called a day, and from sunset to sunrise a night. It does not appear, however, that the ancients had any knowledge of horology, unless the term is applied to the designing of sundials, the making of clepsydras or sand-glasses, water clocks, etc. The measurement of time must have been the object of men's searching in the most remote past, since it is necessary for ordering the phases of life. The craft of making machines that measure time. Originally published as "Horlogerie," Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, 8:303–310 (Paris, 1765). Ann Arbor: Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library, 2017.
"Horology." The Encyclopedia of Diderot & d'Alembert Collaborative Translation Project. of "Horlogerie," Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, vol. Please see for information on reproduction.īerthoud, Ferdinand. This text is protected by copyright and may be linked to without seeking permission.
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