Precious Time: A Longcase Equation Clock, 1703

Longcase
Equation Clock
1703
The Royal
Collection

This remarkable clock was created in 1703 by horologists Thomas Tompion and Edward Banger for Queen Anne’s husband, Prince George of Denmark. An amateur horologist, Prince George loved clocks and was the patron of many well-known clockmakers.


Aside from the stunning craftsmanship of its ornate walnut case and ormolu mounts, this clock is remarkable in the way that it runs and the extremely complicated information that it relates. The clock is said to be able to run for 390 days on a single winding. The clock face records both mean and solar time and displays the day of the week, the planets, the day of the month (both old and new style), the month, the appropriate sign of the zodiac, the year (accounting for leap year) and the position of the sun.

A favorite of Prince George, this astounding timepiece was kept in the Royal bedchamber. Later, it became King George III’s favorite clock as well. He moved the clock to Buckingham House (later to become Buckingham Palace) where it was to record many, many years.