Horology

Horology

Horology (from Greek: ὥρα, "hour, time" and Greek: λόγος, logos, "study, speech"; lit. the study of time) is the art or science of measuring time. Clocks, watches, clockwork, sundials, clepsydras, timers, time recorders and marine chronometers are all examples of instruments used to measure time.

People interested in horology are called horologists. That term is used both by people who deal professionally with timekeeping apparatus (watchmakers, clockmakers), as well as aficionados and scholars of horology. Horology and horologists have numerous organizations, both professional associations and more scholarly societies.

Contents

Horological museums and libraries

Horology has a long history[chronology citation needed] and there are many museums and several specialized libraries devoted to the subject. An example is the Royal Greenwich Observatory, which is also the source of the Prime Meridian (longitude 0° 0' 0"), and the home of the first marine timekeepers accurate enough to determine longitude (made by John Harrison). Other horological museums in the London area include the Clockmakers' Museum, and the horological collections at the British Museum, the Science Museum (London) and at the Wallace Collection.

One of the more comprehensive museums dedicated to horology is the Musée international d'horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland). The Musée d'Horlogerie du Locle is a bit smaller but located nearby. One of the better horological museums in Germany is the Deutsches Uhrenmuseum. The two leading specialised horological museums in North America are the National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia, Pennsylvania, and the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, Connecticut.

An example of a museum devoted to one particular type of clock is the Cuckooland Museum, in the U. K., which hosts the world's largest collection of antique cuckoo clocks.

One of the most comprehensive horological libraries open to the public is the National Watch and Clock Library in Columbia, PA (USA). Other good horological libraries providing public access are at the Musée international d'horlogerie in Switzerland, at the Deutsches Uhrenmuseum in Germany, and at the Guildhall Library in London.

Horological organizations

The leading scholarly horological organizations are:

World Exhibitions

  • BaselWorld
  • Geneva Time Exhibition [1]
  • Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) [2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Geneva Time Exposition - official website
  2. ^ Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie - official website

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Horology — Ho*rol o*gy, n. [See {Horologe}.] The science of measuring time, or the principles and art of constructing instruments for measuring and indicating portions of time, as clocks, watches, dials, etc. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • horology — (n.) science of time, 1819, probably from Gk. hora hour (see HOUR (Cf. hour)) + LOGY (Cf. logy). Earlier it meant clock, clock dial (c.1500), from L. horologium. Related: Horologist …   Etymology dictionary

  • horology — ► NOUN 1) the study and measurement of time. 2) the art of making clocks and watches. DERIVATIVES horological adjective horologist noun. ORIGIN from Greek h ra time …   English terms dictionary

  • horology — [hō räl′ə jē] n. [< Gr hōra, HOUR + LOGY] the science or art of measuring time or making timepieces …   English World dictionary

  • horology — noun Etymology: Greek hōra + English logy Date: 1819 1. the science of measuring time 2. the art of making instruments for indicating time …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • horology — /haw rol euh jee, hoh /, n. the art or science of making timepieces or of measuring time. [1810 20; < Gk horo (comb. form of hóra HOUR) + LOGY] * * * …   Universalium

  • horology — noun The art, science and technology of timekeeping and timekeepers, such as clocks, watches and sundials …   Wiktionary

  • horology — science of time measurement Sciences and Studies …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • horology — n. science of measuring time; art of creating timepieces …   English contemporary dictionary

  • horology — [hɒ rɒlədʒi] noun 1》 the study and measurement of time. 2》 the art of making clocks and watches. Derivatives horologer noun horologic adjective horological adjective horologist noun …   English new terms dictionary

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