• A is for ARNOLD, JOHN - English Watchmaker (Born 1736, died 1799).  John Arnold and his rival, Thomas Earnshaw were the first to produce chronometers in significant quantities.  Arnold set up a small factory in Essex in 1788 where he was the first to produce a pocket chronometer.  He turned his attention to more accurate timepieces, eventually inventing one of such quality that Captain James Cook used it on his south sea voyages!

John Arnold

Read the rest of this entry »

Digg

Stumble Upon

Del.icio.us

Buzz

Theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein would never have formulated his theory of relativity without of course being able to tell the time.  So what sort of watch do you think he had?  Something as novel as this, perhaps?

Unfortunately not - Herr Einstein managed to keep his ego under control.   It turns out that he was more of a Longines man.  We have managed to dig out a photo where he is pictured with his wrist watch, which he was apparently presented with in 1931:

You can only just make it out in this photo, however his Longines watch was recently auctioned where it managed to fetch 2000% of it’s estimated price.  Here you can see it in all it’s glory - it is inscribed with ‘prof Albert Einstein’:

Digg

Stumble Upon

Del.icio.us

Buzz