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Time immemorial

Clocks have always fascinated humans and a few regard them as prize possessions. Here is an 80-year-old one at the Nagraj (1902)

PROUD OWNER A.N. Gopal, the inheritor of the Swiss make Zenith table clock Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Talking of time, the first thing that comes to our mind is the clock. The word `clock' is derived from the Latin word cloca. Oxford Dictionary defines clock as an instrument for measuring time. Some, who are very particular about accuracy, refer to it as chronometer.

Among the human inventions, the clock is one among the oldest. In the earlier era, it was the sundial, which facilitated the measurement of time basing on the direction of shadows cast by the sun. Ancient Egyptians used clepsydras, a time measuring machine that worked on the principle of water flow.

The 13th century saw the advent of tower clocks in Europe and by mid-16th century table clocks came into vogue from the metalworking towns of Nuremberg and Augsburg.

Clocks have always fascinated humans and a few regard them as prize possessions. There is one such table clock in Vizag, and it adorns the marble top desk of A.N. Gopal of Nagraj (1902). "I do not know the correct age of this time-piece. But I am sure it is over 80 years, as it was brought to the shop by my grandfather, and ours is a 100-year-old shop. But one thing I can say, it is has never stopped working and nor it was opened for any repair so far. I only wound the key every two days and the people in my shop take it as a pride to clean the case everyday," says Mr. Gopal.

The clock is a Swiss make Zenith time-piece and the name of the model is Favre Leuba.

It is neatly placed in a teak wood box with a glass top. The next time you visit Nagraj (1902) have a look at the masterpiece.

S.B.

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