Our Clocks on YouTube

A new video demonstrating our Grasshopper and Congreve clocks along with others. This is a very good piece of work, shot in high quality, high definition video.

HMS Beagle Chronometer – John Harrison

HMS Beagle

The BBC “History Of The World In A Hundred Objects” series recently cited some of John Harrison’s significant horological inventions. None is more significant though than his work with maritime chronometers, devices that literally revolutionised the science of navigation at sea. The Comitti Grasshopper clock is a faithful reproduction of one of Harrisons more exotic chronometers but the BBC series focused on the historic time keeping device that was kept aboard HMS Beagle and accompanied Darwin on his epic voyages.

See more on the article here --- with photos.

The Comitti Grasshopper Clock --- Animated!

Here is an impressive piece of work created by our new graphics junior, it shows an overview of the movement action of Comitti’s famous Grasshopper clock. This is based on a photo that has been used on both the Comitti site and some of our printed literature designed by the folks at the Gate.


The original form of this clock (an 18th Century design by John Harrison) can be seen at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. The animation demonstrates the movement of the double pendulums which were cleverly designed to counteract perturbations that can arise from changing orientation of the clock itself as would happen on board a ship. Our designer has applied the same animation technique to other specialty clocks by Comitti and we will feature those here in the coming days.

Comitti Grasshopper Clock in Chinoiserie

Comitti Grasshopper Clock in Chinoiserie

Comitti have just released a new version of the well know Grasshopper chronometer clock. This highly crafted and intricate time piece now comes with a base finished in Chinoiserie, a style of finish that invokes the feel of ancient Chinese decorations. Chinoiserie is in fact, a uniquely European style that is more a caricature of the traditional Chinese style, a romantic interpretation that appears to meld the oriental with a well established fondness for chintz in 18th century Europe. The Chinoiserie range is very popular and Comitti also make a wide range of table top (bell top) clocks replicating Georgian clock designs in Chinoiserie.

Grasshopper Clock by Comitti

Comitti may be well known for their extensive experience in the production of more tradition clock designs and mechanisms but did you know that they also make a range of unique specialty clocks? The Grasshopper clock is a particularly interesting example, this exquisite clock is rhodium plated and based on a reciprocating mass concept employed in the first marine chronometers designed by John Harrison (1693 - 1776). It is a very reliable and robust design as befitting shipboard chronometers and more immune to changing orientation than a single pendulum clock.

For more details the Comitti Grasshopper Clock