Eardley Norton Info

Britten lists:

Eardley Norton working at 49 St Johns Street, Clerkenwell, between 1760 and 1794. In 1771 he patented (no.987) his repeating mechanism for watches.

Ulleyett refers to "Pinchbeck Gold":

Christopher Pinchbeck (1670 - 1732) succeeded by his sons, Edward and Christopher (1766), eminent clock- and watchmaker, today best remembered for his alloy, producing a fine gold colour when polished, known as Pinchbeck Gold. Afters its discovery c.1720 clock and watch cases were frequently made from it. The composition of the alloy was a closely guarded secret during Pinchbeck's lifetime and was passed to his sons upon his death. Unfortunately many Pinchbeck metal cases have been torn from their movements and melted down in the false assumption they were of true gold.

There is an interesting collaboration between Eardley Norton and Christopher Pinchbeck the younger. They both made astronomical clocks for Buckingham Palace that are still there to this day. In the 'Gentlemen's Magazine' of June 1765, it is stated that Pinchbeck and Norton had "just set up at the Queen's house a new complicated clock having four dials, and amongst them, it denoted clock and sun time, sunrise and setting for every day in the year in various places in the world, the Copernican motion of the planets, the ages and phases of the moon, high water at thirty two different seaports, and the day of the week and the months of the year". Notwithstanding this announcement, it is doubtful if Pinchbeck and Norton were in partnership. However, this watch is an interesting and rare window on the collaboration of two of the 18th century's eminent and Royal clockmakers.