Evening Lecture

Fascination of a Chemist in Old Clocks and Watches

Professor Arndt Simon

(Max Planck Institut für Festkörperforschung Stuttgart, Germany)

19.00, Wednesday 5 May 2004, W0.01

Hosted by Department of Physics, Loughborough University

Old clocks and watches are "High Tech" products of earlier centuries. They combine scientific genius with highly developed crafts and artistic design, and they give deep insight into history and culture. As they have been articles of daily use, the ravages of time worked on them through corrosion, mechanical wear, damage and changes following fashions, which opens the field for careful restorations, particularly to a chemist.

First, the artistic aspect will be illustrated with a few examples: Design on one hand as an allegory on time and on the other hand as an object of fashion, which allows conclusions on the sense for time in the old days.

Second, the discovery of a technically complicated early watch is described. Research into its whereabouts opens the eye to certain developments of Europe in the 17th and 18th century.

Last but not least, some restoration work is shown where modern tools, e.g. the use of computers and preparative techniques for nano particles, to a certain extent can substitute the admirable abilities of the old masters.

All welcome

For further information contact

Dr Klaus Neumann
(01509) 223310
Department of Physics
Loughborough University
Loughborough, Leics LE11 3TU