A unique rhodium-plated Congreve clock for collectors

Congreve, or the clock with a rolling ball, was named after its inventor Sir William Congreve and is a favorite among clock collectors. The original clock was a gift to the Prince of Wales in 1808 and is part of the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace. Congreve was a prolific inventor who, in 1805, produced the first solid-fuel rockets at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, later using them during the Napoleonic Wars. It has been suggested that his clock was created for military purposes, and the first “ball” used to turn the escapement was a musket ball!! This certainly makes sense, as the mechanism operates on the principle that accuracy is limited to +/- 15 minutes per day.

Luxurious design from England combined with the highest quality materials creates the Comitti manufactory.

Sip a piece of magnificent history

In 1845, Italian precision instrument maker Onorato Comitti traveled to England seeking new opportunities in a country enjoying unprecedented prosperity during the Industrial Revolution. By 1850, he opened his workshop alongside other specialists in Clerkenwell, London. Dedicated to the pursuit of perfection and innovation, he quickly gained an unrivaled reputation for his recording instruments, including high-quality mercury and aneroid barometers. During the late Victorian period, the company became renowned as one of the best clockmakers in England, receiving an Honorary Diploma for craftsmanship in 1888. Over 150 years later, Comitti remains a family-owned brand, run by the fifth generation, faithful to Onorato Comitti’s principles, and continues to uphold its international reputation in the field of luxury clocks in the finest English horological tradition.

Original Comitti barometers and clocks from those early days are now sought-after and valuable antiques. Interestingly, some styles created by Comitti at the end of the 19th century are still produced today, using many of the same techniques and attracting the same wonder as always. This heritage allows the company to offer custom maintenance and restoration services for all antique clocks and barometers. It was the architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries that inspired the greatest English furniture designers, Thomas Sheraton, George Hepplewhite, and Thomas Chippendale. The fashion for high-quality cabinetry created by these artisans influenced watchmakers as well.

Georgia-style craftsmanship and skills of master artisans, such as veneer cutters and inlay makers, have been employed using exotic woods sourced worldwide to create and decorate the visible areas of the finest clock cabinets. Longcase clocks produced by Comitti today reflect all the skills and traditions of the past era. The highest quality seasoned solid hardwoods and exquisite veneers have been selected for their natural beauty. Veneers are cut, joined, inlaid with inlay work, and assembled by hand, making each piece unique.

French manual polishing processes are used to enhance the natural beauty of the cabinet. The pores of the wooden surfaces are filled and sanded with fine papers to create a smooth base before applying lacquers. Finally, the surface is polished and waxed with beeswax to achieve a rich, natural patina. The longcase clock produced by Comitti is a work of art, a heritage piece that will be treasured by future generations.

Products made using inlay techniques

Inlay is an art form traceable back to early Egyptian and Assyrian craftsmen and is essentially decoration created by forming patterns or images from veneers of wood or other materials. The zenith of inlay art occurred between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, when craftsmanship reached the status of high art through royal patronage in France.

The arrival of William of Orange with his wife Mary and their court in 1689 sparked the fashion for this highly decorative craft in England. It had a direct influence on furniture designers, particularly on longcase clock cabinets. For the first time, home furnishings became an aspiration driven by fashion and the highest standards of design inspired by technical education and classical architecture. Artisans at Comitti continue to produce marquetry according to these high standards using traditional techniques and noble, rare woods. The time required to create these intricate panels is measured in days, and each piece is unique.

What does the invention of navigation have to do with Comitti clocks?

In the early 18th century, the biggest challenge faced by navigators was calculating longitude, and thus determining their true position in the vast oceans. Countless lives were lost as ships were wrecked in uncharted waters, prompting the British Parliament to offer a reward of £20,000, equivalent to £2,770,000 today, for a solution. There were two schools of thought on solving this problem: astronomers, who believed true position could be calculated using stars, and horologists, who understood that an extremely accurate clock would enable the calculation of east-west position or longitude.

For many years, John Harrison, a self-taught English clockmaker, invented the marine chronometer—the most precise timekeeping device ever created—that could maintain accurate time onboard a ship in extreme temperatures, humidity, and conditions. The Comitti Navigator is a tribute to the skill, ingenuity, and perseverance of one man who changed the course of history. Manufacturer information