Repeater watch and key

Art Historical Context

Step into the intricate world of 16th horology with *Repeater Watch and Key* by Bartholomew Newsam, crafted 1565. This petite British treasure, measuring just 3½ inches (8.9 cm) in, exemplifies the dawn of portable timekeeping. Made of luxurious gilt metal and silver, was a marvel of engineering and artistry, designed for the elite who valued both precision and opulence. As a repeater watch, it chimed the hours upon activation—a groundbreaking innovation in an era when mechanical clocks were still novelties, often confined to churches or palaces. Newsam, a skilled English clockmaker, elevated...