In the world of English clocks, none can surpass what the master clockmaker and watchmaker Thomas Tompion. Tompion’s clock and watch inventions are among the world’s sought after antique clocks and collectible clocks. His clocks, among other British antique clocks, usually come in expensive prices whenever it appears in auction.
Many famous clockmakers and watchmakers have sought clockmaking knowledge from Tompion himself. Among his apprentices were George Allett, Henry Carlowe, Obadiah Gardner, William Graham, Whitestone Littlemore, Jerimiah Martin, Charles Molins, Charles Murray, William Sherwood, Charles Sypson, William Thompson, and Thomas White. These distinguished clockmakers and figures acknowledge the position and authority of Tompion in the clockmaking industry.
Tompion, as one of the world’s leading clockmaker, was the first-born child of a blacksmith in 1639. His father, so as not to be confused, was also named Thomas Tompion. It was assumed that Tompion followed the footsteps of his father as a blacksmith before he ventured into clockmaking. There was little information known about Tompion but records shown traces of his being an apprentice of a London clockmaker, a path that he would soon be dominating with his innate genius in horology.
A distinguished group called the Clockmakers’ Company of London absorbed Thomas Tompion as one of its members in 1671. Tompion eventually became a master in 1704. He was also one of a few distinguished watchmakers to become a member of the Royal Society. In 1701, he worked in partnership with Edward Banger. Their cooperative work continued until 1707 or 1708.
Even before King Charles II appointed Tompion as a clockmaker, Tompion has already established himself as a distinguished clockmaker capable of innovating and maintaining high-quality clocks. So it was because of his reputation that King Charles had him created two clocks that were proven very useful for astronomers most especially in terms of its accurate calculation.
Thomas Tompion’s relationship with Robert Hooke, a famous scientist, enabled him to make watches with balance springs, which at that time were far more accurate among other watches. His credibility as a watchmaker and clockmaker rose to its heights after his invention of the first commonly-used balance spring regulator called the cylinder escapement. Because of this invetion, Tompion was able to create flat watches. Perhaps only a few great clock watchmaker and clockmaker can surpass the achievement of Tompion especially in the number of clocks and watches that he had created. His genius was well proven with a total of 5,500 watches and 650 clocks.
His skills in horology brought Tompion to the peak of his career. People patronize his clocks not only because of their solid construction but aso because of their ingenious designs. These two-pronged elements made his clocks as a sought-after collectible clocks or antique clocks in the world even to this age.
Upon the death of Tompion, his partner George Graham polished the creation that he has started, the spring escapement. Tompion’s antique clock, the two one-year clocks, is located in Buckingham Palace.
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