Innovation and Collaboration seeks to promote the public’s interest in horology, through a thematic display of rare and precious clocks, watches and documents by experiencing the mechanical art that these beautiful artefacts hold.

What is easily overlooked is that the exhibits – dated between 1500 and 1726 – were all created several hundreds of years ago. Easy to forget, not only because of their aesthetic natures but more specifically, because of the mechanical precision, detail and expertise that would be assumed feats today.

Social history runs clearly throughout the Exhibition. With the majority of exhibits having been created during the seventeenth century,there are numerous historical landmarks which the clocks and watches witnessed, such as the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, the Great Plague in 1655 and the Great Fire of London in 1666.

However, the death of Oliver Cromwell on 3rd September 1658 – exactly 360 years to the day that Innovation and Collaboration opens at Bonhams. Cromwell’s Commonwealth saw the monarchy brought down within England and his death, marked the beginning of Royal accession once more, with Charles II regaining the Throne in 1660.

Not only does the Exhibition open up a wealth of horologicalknowledge to all who enter, it will also bring alive history as never before,with clocks and watches working just as they were, centuries of years ago.

Looking at the age of each exhibit collectively, the clocks and watches on display will have kept time for over 39,567 years. To put that into context, 39,567 years ago saw the Upper Paleolithic period, more broadly known as the late Stone Age. Want to see what39,567 years of clocks look like?  Visit Innovation and Collaboration to findout. After all, what could be more important than time itself?