Photo Via Graham Of London
Graham of London is an exquisitely English watch produced by a master watchmaker. George Graham was born in the year 1673 and like many of his peers, Mr. Graham invented a lot of things but did not patent any of them.
It was Graham who created the very first stopwatch by devising a mercury pendulum to make it more accurate under any type of weather condition. It was also Graham who made the dead-beat escapement which made timekeeping more accurate. This escapement is known today as the Graham Escapement and is still utilized in pendulum clocks. The escapement is a predecessor to the universally known Swiss anchor movement used in most wristwatches today. He was also the one who built the Greenwich Royal Observatory’s master clock.
It wasn’t like George Graham to be selfish about his innovations. In fact, during his time, he helped other horologists giving him the nickname “honest George”.
Graham studied under Henry Aske and later on worked for his would-be relative Thomas Tompion. The two became friends later on when George married Tompion’s niece Elizabeth. Upon Tompion’s death in the y ear 1713, Graham started managing the business. During this time, London was already a well-developed city with a business culture and a scientific society that required accurate timekeeping. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1721 and a year later, Graham became Master of the Clockmakers’ Company.
Today, Graham of London produces one of the best watches in the world true to mechanical perfection that Graham lived for.