History

History

History

Inspired by the ingenious drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, clockmaker Jacob Zech invented the fusee in 1525. This innovation improved the consistency of power transmission in mechanical watches, laying the foundation for the accuracy and craftsmanship that define watchmaking today.

The clockmaker of Prague

Jacob Zech (also known as Jakub Čech) was a 16th-century clockmaker from Prague and the orlojník — master of the city’s famous astronomical clock on the Old Town Square. Around 1490, he and the legendary Master Hanuš added the calendar dial showing the months and zodiac signs, helping create one of the world’s oldest working timepieces.

The clockmaker of Prague

Jacob Zech (also known as Jakub Čech) was a 16th-century clockmaker from Prague and the orlojník — master of the city’s famous astronomical clock on the Old Town Square. Around 1490, he and the legendary Master Hanuš added the calendar dial showing the months and zodiac signs, helping create one of the world’s oldest working timepieces.

In the Name of the King: Jacob Zech’s Astronomical Clock for Sigismund I

The astronomical table clock, crafted in Prague by Jacob Zech in 1525, bears the Latin inscription: “In the year 1525 Jacob Zech made me in Prague – it is true.” Commissioned for King Sigismund I of Poland, it now belongs to the Society of Antiquaries of London and is considered the earliest dated astronomical table clock in England — a true technical and historical treasure. Zech remains celebrated as a Renaissance master whose work measured time and reflected the spirit of his era.

In the Name of the King: Jacob Zech’s Astronomical Clock for Sigismund I

The astronomical table clock, crafted in Prague by Jacob Zech in 1525, bears the Latin inscription: “In the year 1525 Jacob Zech made me in Prague – it is true.” Commissioned for King Sigismund I of Poland, it now belongs to the Society of Antiquaries of London and is considered the earliest dated astronomical table clock in England — a true technical and historical treasure. Zech remains celebrated as a Renaissance master whose work measured time and reflected the spirit of his era.

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