Christopher Pinchbeck
Encyclopedia
Christopher Pinchbeck was a London
clockmaker
and maker of musical Automata
. He was born in Clerkenwell
but worked in Fleet Street
. Probably his name was derived from Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire
. In the 18th century he invented the alloy Pinchbeck
a cheap substitute for gold
. He made an exquisite musical clock, worth about £500, for Louis XIV, and a fine organ for the Great Mogul, valued at £300. His eldest son, also named Christopher (1710–1783) became King's Clockmaker by appointment to George III: among his timepieces is an important astronomical clock made for the King, now in Buckingham Palace
.
A number of clocks and watches made by both Christopher Pinchbecks still exist. Nowadays the term 'Pinchbeck Watch' may mean a watch made by Christopher senior or junior, a watch made by another maker and housed in a Pinchbeck
case, or a watch made by Harold Pinchbeck, the 21st Century family watchmaking business in England.
vocabulary, signifying the alloy he created, or also - seeing as an alloy could be used to replace a more precious metal more cheaply, something less than genuine; a counterfeit; a fake; a sham or fraud. E.g.: "'Pinchbeck heroism' is displayed in many action movies."
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
clockmaker
Clockmaker
A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly to repairing clocks and watches...
and maker of musical Automata
Automaton
An automaton is a self-operating machine. The word is sometimes used to describe a robot, more specifically an autonomous robot. An alternative spelling, now obsolete, is automation.-Etymology:...
. He was born in Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
but worked in Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
. Probably his name was derived from Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire
Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire
Pinchbeck is a village near Spalding in Lincolnshire, England. The name Pinchbeck is derived from either the Old English pinc+bece or pinca+bece ....
. In the 18th century he invented the alloy Pinchbeck
Pinchbeck (alloy)
Pinchbeck is a form of brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, mixed in proportions so that it closely resembles gold in appearance the idea being that ordinary people could buy gold 'effect' gems when gold was only sold in 18 carats which pushed the price way over what people could afford to pay....
a cheap substitute for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. He made an exquisite musical clock, worth about £500, for Louis XIV, and a fine organ for the Great Mogul, valued at £300. His eldest son, also named Christopher (1710–1783) became King's Clockmaker by appointment to George III: among his timepieces is an important astronomical clock made for the King, now in Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
.
A number of clocks and watches made by both Christopher Pinchbecks still exist. Nowadays the term 'Pinchbeck Watch' may mean a watch made by Christopher senior or junior, a watch made by another maker and housed in a Pinchbeck
Pinchbeck (alloy)
Pinchbeck is a form of brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, mixed in proportions so that it closely resembles gold in appearance the idea being that ordinary people could buy gold 'effect' gems when gold was only sold in 18 carats which pushed the price way over what people could afford to pay....
case, or a watch made by Harold Pinchbeck, the 21st Century family watchmaking business in England.
Idiomatic Use
Because of his work with alloys, the term "pinchbeck" has also entered the EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
vocabulary, signifying the alloy he created, or also - seeing as an alloy could be used to replace a more precious metal more cheaply, something less than genuine; a counterfeit; a fake; a sham or fraud. E.g.: "'Pinchbeck heroism' is displayed in many action movies."