North Coast Imports, Inc.

We are very pleased to offer the entire modern line of the storied and legendary clockmaker  L’Epée 1839! These clocks are truly inspiring to any lover of horology or connoisseur of mechanical art. Perhaps best known for their beautifully finished traditional carriage clocks,  L’Epée 1839 is pushing the envelope to develop truly creative and inventive horological fantasy.  L’Epée 1839   relives the fascination of a swashbuckling historical romance with the magic of a double animation duel with swords. The new animation shows both the power reserve and double retrograde seconds.  Closely respecting longtime tradition, each part of a  L’Epée 1839   clock is made by hand, by experienced clockmakers. Only superior materials are used, with exquisite finishes. The beauty of  L’Epée 1839   clocks is enhanced by highly polished cases and dials, lacquer adornments and glass sides. Each clock is protected by a varnish over...

As part of our Clocktoberfest celebration in Berea, Ohio, we are partnering with Baldwin Wallace University in presenting a special open house at the Burrell Memorial Observatory on Friday August 9, 2013 at 6:30. Dr. Edwin Meyer presents a lecture on The Marine Chronometer, The Key to Finding Longitude. The technological progress of humanity has come with a concomitant necessity for a more precise method to measure the passage of time. This was apparent when maritime travel for conquest, trade and exploration required a method to accurately determine the position of a ship at sea. A ship's latitude could be determined by the angle of the noonday sun, but the determination of a ship's longitude turned out to be the biggest technological challenge of the 18th Century. There were two paths to this achievement - navigation by the heavens and navigations by accurately measuring time. Dr. Meyer will tell the story of this race for the determination of longitude on the high s...

Here's a nice find on YouTube... from the description: Implementation and early development of a fully detached, gravity impulsed, mechanical escapement inspired by the designs of James Arnfield. Prototype built for kinematic amusement with the possibility of satisfactory timekeeping. The pendulum should at no time be connected directly to the going train and only impulsed by a falling tumbler which, after leaving contact with the pendulum, releases the escapement.  If you know more about this, I'd love to hear from you. Looks fascinating.

I thought it might be interesting to draw up a timeline for the developments in horology and time. I've mined some of the better information from Wikipedia to put together this snapshot of horological inventions and discoveries. 12,000 - 30,000 BCE (BC) - Artifacts from the Paleolithic that suggest measurements of the moon's motion. From Wikipedia : Lunar calendars were among the first to appear, with all years having twelve lunar months (approximately 354 days). Without intercalation to add days or months to some years, seasons quickly drift in a calendar based solely on twelve lunar months. Lunisolar calendars have a thirteenth month added to some years to make up for the difference between a full year (now known to be about 365.24 days) and a year of just twelve lunar months. The numbers twelve and thirteen came to feature prominently in many cultures, at least partly due to this relationship of months to years. 2600 - 2400 BCE - Stonehenge 3 II From Wikipedia : The timbe...

We have some beautiful new photographs of our rare "K. Mozer" Carriage Clocks. These very fine pieces were made by L'Epee when they were located in their London Factory. There were very few pieces made by the artisan clockmakers in London under the famous L'Epee standards of excellence. L'Epee carriage clocks have since been adopted by a Swiss factory that also produces the Matthew Norman line. We are pleased to make available the Ovale and the Dauphine which are some of the very few collectible pieces that were produced in England, by English clockmakers. While the British clockmaking industry was (at one time) the best in the world, their output has since become very small and very collectible. You can easily see, from our new pictures and video, the tremendous quality of these pieces. Take a moment to appreciate the impeccable tradition of British Horology!

From Watching Horology : Listen to the audio broadcast with Peter May about the state of horology in England and the interview with George Daniels and Roger Smith. Makes for interesting update for those interested in what is happening in the UK. Click Here to Listen on the BBC Learn about the business of mechanical horology!

There are still a few master clockmakers in the USA. This fine piece with gravity escapement was made for the collector at Orchestrion Hall (mentioned in my last post ) by the Balzer Family Clockworks in Freeport, Maine. Take a look at their website... there is a dizzying display of one-of-a-kind restoration and craftsmanship.

Here's a great video of the moving platform escapement on a carriage clock - the same one used in our Sternreiter carriage clocks!