Photographer Captures Centuries of Pocket Watches
Jen Carol, a museum photographer at Auckland Museum, embarked on a meticulous project to digitize over one hundred antique pocket watches spanning the 17th to 19th centuries. Working without any post‑production edits, she captured each timepiece in its authentic state, preserving scratches, patina, and structural details that convey their historical narrative. The process required careful lighting setups—using a circular polarizer, low‑positioned strip boxes, and a curved bounce card—to manage the reflective glass and delicate metal surfaces while avoiding any damage to fragile components. By documenting maker’s marks, escapements, and unique decorative elements such as “pierced cock” balances and “beetles and poker hands” hands, the images become a valuable resource for horological scholars and descendants alike. The resulting high‑resolution archive opens the museum’s collection to a global audience, enabling researchers to study minute engravings and historians to trace the personal stories embedded in each watch. This effort underscores the contrast between commercial photography’s polished aesthetic and the archival mission’s commitment to truth, ensuring that the mechanical heritage of these pocket watches endures beyond the physical objects themselves.
Buying Time Analysis: This story highlights the crucial role of archival photography in preserving the detailed history of centuries-old pocket watches, ensuring that their cultural and technical significance is accessible to scholars and the public worldwide.
