Armstrong Rockwell is proud to present Dent of London. The history of Dent & Co. spans two centuries of precision watch and clock making in Great Britain. Established in 1814 by Edward J. Dent, the company embraced the Victorian fervor for technological innovation and created precision chronometers to navigate the Royal Navy and guide some of the most intrepid explorers on their voyages. The British Empire was in full expansion and its maritime tradition had produced some remarkable technological breakthroughs from the late 18th century; John Harrison’s triumphant mechanical solution in 1764 to locate a ship’s position at sea won the coveted Board of Longitudes prize money and further consolidated Britain as the horological force in the world.  Propelling the impetus of Britain’s primacy, Dent proved a key player in Victorian horological history manufacturing the Standard Clock at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich which was to keep “Greenwich Mean Time”  the time to which all others in the Empire were referred, (better known today as G.M.T.) and continued to do so until replaced by an electronic clock in 1946.  Dent also made probably the most famous clock in the world - the Great Clock for the Houses of Parliament, familiarly known as Big Ben.

Description: This clock was presented by Dent & Co to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to commemorate the opening of St. Pancras Station. Her Majesty commented that the clock was "magnificent". 

Dent & Co chose to make a Great Wheel Skeleton clock, because they felt they could display the unique St. Pancras Clock dial to great effect and they could turn the brass support work to readily echo ironwork of the glass roof structure which so typifies St. Pancras. The dial is made from mother of pearl with jet hour and minute markers. The hands and chapter ring furling are in 18 carat gold, and the base is made with the same slate as we used in the Station Platform clock. 

Great Wheel Clocks appeared at the end of the 18th Century and though they appear deceptively simple, they are extremely refined and elegant, with high levels of craftsmanship, high tooth counts and graceful crossings. The Great Wheel has 288 teeth and makes only one revolution daily. This drives the centre wheel with a diameter slightly larger than the bezel, thus when viewed from the front it frames the dial. The escapement is a 'Graham Deadbeat' controlled by a 'silk' suspension pendulum and it has an eight day power reserve.

Armstrong Rockwell well is proud to present one of only twenty-five of these magnificent clocks.

List Price: $25,000.

Model: Dent - 01-001-H23

Description: Parliament Time & Date - 18kt rose gold case. The ivory dial displays Roman numerals, hours, minutes, seconds, and date. This watch is on a brown, hand stitched, rolled edge, double sided Alligator strap with an 18kt rose gold buckle. This watch functions using the Dent Calibre 101 and has an automatic winding movement. Certified Swiss Chronometer. Water resistant to 50 meters. Number 7 of 250.

List Price: $21,650. 

Model: Dent - 02-001-H07

Description: Ministry Time & Date - 43mm, 18kt white gold case. The black dial displays Roman numerals, hours, minutes, seconds, and date. This watch is on a black, hand stitched, rolled edge, double sided Alligator strap with an 18kt white gold buckle. This watch functions using the Dent Calibre 101 and has an automatic winding movement. Certified Swiss Chronometer. Water resistant to 100 meters. Number 11 of 250.

List Price: $15,300.