Watch 1685 - 1695

This silver watch, made by Daniel Quare, features a circular face enclosed in an ornate case. The dial is a complex configuration of Roman numerals and minute markings, all meticulously inscribed. This immediately gives us a sense of precision and craftsmanship. Consider the semiotics of such an object. The watch is more than a tool for measuring time. It's a symbol of control, order, and the relentless march of modernity. The intricate detailing and precious materials also speak to the owner's status and taste. The watch's circular form, the hands moving in perpetual rotation, and the numerical sequences all work together to impose a structure on something as abstract as time. It transforms our understanding of time into a commodity that can be measured, divided, and owned. This is not merely about telling time. It's about how we, as a culture, have come to perceive and dominate time itself.