Watch 18th century

Curator: Well, that's imposing! A silver pocket watch from the 18th century – imagine the waistcoat it once adorned! There's a gravitas to its sheer roundness, isn't there? A declaration. Editor: It does possess a sort of determined symmetry. These objects have become vessels of symbolism. This piece isn't just about telling time; it’s an emblem. What does the image itself say to you? Curator: The watch whispers tales of Georgian London. You picture someone strolling along the Thames, knowing exactly when to be where – or believing they do. Made of silver and metal, it's from another time. It embodies a world steeped in ritual and ornate detailing. The craftsmanship is lovely. Do you agree? Editor: Absolutely. Timepieces have been used for ages. Their shape, materials and decoration serve to connect historical awareness with psychological experience and awareness. You can tell the history just from its physical symbols alone: it's a mirror reflecting a society that believed in precision, progress, and probably power. It is decorative, showing the fashion. It represents luxury. Curator: Power yes, perhaps over one's own life. It’s a miniature universe meant to be kept and concealed; a portable universe of gilded cogs and ticking order that only the watch's owner may truly see. We are looking at it centuries later, as evidence. Is it fair to claim it belongs to "ancient" artistic styles, considering its more recent provenance? Editor: “Ancient” could allude to the way we project an idealized vision onto past cultures. Perhaps not "ancient" in a historical sense, but perceived that way as a lens of imagination and appreciation. We make use of their traditions and histories, which carries memory and symbol. Curator: A very good point, seeing antiquity in the gleam of well-polished silver. Editor: And so, looking at this “Watch” made by Thomas Miller, you get transported in time to London while simultaneously perceiving current ideals.