Closed | Important watches – Saturday 15 November 2014

Dashboard clocks became popular in the early 1900’s because of the increased use of different motor vehicles. The previous ways of hanging a pocket watch in a leather case close to the dashboard to be able to keep track of time now disappeared when the much more effective dashboard clock became more common. The clocks were made in different versions, some were mounted onto the dashboard and others next to the steering wheel or rear-view mirror. It was important that the clocks had great power reserves; therefore they were often made with so called eight days movements. This meant that if the clock was fully winded it could work for eight days without stopping.

Dashboard clocks with mechanical movements were used until the 1930’s when the electronic clocks became more frequent. By the 1960’s they were almost completely gone and the quartz movements had taken over.

At this auction we have a number of different dashboard clocks for sale, for instance one I.F.R from Heuer. I.F.R means Instrumental Flight Rules, which are the regulations used when flying without vision. At those times the pilot needs to rely completely on instruments and the I.F.R stop watch is used to be able to take time when landing in bad weather and poor visibility.