Time machines: the most unique clockwork mechanisms will be shown in Moscow

The grand opening of the exhibition "Time does not wait! Clocks and clockwork from the leading museums of Moscow". The exposition in the Museum of the Special Purpose Garage was prepared with the assistance of the Polytechnic Museum. Visitors will be able to see the most interesting exhibits from six metropolitan exhibition centers, items from private collections and trace the development of watchmaking in our country. These are gift watches to the leaders of states, award-winning copies that Lenin gave to the particularly distinguished communists, ultra-precise marine chronometers, heliochranometers on the time equation scale of the Russian Empire and other artifacts.

Unique exhibits at VDNKH

On June 11, the grand opening of the exhibition "Time does not wait! Clocks and Clockwork from Moscow's leading museums", organized by the Polytechnic Museum. The exhibition includes the most interesting mechanisms for measuring time from the collections of the capital's exhibition centers, watches of historical figures and unique works by modern watchmakers and jewelers.

— Now the Polytechnic Museum is closed for restoration and few people can see our watch collection. Thanks to this exhibition, we have the opportunity to demonstrate it. We selected the exhibits for this exhibition in such a way as to show how the mechanisms developed from the sun to the most modern watches. Our second task was to show watches from Russia, our craftsmen, trading houses and other manufacturers. We will also show special—purpose watches: aviation, diving, marine, lighthouse, and even chronometers for monitoring night watchmen, that is, designed for special applications," Tatyana Fokina, senior researcher, curator and curator of the Polytechnic Museum's watch collection, told Izvestia.

Among the most interesting exhibits, the specialist noted marine chronometers, one of which was created in the nineteenth century in St. Petersburg, and the other in the second half of the twentieth century at the Kirov Moscow Watch Factory. The technology of creating such devices has played a very important role in history, since in the era of Great Geographical Discoveries it was very important to correctly determine the location of ships on the high seas, and for this it was necessary to measure time as accurately as possible. Even a small mistake could lead to a shipwreck, so the mechanics constantly improved their art to avoid errors.

In addition to mechanical ones, unusual sundial can also be seen at the exhibition. For example, the famous heliochronometer with the time equation scale of the Russian Empire for accurate measurement of the time of day. It was created in Petrograd in 1914-15, as well as a clock with a cannon that automatically fired at exactly noon when a ray of sunlight hit the desired point.

— That's what this watch was called.: "The Noon Cannon." At exactly noon, a ray of sunlight fell on a magnifying glass, it heated the gunpowder and a shot was fired. It was only necessary to charge it," said Tatiana Fokina.

As Yulia Kuklina, director of museum and exhibition activities at the Museum of the Special Purpose Garage, noted, the organization seeks to expand the scope of its exhibitions and, in addition to cars, to showcase other technical artifacts.

— The watch is one of our assets. We have collections from six museums, including the Polytechnic Museum, which has provided its best exhibits. We want to show both the technical achievements and the watches that were given to the leaders of the countries. For example, Joseph Stalin. Or a premium watch for the fifth anniversary of the construction of the subway. As well as the works of one of the leading Russian watchmakers, Konstantin Chaikin. He created the Lukomorye and Moscow Paskhalia watches. The author is the only Russian master who has received a special award from the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix," said Yulia Kuklina.

Private watch collection

In addition to items from museum collections, the insert features exhibits belonging to private collector Pavel Barbayanov, who collects award-winning watches from the era of industrial construction.

— We are talking about watches that were awarded to the builders of the Soviet state: the strikers, the Stakhanovites, the heroes of the first five-year plans. The awarding of watches was more honorable than a certificate. The watches were in short supply and the award-winning inscriptions on them became the theme of my collection. These objects tell about the people who created this country and defended it during the Great Patriotic War," Pavel Barbayanov said.

The exhibition features 40 watches from his collection. Each exhibit has a QR code that allows you to go to the page with the story of the hero who received the award. The first chronologically awarded watch was presented to the Red Army soldier Kryukov in 1919 by Vladimir Lenin. They can also be seen at the exhibition.

— Time measuring devices have always been of interest to scientists, engineers, and inventors. Lomonosov successfully improved marine watches and chronometers. Kulibin became famous primarily as a skilled watchmaker. In 1829, Ivan Tolstoy created a tourbillon chronometer watch. The Bure watchmakers who worked in Russia, the Butenop brothers, Lev Nechaev and other craftsmen are known all over the world. Of course, the watches began to arrive at the Polytechnic Museum, or rather, the Museum of Applied Knowledge from its very foundation in 1872. But these were scattered exhibits. A full-fledged, structured collection of time measuring instruments began to form in 1969, when Tatiana Alekseevna Fokina came to the museum. We currently have more than 3,000 rare and unique items in our collection, ranging from solar panels to electronic watches. And for the exhibition "Time does not Wait," we have selected those that most vividly demonstrate the development and diversity of watchmaking," said Dmitry Kozhanov, General Director of the Polytechnic Museum.

The exhibition will be held until November 16 in Pavilion No. 53 of VDNH.