Watch with alarm

Movement by Nicholas Vallin Flemish

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 509

The son of the Flemish clockmaker John Vallin (ca. 1535–1603), Nicolas became the leading clock- and watchmaker in London. Both John and Nicolas emigrated to England, probably shortly before 1590 and undoubtedly as the result of political troubles in The Netherlands. Both father and son died in the London plague epidemic of 1603. The watch, which has a verge escapement, runs a little more than twenty-four hours per each winding, and originally it struck the hours in passing (a single blow on the bell at each hour).

Watch with alarm, Movement by Nicholas Vallin (Flemish, active ca. 1590–died 1603), Case: gilded brass; movement: gilded brass, with an alarm train of iron, British, London

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Watch with alarm, Movement by Nicholas Vallin (Flemish, active ca. 1590–died 1603), Case: gilded brass; movement: gilded brass, with an alarm train of iron, British, London
Watch with alarm, Movement by Nicholas Vallin (Flemish, active ca. 1590–died 1603), Case: gilded brass; movement: gilded brass, with an alarm train of iron, British, London
Watch with alarm, Movement by Nicholas Vallin (Flemish, active ca. 1590–died 1603), Case: gilded brass; movement: gilded brass, with an alarm train of iron, British, London
Watch with alarm, Movement by Nicholas Vallin (Flemish, active ca. 1590–died 1603), Case: gilded brass; movement: gilded brass, with an alarm train of iron, British, London

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