Component · Going train gear

Great wheel of the going train of a tower clock from the Waterpoort, Gorinchem

Partially verified

This component is identified as the great wheel of the going train from a tower clock formerly located at the Waterpoort in Gorinchem. The object is held by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, under the accession number BK-NM-11197-1. Constructed primarily from forged iron, the mechanism measures 95 cm in height, 110 cm in width, and 60 cm in depth. Its historical function was to serve as part of a public timekeeping system, requiring substantial power to drive external clock hands. Tower clocks of this period generally utilized weight-driven mechanisms to provide the energy necessary for large-scale municipal time displays. This specific iron wheel represents a remnant of early public horology, reflecting the engineering methods used in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century.

The great wheel and partial going train mechanism of the tower clock from the Waterpoort, Gorinchem. — Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source: orbiscollectibles.com
Category: Component · Going train gear
Maker / attribution: Not established
Reference: Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier: BK-NM-11197-1
Source-reported date: c. 1585 - c. 1615
Source-reported place: Not established

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Physical Characteristics

The object is a component of a tower clock constructed using forged iron. Its physical dimensions are 95 cm in height, 110 cm in width, and 60 cm in depth. The construction reflects the requirements for a weight-driven mechanism intended for public display.

The piece functioned as the great wheel within the going train of the mechanism. It was engineered to manage the forces required to move large external clock hands, a common necessity for public-facing timekeeping infrastructure during the period.

Evidence for this section

“material recorded as iron (metal)”
“technique forging”
“height 95 cm x width 110 cm x depth 60 cm”

Provenance and Documentation

The component originated from the Waterpoort in Gorinchem. It is currently preserved as part of the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

The object is registered under the museum inventory number BK-NM-11197-1. It has been dated to the period between approximately 1585 and 1615.

Evidence for this section

“Great wheel of the going train of the tower clock from the Waterpoort in Gorinchem”
“The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-11197-1”
“Dating to between approximately 1585 and 1615”

Historical Role

Tower clocks served as essential public amenities, providing the community with a method to track time. These mechanisms were integral to the daily routines of the population served by the Waterpoort location.

Due to their size, the mechanisms required greater power than residential or smaller clocks. The construction of this great wheel reflects the specific engineering challenges of maintaining public clocks during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.

Evidence for this section

“Tower clocks served as public amenities to enable the community to tell the time and played an important timekeeping role in daily life”
“their internal mechanisms had to be considerably more powerful than those of ordinary clocks”

Open research questions

What specific archival evidence confirms the 1585–1615 dating for the Waterpoort clock?
Are there missing segments of the going train currently held in other collections?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Great wheel of the going train of a tower clock from the Waterpoort, Gorinchem
Field	Source-reported value	Source quotation
Material	iron (metal)	“material recorded as iron (metal)”
Technique	forging	“technique forging”
Height	95 cm	“height 95 cm”
Width	110 cm	“width 110 cm”
Depth	60 cm	“depth 60 cm”
Origin	Waterpoort in Gorinchem	“tower clock from the Waterpoort in Gorinchem”
Museum number	BK-NM-11197-1	“BK-NM-11197-1”

Visible details

Large-scale forged iron construction
Open frame tower clock gear architecture
Evidence of heavy-duty mechanical design

Research qualifications

Maker attribution is currently unverified
Full mechanical integrity of the surviving train is not described

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Great wheel of the going train of a tower clock

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 6e747c7a79

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.