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The Encyclopedia of Horology

London, England · c. 1680–1739

Charles Clay

Partially verified

Maker of musical clocks and royal horological commissions

Life & work

Born in Yorkshire around 1680, Charles Clay eventually moved to London to establish his horological career.

In 1717, he applied for a patent for a repeating clock invention, although the application was contested by Daniel Quare and ultimately rejected. He successfully opened a workshop near St. Mary-Le-Strand in 1720 and was appointed clockmaker to the Board of Works in 1723. Clay became widely recognized for his sophisticated musical clocks, often incorporating melodies by George Frideric Handel, and he served in his royal capacity until at least 1737.

The fuller biography summarises the open references listed under Sources; each statement was checked against the cited passage. Confirm key dates in period documents before relying on them.

Training, contributions & innovations

  • Clay was renowned for developing intricate musical clocks that featured music by renowned composers of his era.
  • He held the prestigious position of clockmaker to His Majesty's Board of Works, through which he provided horological services for royal residences.

Documented works

  • Significant examples of his work, including 'The Temple and Oracle of Apollo' and 'The Four Grand Monarchies of the World', are held in the Royal Collection Trust.
  • A notable musical clock by Clay, formerly known as the 'Braamcamp clock', is now preserved at the Museum Speelklok in Utrecht.

Collecting significance

The catalogued pieces listed on this page show the kinds of objects auction houses, dealers and museums attribute to this maker; each attribution is the source's own.

Firms, key models & movements

No firm, model or movement in this encyclopedia is yet recorded under this maker's name.

In the object catalogue

3 catalogued objects are recorded under Charles Clay. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.

Diagram

12345let downstripcleanoilregulateorder of work; never skip letting down the mainspring
Schematic: order of work at the bench. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Sources & references

  1. Clay, Charles, Watch-Wiki, retrieved 2026-11-03

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.