Curator's Chronicles Hello Clocktimers! I hope you enjoy the new Clocktime exhibits, and that you are taking time for yourselves this summer. Recently, I enjoyed a little down time in Dallas, TX, my hometown. While there, I always make a point of visiting the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), one of the largest art museums in the US. Its collection of more than 25,000 artworks is housed in a striking contemporary building designed by the award-winning architect Edward Larrabee Barnes. I met the DMA’s Lillian and James H Clark Assistant Curator of European Art, Dr Anabelle Gambert-Jouan. Anabelle specialises in the medieval art of Spain and Italy, and studied at the Courtauld Institute, University of Oxford and Yale University, where she did her PhD. The DMA has just 12 timekeepers in its horological collection, and Anabelle showed me the ones that are on display. Several are French in origin by way of American collectors, such as the mantel clock made by St Nicolas D’Aliermont around 1825, (see above). I learned that during the late 1700s and early 1800s, French luxury goods, such as this clock, became important, fashionable symbols of American independence and taste. This phenomenon has its roots in the US alliance with France during the US Revolutionary War and the desire of the US to distance itself from its former status as a British colony. I was also intrigued by the DMA’s Albatross mantel clock, which was produced by the New Haven Clock Company in Connecticut around 1884. I love its Japanese-inspired design and asymmetrical composition, as well as its use of a lush green tile for the dial plate. It is utilitarian, warm, and terribly modern all at the same time. I also visited the Rolex Watchmaking Training Center in Dallas and had a fantastic time! The Training Center is located in the Rolex Building, designed by the Japanese Architect Kengo Kuma. Completed in 2018, this office tower literally twists out of the ground, creating an effect that integrates the building with the land. Upon arrival, I was met by instructor Brock McKee, who ushered me into a lecture room, where about 30 students were seated in anticipation of my talk. I rolled up my sleeves and launched into a digital tour of Clocktime. Then, guided by the student’s interests and questions, I did an impromptu deep dive into early British watchmaking history. After the lecture students shook my hand, and several even said that the lecture was ‘awesome’ – their word, not mine. I then toured the school. It occupies a whole floor of the building. I found it to be a focused, nurturing learning environment that caters to a small and diverse cohort of roughly 40 students. They come from a range of experiences, and just under half are women, which is great to see. It’s an 18-month course that focuses on total watchmaking training, rather than a specialised skill. While a few graduates do go on to work for Rolex, the aim of the school is to train and meet a general demand for watchmakers. The instructors are hands-on. For example, Brock is devoted to his craft and to developing his students as individuals. He’s also passionate about getting the word out that watchmaking is a viable and rewarding career to pursue. Finally, for those of you who weren’t able to attend Dr John C Taylor’s lecture The Inventive Genius of John Harrison at the NAWCC Convention 2025, the video of the lecture is available now on YouTube. As ever, I wish you all excellent timing. Kristin Leith
