1. The word “clock” comes from “bell.”
It traces back to the Latin clocca and medieval French cloche, meaning “bell” — because early mechanical clocks chimed the hours.
2. Sundials were our first clocks.
Dating back over 3,500 years, sundials told time using shadows cast by the sun.
3. The oldest working mechanical clock still runs today!
Built around 1386 in Salisbury Cathedral, England, it has no face — it was made only to ring a bell.
4. Grandfather clocks got their name from a song.
The 1876 song “My Grandfather’s Clock” by Henry Clay Work made the name popular for tall pendulum clocks.
5. Pocket watches were once status symbols.
In the 16th–17th centuries, only wealthy nobles could afford personal timepieces.
6. The first alarm clock could only ring at 4 a.m.!
Invented by Levi Hutchins in 1787, it woke him up for work but wasn’t adjustable.
7. Big Ben isn’t actually the clock.
It’s the nickname for the Great Bell inside London’s iconic Elizabeth Tower.
8. Atomic clocks are the most accurate.
They can keep time so precisely that they won’t gain or lose a second for millions of years.
9. The first wristwatches were made for women.
Men typically carried pocket watches until wristwatches gained popularity in WWI.
10. Some clocks run backward on purpose!
In southern Italy and parts of the Middle East, backward-running clocks were used as conversation starters and symbols of living differently.
🕰️ Which clock fact surprised you most?
Share below — and tag a friend who’s always “watching” the time!
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