The Princeps clock is an attempt at a ‘free pendulum’, a longstanding goal of horologists: here, the pendulum has no connection with the train except from through two sets of light electrical contact springs. The first set makes the contacts, while the second set breaks the circuit. The design was devised by Major C. E. Prince, a military man who had also been actively involved in early radio research, having served as officer in charge of the Experimental Wireless Section of the RAF during the First World War and subsequently on the research staff of the Marconi Company. He patented this clock in 1922, and began retailing it from a shop in New Bond Street the following year. However, Princeps clocks were only manufactured in their original form for a very few years: around 1926, the company was acquired by the Telephone Manufacturing Company, who substantially altered the design. This is a rare example of the ‘type 1’ regulator.
