Mantel clock with electric auto-wind, c.1901-11

One of the earliest and most obvious applications of electricity to horology was automated winding, as in this clock by the French company Silentia. Here, an electric motor, comprising a large stationary horseshoe magnet and a rotating coil, intermittently rewinds a remontoire spring to power a balance-controlled movement that is fundamentally mechanical. This action is very quiet, hence the brand name. These relatively rare clocks were made between 1909– 11 by Société Anonyme des Horloges Électriques Silentia in Besançon, France.