This beautiful book relates the incredible story of how leading clockmakers, primarily of England, struggled to control accurate timekeeping for over 300 years. A remarkably thorough yet concise text, by several of today's leading horologists, is accompanied by nearly 1,000 photographs of clocks, which demonstrate each fascinating development. From museums of international significance, as well as private collections worldwide, the best examples of each new invention to establish accurate time-keepers is illustrated and recorded here. Chapters are devoted to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich and many of the brilliant men of science who made instruments and provided timekeepers. Georgian, Regency, and Victorian advances are shown to have contributed to the eventual success of accurately measuring time, that is so crucial to the success of today's highly integrated society.