And now, a few minutes with George Graham -
James Henderson - What was your first watch, was it a gift? Is there a story behind it?
George Graham - I am not sure that I can remember beyond when I joined my mentor - Mr. Tompion to work with him and I moved to London. Together we created many wonderful things - and I was also fortunate to make the acquaintance of his niece Elizabeth, who would later become my wife!
JH - When you were a boy, what did you want to be "when you grew up"?
GH - It's difficult to go back that far. As you know - timekeepers in the form of watches are still a new novelty. I was, however, very interested both in the natural sciences and had a good head for mechanics.
JH - Where did you go to school, what did you study?
GH - I really consider my apprenticeship with Mr. Tompion to be my formal education - that was in London.
GH - Well, I have been blessed with many beautiful and talented "children". I came up with a timekeeper that could measure - and "capture" actual elapsed time. We will have to come up with a better name for it - something like "stop watch" perhaps. I am also quite pleased with the "Dead-Beat" escapement. Some folks have taken to calling it the "Graham" escapement, but I suppose that is for others to decide.
JH - Who else out there is making watches that interest you?
GH - Well of course Mr. Tompion made some fantastic timekeepers. There is this new fellow - John Harrison. He has made a clock out of wood - WOOD! And that clock is fantastically accurate! He has also come up with something that people are calling the "grasshopper" escapement. It is virtually frictionless and requires no lubrication!
JH - But I have to ask - why help him as you have? Surely you could create a clock capable of this?
GH - While I might be able to - he has! Granted we have worked together, but the inspiration and work has been his own. I have helped in my own small way - much as Mr. Tompion helped me, but I feel safe in saying he will be the man to solve this riddle!
JH - Maybe that is why they call you "honest George"?
GH - Well I am not the man to say, but I would be happy and proud to help any fellow watch maker in his efforts.
JH - You've been at the forefront of British horology - who do you think will be the next George Graham?
GH - I know that this is near blasphemy - but it would not surprise me if someone in France will come up with something interesting in the next 20 - 30 years. Someone who will make amazing things even for royalty. But if I really think about the future - and in Britain in particular, I sometimes have a vision of a solitary man, working away in some quiet place - maybe a smaller island - Orkney, or maybe the Isle of Man. I suspect that he will be someone originally born of the city - maybe even London - who was fascinated by the workings of a forgotten watch. Someone who despite all difficulties of early life will go on to do amazing things. He may even take Mr. Harrison's idea of the grasshopper escapement and focusing on the idea of a modern escapement that will need minimal "human intervention" he will maybe champion Mr. Harrison's ideal of making something practical and useful to the masses. It is not the fashion today, but maybe some day watches will be made on a larger scale - hundreds - maybe even thousands per year. He will probably be the sort of person who will be a bit reclusive, a bit hesitant to take on an apprentice - but I believe that there will be one man who will somehow convince him to take him on. I know that this will be more than 200 years from now, and I will long since have left this earth for a prior appointment with my creator - but I somehow sense that both the master and his apprentice will reestablish British horology.
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