A watch nerd at heart, George Bamford has come across and worked with many wonderful watches throughout his life and career. This series explores the oddball watches, the weird and wonderful pieces that inspire and push the boundaries. Chatting to an array of watch and design enthusiasts, George asks what makes their heart beat faster, their eyebrows raise or simply makes them smile.
In this episode, George is joined by Andrew Canter, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MrWatchMaster as they discuss ‘The Last Laugh’ by Mr Jones Watches.
Memento Mori – A Brief History
The Latin phrase memento mori literally means, Remember that you must die. The theme of memento mori presents a visual reminder of the transitory nature of human existence and is an artistic tradition that dates back to antiquity.
While the invention of the pocket watch in the early 16th century brought reasonably good time measurement into the daily life of those who could afford such timekeepers, it also cultivated a deeper awareness of the brevity of life amongst the broader population. This notion was later to gain tangible form with the creation of skull watches, embodying the idea that death drew closer with each passing tick.
The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers/Clarissa Bruce
© The Clockmakers’ Charity
The above watch has acquired an international reputation as the one given by Mary Queen of Scots to Mary Seaton, on her way to her execution.
We discussed the fascination with skull watches and how they have evolved over the past few hundred years and why they are still popular today. The specific watch we talked about was The Last Laugh by Mr Jones Watches (below)
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