The Elgin Giant Watch (1893)
Built by: Elgin National Watch Company
Purpose: Showcase American watchmaking at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair
Jaw-dropping specs
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Dial diameter: approx. 18 feet
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Hands: several feet long (minute hand alone weighed hundreds of pounds)
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Movement:
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Custom-built, fully mechanical
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Functioned like an enormous pocket watch movement
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Weight: several tons (exact figures vary in historical sources)
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Display: Fully operational and visible to fairgoers
Elgin essentially took the concept of a precision pocket watch and scaled it up to architectural proportions.
