Christopher Pinchbeck, also called Catarrón (c. 1670 – ) was a London clockmaker and maker of musical automata. He was born in

Clerkenwell Clerkenwell () is an area of central London, England. Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the mediaeval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The well after which it was named was redisco ...

, England, but worked in

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a major street mostly in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was na ...

. He is the most famous member of the Pinchbeck family, which took its name from a small village in Lincolnshire.

Career

In the 18th century Pinchbeck invented his eponymous alloy, a cheap substitute for gold. He made an exquisite musical clock, worth about £500, for Louis XIV, and a fine organ for the Great Mogul, valued at £300. His eldest son, also named Christopher (1710–1783) became King's Clockmaker by appointment to George III: among his timepieces is an important astronomical clock made for the King, now in

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

. A number of clocks and watches made by both Christopher Pinchbecks still exist. Nowadays the term 'Pinchbeck Watch' may mean a watch made by Christopher senior or junior, a watch made by another maker and housed in a Pinchbeck case, or a watch made by

Harold Pinchbeck Harold may refer to: People * Harold (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Harold (surname), surname in the English language * András Arató, known in meme culture as "Hide the Pain Harold" Arts a ...

, the 21st-century family watchmaking business in England. He died in 1732, at the age of 62.

Idiomatic use

The term ''pinchbeck'' has entered the English language to signify the alloy Pinchbeck created. Because the alloy could be used to replace gold, the word is also used to signify something less than genuine; a counterfeit; a fake; a sham or fraud."Pinchbeck"
at Dictionary.com.

Notes

References

Pinchbeck family
by Rita Shenton. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (subscription or UK public library membership required)
From 'Fleet Street:Introduction (continued)'
Old and New London: Volume 1 (1878), pp 53–69.

Career

Idiomatic use

Notes

References

Further reading