MOSCOW COMPUTUS CLOCK

“Moscow Computus Clock” The most complicated clock in Russia

The fundamental complication of the “Moscow Computus Clock” is the Orthodox Easter date indicator, one of Konstantin Chaykin’s most complex inventions. As well as this indicator, a further 26 complications and functions are implemented in the clock – in the history of Russian clockmaking there is no other clock that is comparable in complexity to the “Moscow Computus Clock”.
“The first fully mechanical and automatically operating computus module with Orthodox Easter date indicator with one hand I made in 2007. The ‘Moscow Computus Clock’ is the result of experience, improvements, and inventions accumulated over nine years, though it still took two years to create this clock. Nevertheless, can you imagine how much these two years of work cost the whole manufactory?” – Konstantin Chaykin

The clock movement of the supercomplicated astronomical “Moscow Computus Clock” is magnificent. The incredibly complex calibre TCO.03-1 is assembled from 2506 parts, setting in motion indicators located on four dials installed on four sides of the case. In total, implemented in the “Moscow Computus Clock” are 27 additional complications and functions (here, indicators for the hours, minutes and seconds of the average solar time are not included, as they are considered basic characteristics of the clock movement). In the history of Russian clockmaking, no other clock is comparable with the complexity of the “Moscow Computus Clock”. Having successfully assembled the supercomplicated movement of the “Moscow Computus Clock”, Konstantin Chaykin beat his own previous achievement, established just a year earlier with the completion of the supercomplicated “Northern Computus Clock”. The computus module is inactive throughout the year, waking up ten minutes before the arrival of the new year. This is followed by an incredible clockwork act, taking just a few of the 525,600 minutes that make up the year. The Easter hand leaves the date of the previous year’s Easter, moves far to the left, and then starts its slow climb to the Easter date of the new year. Mission complete.
Analemma



Architecture



Movement
The complications of the Moscow Computus Clock
- Computus—mechanical indication of Orthodox Easter date according to the Gregorian and Julian calendars.
- Perpetual calendar with automatic adjustment according to the months’ durations and the leap year cycle.
- Date indicator.
- Day of the week indicator.
- Month indicator.
- Four-digit year indicator (up to year 9999).
- Leap year cycle indicator.
- One-minute tourbillon.
- 10-day power reserve indicator.
- Indicator of the low level of power reserve (last 2 days).
- Acoustic indicator of the critically low level of power reserve (last day).
- Moon phase and age of Moon indicator (classic design).
- Planisphere with the Moscow starry sky map.
- Sidereal time indicator.
- Equation of time indicator.
- Seasons indicator.
- Analemma indicator.
- Solar declination indicator.
- Time of sunrise in Moscow.
- Time of sunset in Moscow.
- Day length in Moscow.
- Night length in Moscow.
- Tellurium, the indicator of the relative positions of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth.
- Orbital Moon phase indicator.
- 24-hour world time indicator.
- Indication of the change of day and night in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Mechanism of computus module direct drive from a ratchet wheel.
Specifications
Main dial view: | Piece unique 440 × 290 × 320 мм |
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Decoration materials and techniques: | brass, steel, duralumin, silver, mineral glass, malachite, marble, lazurite, sandstone, verde antique, rhodonite, jade, cacholong, coral, jasper, mother of pearl, diamonds, cubic zirconium, heliodor; nickel-plating, gold-plating, guilloche, fine circular grinding, polishing, laser engraving, pad printing, enamel, stone carving, Russian mosaic. Diamond-incrusted gold hands. |
Dials: | Nickel-plated or gold-plated brass, decoration techniques: circular and longitudinal grinding, relief decor "guilloche" of four types, gilded decorative overlay details and hour scale markers, all-gold hands inlaid with diamonds, hands made of blued steel. |
Calibre: | TCO.03-1 key wound 175 × 164 × 160 mm |
Number of parts: | 2506 |
Number of stones: | 13 |
Number of ball bearings: | 102 |
Move: | Anchor |
Semi-oscilations per hour: | 18 000 |
Power reserve: | 10 days |