Antique 19th century 'Time Machine' one of a kind in Hanoi

Currently, Mr. Dao Xuan Tinh, living in Long Bien, Hanoi owns the Time Machine his collection of antique watches, which takes years to search and assemble each part together to be a complete one. Photo: dantri

In order to operate this watch, the inventors had to switch from mechanical energy to kinetic energy by cable, Mr. Dao Xuan Tinh said. Photo: dantri

The bell rings every 30 minutes, while the even hours are added to the hourly bell. Photo: dantri

“The watch has two faces. A small clock face is attached to the movement, a large face is pulled up to a high tower and exposed so that people can see the time. Inside the machine attached the small clock, there is a clockwise shaft in line with the large clock outside. Therefore, we just need to adjust the small clock inside, the clock outside the tower is also automatically adjusted, ”said Mr. Tinh. Photo: dantri

One of the most special things is that this Time Machine is manufactured manually and the operator must pull the cable to run it every 24 hours. Photo: dantri

Mr. Tinh also added that in the past, when the clock's presence was not as popular as today, people would hear the bell ringing to know what time it was, especially at night. The ringing of a clock can spread far away in good weather. Photo: dantri

The "giant" gears are closely linked. Photo: dantri

For the most part, these time machines were manufactured exclusively for European churches in the early 19th century. Photo: dantri

Four dumbbells are used to create mechanical power. After starting, these dumbbells will move the gears running to count minutes and hours. Photo: dantri

When the reporter asked about the value of this Time Machine, Mr. Tinh said that it is a token associated with his own memories and cannot be valued. Photo: dantri

For Mr. Tinh, this watch is not only a valuable hand-made thing, but also a witness of history, culture and scientific inventions. It is known that there are currently 2 other places using this Time Machine in Vietnam including Notre Dame Cathedral (Saigon) and Bui Chu Church (Nam Dinh). Photo: dantri