Timely exhibition of Qing watches and clocks

"Treasured Time", an immersive exhibition displaying watches and clocks collected by the royal family during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) is running at the Memor Museum at Beijing 751 Park.

The exhibition, jointly organized by the Chinese Cultural Relics Society, the Chinese Horological Association, and Shenyang Museum Association, showcases nearly a hundred rare and exquisite timepieces from the late 18th to early 20th centuries, mainly from Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

The exhibition is arranged in ancient court style, perfectly presenting the history and art of Qing Palace clocks, inviting the audience to a journey back in time to the charm of Qing Palace clocks firsthand. During the opening ceremony, Li Li, the director of the Memor Museum, expressed that the exhibition allows the audience to admire the precious collections of Qing Palace clocks at close quarters.

Zhang Hongguang, the chairman of the Chinese Horological Association, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, stating, "clocks are one of the great and exquisite creations of mankind, representing humanity's precise measurement and expression of time. It is due to the continuous efforts of our vast horological community and new friends that Qing Palace timepieces, as historical and cultural heritage, can demonstrate vitality in promotion and promotion, play a greater role in cultural heritage, and receive more support''.

The restoration techniques of clocks and watches, as an intangible cultural heritage, benefit from the maintenance and restoration by highly accomplished and skilled clock masters, ensuring their orderly inheritance and continuation to this day. At the opening ceremony, Wang Jin, a senior antique clock conservator from the Palace Museum, demonstrated the process of restoring ancient clocks on-site, allowing the audience to understand the unique skills and charm of this representative national intangible cultural heritage project.

He not only talked about his years of dedication to the restoration of antique clocks in the Forbidden City, but also shared the essence of the restoration techniques on-site, allowing the audience to feel the charm and warmth of this ancient craft up close.

The Memor Museum stated that it will continue to launch a series of exhibitions with Qing Palace elements as the main theme in the future, such as lacquerware and Qing Palace clothing, to explore the mysteries of history together with the audience.