What is a Barometer?
The story starts in the 16th Century when Italian clever-man
Evangelista Torricelli is thought to have been the first person
to recognise that the world’s atmosphere was not weightless
but applied a force, now known as atmospheric pressure.
Only in the 18th Century was the link between atmospheric
pressure and changing weather conditions noted.
Water-filled “storm glass” barometers did what their name
suggests and predicted impending storms.
The 19th century saw the development of the aneroid
barometer which became widely used for meteorology and
a popular accessory in the home. These aneroid barometers
were produced in all manner of ornate designs in response
to the insatiable British appetite for a topic of conversation,
the use of umbrellas and organising picnics.
With the advent of improved satellite weather forecasting,
barometers became more regarded as an instrument
for an older generation with their natural interactions
overshadowed in an ever digitalised world. Your new
Weather Clock is a reaction against this and a celebration of
the intricate mechanics of bygone eras brought up to date
for the contemporary home.
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