Dent (clocks and watches) Dent (clocks and watches) Dent was a London manufacturer of luxury clocks and watches, founded by Edward John Dent. Dent began making watches in 1814, although it wasn’t until 1876 that the Dent triangular trade mark was registered. Perhaps the company’s biggest coup is winning the contract to make the clock for the new palace of Westminster – or Big Ben as it’s more commonly known. Edward John Dent (1790-1853) discovered his passion for horology from his cousin, Richard Rippon, himself a master watchmaker. Dent established his own company in 1814, and developed a reputation as a builder of accurate
Dent (clocks and watches) which were taken across Africa in my last Expedition, proved a very great service to me and were in every way thoroughly satisfactory and reliable”. Dent constructed the first Standard Astronomical Clock for the Admiralty in 1814, and went on to supply Standard Clocks throughout the 19th century to Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Russia, USA and Japan. In 1871, Dent was given the honour of making the Standard Clock at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Dent also built the Observatory’s secondary Standard Clock, responsible for sending the signal for the emission of the 6 BBC pips, first broadcast in 1924. Dent