Stopped at 10.08 for decades, Rs 96 lakh restoration brings 123-year-old Curzon clock back to life at Golden Temple
The brass clock, a gift to Golden Temple in 1902, was restored in Birmingham, the same city where it was originally manufactured, according to a report by Times of India. The clock had suffered extensive damage over the years and lost much of its original mechanical and aesthetic character due to improper repairs.
New Delhi: A 123-year-old historic clock commissioned by British-era viceroy Lord Curzon, which had remained stuck at 10.08 for decades, has been restored after nearly two years of work at a cost of about Rs 96 lakh and will be reinstalled at the Golden Temple in January.
The brass clock, a gift to Golden Temple in 1902, was restored in Birmingham, the same city where it was originally manufactured, according to a report by Times of India. The clock had suffered extensive damage over the years and lost much of its original mechanical and aesthetic character due to improper repairs.
Clock presented on October 31, 1902
Curzon, who served as Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, visited the Golden Temple with his wife on April 9, 1900. Finding a simple wall clock inside the shrine unsuitable for its architectural and spiritual stature, he ordered a bespoke timepiece from Elkington & Co. The clock was crafted from special brass and presented to Sri Darbar Sahib on October 31, 1902, on the occasion of Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, through the then Lahore commissioner.
An inscription on the clock records its provenance, noting that it was presented by Curzon during his first official visit in April 1900. Over time, however, the 10-kg clock was damaged in an accident, developed cracks and scratches, lost decorative elements, and had its original mechanical system replaced with a quartz mechanism and an aluminium dial.
Clock was sent to UK for restoration
In 2023, during conservation work overseen by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the clock was found concealed behind a modern timepiece at the north-eastern entrance of the shrine. With SGPC approval, it was sent to the UK for restoration by Birmingham-based conservator Bhupinder Singh Minhas under the supervision of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha.
GNNSJ representative Inderjit Singh said about £80,000 was spent to restore the clock. The work included replacing the aluminium dial with a brass one, reinstating Roman numerals, reviving the original mechanical system, and providing specialised cleaning tools.
The clock was brought back to India in November 2024 and will be reinstalled at its original location at the Golden Temple.