BELL

In horology, the word bell covers two distinct realities. It first designates the sound-producing part of clocks and pendulum clocks: bells are used to strike the hours and half-hours, while chimes combine several of them to play melodies. To produce a true and pleasant sound, these bells must be perfectly tuned; their shape, their Alloy (bell bronze) and their thickness determine the pitch and timbre of the note. In striking watches, bells have in fact been replaced by gongs, metal strips wound around the Movement, more compact. The term then designates an accessory of the Bench: the bell made of Glass (crystal) or transparent plastic under which the Horologist (watchmaker) places a movement being worked on, in order to protect it from dust. In both cases, the bell refers to a characteristic shape, serving either sound or the cleanliness essential to horological work.