[drcwpl]

Yes, it is true, those works are engineering beauties. Maybe the intricate nature of working so close to all of those cogs inspired them to think about solving other real world problems. I have long been fascinated with time and the human invention of measuring it.

[Robotenomics]

I will look for more watchmaker examples. I read ?Boorsteins? Discoverers, it had a long chapter on the discovery of time as a human invention

[drcwpl]

I know that book well, the first chapter starts with "The first discovery was time." Great reminder.