Patrik Pařízek & Jan Štěpánek
Clock Gallery
Restorer
Hlavní město Praha, Czech Republic
A living history of timepieces
- Jan and Patrik are self-taught watchmakers and restorers
- They work with traditional watchmaking techniques from the 1900s
- Their practice treats holes and ink marks as part of the piece’s history
At Clock Gallery, a platform founded in 2019 by Patrik Pařízek and Jan Štěpánek, the creative duo restores and advocates for the preservation of timepieces. Passionate about teaching and repairing clocks, Patrik published articles on antique clocks for museums after completing his master’s degree. He curated the National Technical Museum’s collection of timekeeping devices for seven years and now serves as a technical consultant for The Prague Astronomical Clock. Beyond his academic work, Jan is an art historian and antiquarian. He specialises in the cultural history of Czech nobility, patronage and Renaissance jewellery. “Our passion for championing the preservation of antique timepieces is a cornerstone of Clock Gallery. Jan lectures on the history of time and timekeeping while I conduct watchmaking workshops. This is how we engage with the public beyond our tactile practices,” Patrik shared.
INTERVIEW
Patrik: I trained through research, workshops and by working with professional watchmakers. They say you break about 30 clocks before you learn to fix them, so the practical approach was ideal. Jan is trained in material culture studies and understands various historical movements, including how clocks should be handled, wound and preserved.
Jan: We start with a diagnosis, applying techniques such as brushing, drilling, ungluing, or unscrewing parts before reassembling the components. We test cleaning agents to determine which is most effective. Once it is running, we monitor the timepiece in the shop for three weeks. The entire process takes three months.
Patrik: Restoration takes time, and aftercare is essential. Our lectures and workshops ensure clients understand this. We preserve original features and intervene only to restore function. We treat woodworm holes and accidental ink marks as evidence of the piece’s age, history and memories.
Jan: We use 1900s watchmaking techniques from Czech literature, such as Josef Sladkovský’s Učebnice odborné nauky hodinářské. Clock Gallery is our innovation platform, where we advocate for preserving antique timepieces by producing literature, lectures and workshops for contemporary audiences.
Patrik Pařízek & Jan Štěpánek
Clock Gallery
Restorer
Hlavní město Praha, Czech Republic
AVAILABILITY
Monday to Saturday 10:00-18:00
PHONE
+420 725885580
LANGUAGES
Czech, English
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