Editor’s Note: As we prepare to once again watch the ball drop in (a relatively empty) Times Square to ring in 2022, we’d like to take the opportunity to highlight the origins of that ball drop, as originally written by Ilya Ryvin back in 2017. From all of us here at Worn & Wound, we wish you and yours a happy and healthy New Year. Cheers. 

Every year, millions of people tune in?or they actually make their way down to?the New Year?s ball drop at Times Square. It has been a New York tradition?nay, an American one?since the early 20th century, with revelers taking to the streets as early as 1904 to usher in the new year, and the first ball drop taking place just three years later in 1907. But the actual history of these ?time balls? goes back even further, with their use going well beyond mere ceremony and celebration. In fact, unknown to most, time balls are a fascinating footnote in the longstanding tradition of public timekeeping. With New Year?s Day having just passed, we thought it would be interesting to take a closer look at these unique timekeepers.
BOSTON TIME BALL, 1881

The first time balls were the brainchild of Royal Navy Captain Robert Wauchope. Remember, timekeeping was critical to seafaring, and before the advent of Harrison?s brilliant marine chronometer, accurate timekeeping was a huge problem. But even with the existence of chronometers, there were critical issues. These delicate devices would need periodic calibration, and doing...