What's Underneath the Barthman Sidewalk Clock in NYC?!

The Barthman Sidewalk clock has been keeping time underneath New Yorkers’ feet for over 100 years. This quirky piece of sidewalk ornamentation has long fascinated the Untapped New York team, and this fall, our Chief Experience Officer, Justin Rivers, and Director of Content, Nicole Saraniero, got to see its inner workings from below the sidewalk and meet the master jeweler who keeps the clock ticking!

Jeweler William Barthman first installed a sidewalk clock at Maiden Lane and Broadway in 1899 as a clever marketing stunt to draw customers into his Manhattan store (established in 1884 at 174 Broadway). The original clock was a rectangular “jump” clock created by employee Frank Homm.

Homm's clock was very technologically advanced, and when he died, there was no one else who knew how to maintain it. In the 1920s, the rectangular clock was swapped for a classic round face similar to what you see today.

Over the years, the clock has undergone many changes and repairs. According to William Barthman's records, the bronze compass that surrounds the clock was installed in 1953. Barthman's even partnered with Cartier on one of the repairs, and for a time, the clock face bore the name of both jewelers.

For more than 120 years, Barthman employees have cared for the clock, even after moving out of the Broadway storefront in 2006. The company now operates at 20 Broad Street in Manhattan and 1118 Kings Highway in Brooklyn.

When Untapped New York was tasked with creating a video about the Barthman sidewalk clock for NYC Tourism's Object Lessons series, we reached out to the Barthman team, hoping for a peek below the sidewalk and more information on this beloved artifact. They delivered.

On a cool September morning, we met Brianna and Kirk from the William Barthman marketing team at the clock on the corner of Maiden Lane and Broadway. As Brianna pointed out vestiges of the old storefront, including a crack in the facade from 9/11 and a Barthman ghost sign, Kirk retrieved the keys to the basement from a current tenant of the building.

Keys in hand, we walked down a spiral staircase and into a basement space that once served as the Barthman lunch room and the former workshop of the clock's current caretaker, master jeweler Guillermo “Guilo” Vintimilla. Today, this tiny, dusty space is used for storage, and it is where Guilo can reach the underside of the sidewalk clock above for maintenance and repairs.

Of course we climbed up the old wooden ladder for a closer look at the bottom of the clock! While in the basement, feeling the rumble of the 4 and 5 subway trains passing by, Kirk and Brianna called our attention to another crack caused by the 9/11 attacks, this time on the floor. A giant safe that's too heavy to move sits in an adjoining room. Once satisfied with our basement adventure, we walked over to the storefront on Broad Street to meet with Guilo.

In 2024, Guilo gave the sidewalk clock a full restoration, adding a new clock face, new hands, and fresh lights. He polished the brass compass that surrounds the clock and the sapphire crystal that covers it. The strong sapphire crystal was an important addition, since the material is strong enough to handle the New York City traffic that travels over the clock face.

During our visit, Guilo went up to his workshop and brought down another treat: one of the former clock faces! The clock face still bears a crack from 9/11 and was covered in patchwork repairs. Another tiny detail Guilo pointed out is that the numeral for four on the old face is four lines (IIII), whereas today that number is written as "IV."

Though the Barthman family sold the business in the 1980s, current owner Jerry Natkin has kept the Barthman legacy and love for the sidewalk clock alive. The clock is the company's logo!

Inside the Broad Street storefront, a replica clock on the wall, tying the new location to the original. At the Brookyn storefront, Brianna tells us there are scrapbooks full of historical images like those she shared with us for this article.

Thanks to Guilo and generations of caretakers before him, the Barthman clock still ticks on — precise and adjusted for daylight savings! Next time you find yourself at the corner of Maiden Lane and Broadway, look down and check the time rather than looking at your phone.