New book details iconic Jessop Clock built by Point Loma jeweler

SAN DIEGO – John Freeman’s latest historical “Legacy Book” is about the iconic Jessop Clock created by the eponymous Point Loma jewelry family, detailing the timepiece’s contribution to San Diego history past, present, and future.

Titled “Timeless Treasures: The Legacy of the Jessop family, Jessop’s Jewelers, and the world-famous Jessop Clock,” the book is a collaboration between now-retired jeweler Jim Jessop with Point Loma author John Freeman. The 217-page tome, chock-full of historic photos, has been published by Amazon.

The timeless Jessop Clock, built by family patriarch Joseph Jessop Sr., was recently showcased in a segment of CBS 8 San Diego’s “The Zevely Zone,” by Jeff Zevely.

“The Jessop Clock is more than just a timepiece; it’s an engineering marvel that has captivated San Diegans and visitors alike for generations,” Zevely said on his show. “Joseph Jessop Sr. designed the clock with intricate details to encourage people to study it closely.”

“I think it was a ploy on the part of my great-grandfather to make people stop at the clock and spend an extra few moments studying the clock,” said Jim Jessop, clock creator Joseph Jessop’s great-grandson.

“Every person who comes and looks at the clock always finds that little wood bear (referring to a small bear figurine hidden within the clock’s gears).”

Of “Timeless Treasures,” co-author Freeman said the book tells the origins of the Jessop family’s jewelry stores over the decades.

“It also traces the history of the magnificent Jessop Clock, which stood for decades downtown, and ranks among the most enduring symbols of our city’s past,” Freeman said.

Jim Jessop in “Timeless Treasures” speaks of his family’s enduring contributions to the jewelry industry and the city.

“This clock was built by my great-grandfather, who designed it himself in his jewelry shop in downtown San Diego, and the clock was built in that store,” he said.

Jim Jessop noted that his great-grandfather’s clock is unique in the world.

“He was a watchmaker, meaning he made pocket watches,” Jim Jessop said. “And at the time, all the parts were handmade. They built the clock in downtown San Diego and set up a foundry behind the store where they made the big, heavy brass wheels to drive this clock.

“[Joseph] did all the calculating for the clock on a pencil and pad. He had no calculators. He didn’t even have a slide rule. It was all done by his knowledge of clocks. He made a clock that stands 22 feet high with the head of the clock about seven feet around with four faces on it.”

Concerning the Jessop Clock’s future, Jim Jessop said: “I’m trying to raise $4 million, hoping that I can endow the clock. As the family turns the clock over to the history center, we’ll have an endowment that will allow it to continue to be maintained, in the way the family wants it, forevermore.”

The San Diego History Center hopes to have the Jessop Clock on permanent display by 2028.

The Jessop family wants to recondition their historic timepiece because its age is showing. Donations can be made to the effort at sandiegohistory.org.

Jessop’s Clock

The one-of-a-kind Jessop Clock was designed and built in downtown San Diego by Joseph Jessop Sr. It was first placed on the street in front of the Jessop Jewelry store in 1907. It is unlike any other clock in the world. It also was one of the world’s longest-lived timepieces, having remained in front of Jessop’s Jewelers for the next 111 years.

In 2018, the Jessop Clock was warehoused in eight huge crates. The Jessop family has committed to giving the clock to the San Diego History Center, where it is now being stored. It will be permanently displayed as the centerpiece of the San Diego History Center’s re-imagining.

About the author

John Freeman, a 1969 Point Loma High School graduate, was sports editor for the PLHS Pointer Press. A University of Arizona graduate, Freeman has held marketing and communications roles with national firms, including UC San Diego Extension. He spent five years as staff editor and writer with the New York Yankees, and was publications director of the National Basketball Association. He also spent 15 years as a nationally syndicated media columnist and sportswriter with the San Diego Union-Tribune.

This article was originally published in April 2025 at sdnews.com. It has been updated and edited for style.