Galileo’s Compass Pendant

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Galileo compass pendant (sterling silver)

Designed and handmade by Pestelli Creazioni

Available on back-order

Categories: , Tags: , , , Product ID: 4929

Description

From the exclusive collaboration between Pestelli Creazioni and the Museo Galileo comes the Galileo Collection including real “jewels of science”.

Galileo compass pendant (sterling silver) designed and handmade by Pestelli Creazioni.

Measurement: 2,9×1,5 cm

Inspired by the compasses built by Galileo Galilei from 1597 on which are kept at the Museo Galileo in Florence (link).

The Galilean compass, which should not be confused with the drawing compass, is a sophisticated and versatile calculation tool designed to perform several geometric and arithmetic operations by exploiting the proportionality between the homologous sides of two similar triangles. It is composed of three parts: two arms, pivoted in a round disk called nocella, on whose sides (recta and versa) are engraved several scales; the dial, featuring different scales, which is fixed to the holes in the arms of the compass by a screws called wing nuts. and the zanca, a slider inserted into one arm which allows both to hold the compass vertically and to extend the arm in which it’s inserted.

Handmade in Florence, Italy