The clock itself has a long and intricate history. Although Rittenhouse's public life was at a high point, the clock was built during a time of great personal distress. His first wife, Eleanor, died during childbirth in December 1770. He married Hannah Jacobs two years later, and they had a child who died in infancy.
He built the clock for Joseph Potts for $640, or about $17,000 by today's prices. But it is unclear whether the clock ever reached Potts, and in early 1774, another member of the society, Thomas Prior, bought the clock. He is considered the first owner of the device, and his name can still be seen etched inside the cabinet door.