For Connecticut lawyers living by the billable hour, the state's pioneering role in the development of time-keeping technology is an inspiring tale. It comes to life at the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol.

Initially, one is struck by the beauty and variety of the timepieces, artistically crafted of wood, metals and even marble. But the underlying history reveals how Yankee Ingenuity, drive and inventiveness spurred young America's social, commercial and technological evolution.