Bronnikoff was a sculptor with a thorough mechanical knowledge, famous in the second half of the 19th century for his skill in working wood and bone to make charms, decorative objects and watches.He lived in Viatka, a small town which today has a population of just over 400,000. It is located on, and named after, the river Viatka, a Kama affluent, between the Volga and the Oural. According to Russians, the town enjoys a continental climate, hot in Summer and -40°C in Winter. Between 1939 and 1991, the town was renamed Kirov but with the Perestroïka regained its original name. Viatka is an important metallurgic centre, which suggests that it was not the lack of metal in the area that urgeBronnikoff to make wooden watches. Indeed, it would appear that the craftsman?s predilection for wood and bone was quite a specific and deliberate choice.