I know next to nothing about mechanical clocks, so what I write below are half suggestions half questions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctesibius
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_clock
Astronomers were clockmakers best clients - the always demanded more precision in regulators. I know nothing about the clocks that control telescope movement, but I'd be eager to learn. I'll write Jonathan Betts at Greenwich, to see what to research.