Time, sponsored by Accurist!

2006 was a big year for one of Britain's national institutions, the Speaking Clock. In July, the UK's Speaking Clock, which can be reached at the number 123, turned 70, and in October a contest was organized in aid of the BBC's Children in Need appeal: people were invited to phone in and leave a message, and the proceeds of the phone calls went to Children in Need. The winner, 40 year-old Sara Mendes de Costa from Brighton and Hove, will only be the fourth permanent voice of the Speaking Clock. She will succeed the current voice, Brian Cobby, who has been the voice for the Speaking Clock for 21 years but is not retiring at the age of 77, as of January 2007.

Somewhat bizarrely, perhaps, the Speaking Clock is a sponsored service of British Telecom. Accurist watches have sponsored the Speaking Clock (in fact called Timeline by BT) since 1986, so that when you dial 123 what you hear is At the third stroke, the time sponsored by Accurist will be (hour) (minute) (and (second) seconds / precisely).