Well, we had thought we had heard just about everything!  But just when we think it’s safe to say we have heard everything, well, you know how it goes.  Kind of like just when you think it’s safe to go back in the water.  We never learn.  Or at least the entertainment industry has a vested interest in wanting us to believe that.

This one you have to hear.  A man called from a small town in one of the more populated States in the USA.  This man was not only the Mayor of his town, but he is also the Undertaker, and apparently the only one in town (not that there is anything wrong with that).

Well, he informed us that he needed to order a new clock because a goat had eaten his prized mantel clock.  At first I thought he was joking.   Seriously!  He was not joking.  Apparently, neither the case nor the movement were in any form where any reasonable part of the clock could be salvaged.  And this was an antique Tiffany & Company mantel clock that was a featured and prized possession at his funeral home.  Somehow the goat, which belonged to him, got in the mortuary after hours.  Fortunately the grandfather clock was spared!

We had several email exchanges after our initial phone calls and before he placed his new order.  I believe him.  I really do this time!  Am I crazy? (based on the facts as presented here – no others need to chime in here).  Have you eever heard of anytghing like this ever happening before?

We get many calls from distraught owners of treasured clocks and pocket watches that have been lost in fires and floods.  After Hurricane Katrina, we must have assisted well over 50 families, at no cost to them, to help them document their losses to their insurance company to maximize the chances of replacement value recovery wherever possible.  They were mostly all grandfather clocks.

OK, fire and floods.

Goats eating your clock?  Reminds me of the old excuse used by many kids that the dog ate their homework, or one of its many variations.

What do you think.  We really would like to know!

Recent years have been accompanied by the incorporation of new features and technologies into mechanical grandfather clocks, mechanical mantle clocks, as well as keywound wall clocks.  Some of these same, and additional features, have also been included in the quartz of battery driven versions of wall clocks, mantel clocks, and grandfather and grandmother clocks.

Not all of these added features are included on all models, and even the same general features can have distinct differences between mechanical chiming clocks and their quartz-driven battery-operated counterparts.

One of the most desired features that has been introduced on many grandfather clocks, and those clocks for the wall or mantle too, is automatic nighttime shutoff. Clocks with this feature almost always will also have a chime on-off switch as well, so one can turn the clock chime of during the day as well if so desired, on a day-to-day basis.  This feature is very convenient for those that want to have the chimes during the day, but not during what would be considered the usual and customary hours for sleeping.  The automatic option typically leaves no choice as to when the clocks stop chiming at night and when they start up again in the morning.  It is preset, period.

It is worth noting that the chime on most all new mechanical grandfather clocks chiming and gongs counting the hours  is generally a much lower volume than those from days gone by.  We believe and understand that the manufacturers have done this to appeal to the largest majority of consumers.  And let’s face it — today people’s attentions can be divided in any given room can be divided between a myriad of electronics including other sound making devices.  People can also see the time in many more places than they used to be able to in past times.  So the combination of the two has meant that the greatest mass market acceptance for chiming grandfather clocks and mechanical and chiming wall clocks and mantel clocks has been to lower the volume significantly.  Still, having said that, the auto-night-shutoff-feature is a popular one, and for good reason.

Another feature on some clocks is one or more of lit dials (even backlit dials, e.g. on the Engels Model of the Howard Miller grandfather clock which in this case features a glass frosted dial).

Howard Miller Engels Grandfather Clock
by Howard Miller

Most of the lit dials are simply those with grandfather clocks with lights shining on the front of the dial, some shining through holes purposefully made in the dial, and also lights in the cabinets to also give the grandfather clocks that illuminated feeling.  It is worth noting that clocks with this feature also need to be near an electrical outlet as this feature of lighting is completely independent of the movements, at least in the clocks that we sell and built to date.

Chimes innovations have also taken place on grandfather clocks, as well as wall clocks and mantle clock, in recent years.  While still a minority, more and more both mechanical and quartz clocks are offering the Schubert Ave Maria and/or Beethoven Ode to Joy Chimes almost always in addition to the Westminster Chime and generally in place of the Whittingon Chime and St. Michaels Chime.  These alternative chimes are highly sought after by many clock buyers.  Very few of the mechanical models offer this as an alternative, but some buyers seek those specific models out for that very reason.  We expect to see more and more mechanical chiming grandfather clocks offering one or more the the Ave Maria or Ode to Joy Chimes in addition to the Westminster Chime in the years to come.

Quartz or battery driven clocks have an added feature on their chiming clocks, which is that the volume is adjustable.  For practical purposes, and despite what many people (including “experts”) will say, the chiming volume of a mechanical grandfather clock is for most all practical purposes NOT adjustable.  Completely separately, the sound quality of a mechanical chime is superior almost always to that of a quartz clock, the reason being one is hearing the actual sound of the hammers striking the chime rods, as opposed to the recording one hears on a quartz chiming clock.  This is true whether the clock in question is a grandfather clock, a grandmother clock, a mantel clock, or a wall clock.

Many times the features enhance the grandfather or wall or mantle clock, but they do not make the clock.  In our view this is true for all of the features that have been added over the last century.

If one asks the average clock shopper what are the very best brands of clocks out there historically, including grandfather clocks, mantel clocks, and wall clocks, the answers given will be all over the map.  Interestingly, though, one can be sure that much of the time one will here of Tiffany & Company as the best maker of clocks.

Well, Tiffany Clocks are an interesting place to start, especially when looking back over time and also including antique clocks.  Over time, and we honestly are not certain about today’s practices, but historically Tiffany never made there own grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, carriage clocks, cartel clocks, or even desk clocks.  The Company sourced out its clock making as well as Tiffany pocket watch making to different companies, generally all of whom were considered high-end.  Some early Tiffany Grandfather Clocks were actually made by the Waltham Clock and Watch Company, frequently unsigned by the actual maker.  Others we know of were made by Elliot of London, Herschede, Walter Durfee, and Winterhalder & Hoffmeier, among other.  Many mantel clocks were actually made by Japy Freres or Samuel Marti, among many others.  Pocket watches were made by companies as diverse as Patek Philippe, Longines, and the Concord Watch Company, all of excellent quality, though some would argue quality to varying degrees.  The older clocks were generally made in smaller groups, and to our knowledge Tiffany did not keep records of exactly what made whom when [note to Tiffany & Co. - please feel free to set the record straight by adding a comment or contacting us directly to adderess].  Our understanding is that they were also made in small groups.  And though the Tiffany name was-is proudly displayed on the clock, they were actually “only” the retailer of the clocks.

Not that this is-was a new practice.  In Britian in the 1800s, it was standard practice for many clock retailers, and many pocket watch makers as well, to put their own name of the dial of the clock, with varying practices about hopww much information did or did not go on the movement.  So there was no funny business going on here, simply carrying on a long-held tradition in the retailing industry!

What about other well known names like Cartier Clocks, Seth Thomas, Ingraham Clocks, Simon Willard Clocks and Aaron Willard Clocks, Howard Miller, Ridgeway Clocks, Hermle Clocks, Kieninger Clocks, Gustav Becker clocks, Leinzkirk clocks, Warren Telechron Clocks, General Electric, Self Winding Clock Company Clocks, E Howard and Company Clocks, and so many more.

It is interesting that the value of some antique clocks today may be a casualty opf the succcess and durability of particular manufacturers.  In particular we think of Seth Thomas, which made great clocks, is Amrerica’s oldest Clock Company, and was probably the most prolific.  However, because they made their clocks built to last, we believe their prices as collectibles have been severely tempered simply as a result of supply and demand.  There are still simply so many people out there with working Seth Thomas Clocks.

What about English clockmakers.  The list of great British clockmakers is too long to even begin to enumerate.  So we will take the cowardly way out and simply skip over this vast and rich subject and history.  Among German clocks, some of the clockmakers we like the best are Gustav Becker and Winterhalder & Hoffmeier.  It is important to note that we are glossing over many GREAT master clocksmiths who may have made the most fantastic clocks, but did so in smaller numbers.  The farther back one goes in history, the more true this is.  In England, just as an example of this one point J.W. Benson and Edward Dent (the creator of Big Ben) made clocks in vastly smaller numbers than more contemporary British makers, e.g. Elliot of London.

WHom do you think makes the best clocks?  Today, many would argue that Howard Miller Clocks and Hermle Clocks, along with Ridgeway Clocks and Kieninger, and Bulova Clocks are among the leaders.  And NOT coincidentally, these are among the brands that are featured and sold by 1-800-4CLOCKS.

Howard Miller Grandfather Clcoks have been the high-end market leader in grandfather clocks over the last generation.  The Ridgeway Grandfather Clock collection, Hermle Floor Clocks, Bulova Grandfather Clcoks, and Kieninger Grandfather Clocks, among others, all seem to have gained some traction in recent years. We believe they are all of excellent quality and worksmanship, with mostly all solid wood cases and high-end German 8 Day mechanical clocks movements.

The history of grandfather clocks and clock history in general will continue to evolve in the years and decades to come.

One interesting dunamic is the relatively recent flood of what we view as poorer quality imports from the Far East.  We fully expect to see some better quality and more competition in this area in the years to come.

We welcome your comments as to whom you would add to the best of clocks list.  Think of this as the beginning of time.

1-800-4CLOCKS gets dozens of calls every day from individuals wanting to know “how much” their clock is worth. Even more complicated is people who call who already have had appraisals done on their grandfather clocks, wall clocks or mantle clocks. Aside from the fact that our website states we charge $100 an hour for research on clocks, all of us could spend all of our time researching clocks and answering fielding questions.

Aside from the fact that most people wanting to know how much their clock is worth are looking to sell it, and as dealers in antique and new grandfather clocks, mantel clocks and wall clocks, we would have an obvious conflict of interest in providing objective valuations, this does not deter the calls. Even worse, while there are some reputable appraisers out there, we find the large majority are appraising clocks and pocket watches for values much higher than the individuals would ever reasonably attain, even when looking at replacement value for clocks and watches, which is almost always the highest value anyone could justify for the timepiece.

And how does one value a timepiece? Aside from the most obvious fact today that we are living in difficult economic times where so many are looking to sell something of perceived value, and most all individuals are willing to pay much less than they have in recent years, there are also other clocks valuation factors at work. There is the Sotheby’s and Christies valuation, which generally require the clock to be perfect inside and out and as we understand it, may charge both upfront fees, e.g. for photos, and have a significant commission percent as well added to the eventual price (and no doubt factored in by prospective buyers). Then there is always the “replacement value”, which can be made to be quite high, especially for somewhat more unusual clocks or clocks or other timepieces with rare features. Then there is the what we call sitting in a high-end Antique Store for a Year price, which could be high. Another is selling it on eBay, marketing it well with great pictures and by a well-respected seller (remember fees and time cost apply as well here). Then there is simply putting it on eBay in a “throwing it out there” style, maybe well or not well described. There is also selling it locally, whether on Craigslist or perhaps even on consignment with a local shop. And don’t forget the garage sale or flea market sale, where many old clocks and other timepieces are actually sold.

The condition of the clocks or timepieces plays a critical role in its potential valuation, and more often than not, we find people have little knowledge of whether “grandfathers clock” even works, much less how to describe it or what clock model or pocket watch size or movement or case material (e.g. platinum, 18k gold, 14k gold, gold plated, sterling silver, etc.) it might be.

And don’t forget about counterfeit or reproduction clocks and watches and the risks posed by those. This is an increasing problem, with many better clocks coming from China, India, Western Europe, and no doubt the USA as well. Sometimes these clocks are “half-real” with original movements but reproduction cases, or vice versa.

And even with all of the above, prices actually realized can vary and be VERY hard to predict even when when has a good handle on all the variables. Another way of saying this is that the clock is worth as much as an individual or organization is willing to pay at that moment in time and under that set of circumstances, and based on the terms offered. One can make an educated assessment, but the reality may vary over time with EVERY OTHER FACTOR being identical.

Back to Appraisals — there are organizations out there that certify Appraisers, and some are considered to be as we understand it quite respectable.  We will in a future blog post include a list of those whom we understand to be most reputable.

Growing up in the great US of A, the poster in this Blog has naturally seen a zillion, or perhaps a google, of television episodes where there is a clock that is a mainstay in the background.

Grandfather Clocks in the background come to mind immediately from such shows as The Cosby Show and All in the Family, and the show Full House too!

1-800-4CLOCKS once made a proposal to the New York City based Museum of Broadcasting to work cooperatively to catalog most or all of the clocks – whether grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantle clocks, or something else.  While they were quite intrigued at the time, it appeared that Funding did not allow for it to happen, at least just yet.

Movies also reserve special places for grandfather clocks.  There is a children’s book that was made into a movie, a Goosebumps production we recall, where a Grandfather Clock acted as a somewhat villainous time capsule, with some never returning to their current time period.

We welcome input from readers who can comment on what shows or in what books or movies or other media clocks have played a role.  We are especially interested in the role of grandfather clocks.

1-800-4CLOCKS has been asked to supply clocks, including wall clocks and grandfather clocks, for numerous movies and television shots.  One of our Howard Miller Clocks recently played a feature role in one of the Coen brothers movie productions featuring, among others, the great actor William Hurt.

Television shows also come to us on many occasions looking for something special in a clock.  Saturday Night Live once came to us looking for a prop-like grandfather clock that would do something like explode upon impact.  The Tyra Banks Show contacted us seeking 2 cuckoo clocks that had some quite unusual features.  And on and on …. but we never clock and tell .

We are very serious, even if we put it in a time capsule or as an heirloom gift for future generations, we would like to catalog the role of clocks minimally in television, and ideally also in the movies and film.  Anyone out there that might be able to devote some time to a great clocks research project like this, please do let us know.

The world will be richer for it.

In the mean-time, please keep comments coming with your best recollections of seeing a grandfather clock on a particular television show, or a great wall clock or antique mantle clock.

We eagerly await your input.

At 1-800-4CLOCKS, we have been absolutely besieged by Customers who want to sell items they own which contain solid gold in it’s different forms, e.g. 14 gold, 18k gold, etc.

The television advertising Cash4Gold has only accelerated this trend. By the way, our personal view is one that sending away one’s gold to an entity without knowing its true value, and then getting a check, is a recipe for being taken advantage of. But who are we to say, I suppose.

In contrast to the opinion of many clocks owners, clocks with Solid 14 Gold are extraordinarily rare. Bronze and brass were the favored materials, and gave the same look and color.

The place where there is real gold lurking out there stored in drawers or long-forgotten closet stashes, is in pocket watches. Many pocket watches are made with solid 14k or solid 18k gold. But they can be hard to spot if one is not an expert, and still, the vast majority of even gold colored antique pocket watch cases are gold-filled vs. gold.

We always invite our customers to arrange a meeting if they have any collections of watches, pocket watches or vintage wrist watches, that they might be interested in selling for a fair price.

Here below are 2 diagrams which include INCREDIBLY USEFUL information when trying to both describe your pocket watch, and to be able to describe your watch most effectively.

US Made Watch Sizes Conversion Chart:

This summary of American Pocket Watch sizes will be very useful in knowing which model you own, and well as to describing it to prospective buyers or collectors, or simply for your own use.

By the way, if you do have or come across a solid 14k or solid 18k grandfather clock, please let us know!

DIAMOND COLOR SCALE

DIAMOND CLARITY SCALE

We are always seeking feedback from our customers on how we can improve the grandfather clocks and other clocks we offer, as well as input on adding new ones.

We had ventured into the Pet Clocks™ niche, which we are still pursuing, albeit with fewer resources than we had originally planned.  We read today about a prototype in the works for a 100% solar-powered plane that could fly non-stop (except for maintenance) day and night with no other power source.  Quite exciting.  It will have the wingspan of a commercial jet and yet otherwise look a lot like a helicopter without the rotary blades atop.  If this can be done, surely we can make or find some solar clocks that are better than the ones we, at least, have seen on the market to date.  We want to be more green too!

What about a clock that could talk to you in your own voice, or that of a loved one (or hated or feared one), as your way of waking up in the morning.  Or one with a customized chime?  Would you be willing to pay a lot more for a super-high-quality sound you might want to showcase in your own home?

One area we definitely will be beefing up in the near term is for clocks for the visually impaired or those with hearing problems.  We will likely be adding phones as well, as well of course and very large numeral clocks, in the near future.  One manufacturer promised us their clocks could “wake the dead”.  We can guarantee you that we will be making no such claims.  Yet the range of offerings, from alarm clocks which shake the bed to one which also has a line go on and off and on and off, will be quite impressive.  With the phones, we will likely be offering services or features which are somewhat similar to the First Alert (I’ve fallen and I can’t get up) system which has been on the market for many years.

Stay tuned for some exciting additions.

AND please do let us know WHAT YOU WANT.  We know grandfather clocks are the greatest.  we just want to make sure we meet as many of our customer needs as reasonably possible.

Grandfather clocks have always been one of the quintessential gifts for Fathers Day from their grown children.  We see this happening this time every year, and it’s wonderful to see grown children willing to be so generous to the ones who in many cases gave or helped make them what they are today, and in some cases in spite of that.

Wall clocks and mantle clocks and atomic clocks are also particularly popular as gifts for Fathers Day.  Among the best selling brands are Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks and Hermle Clocks.

While gift-giving of clocks is as popular on Mothers Day as it is on Fathers Day, the one big difference is that many more of the gifts on Fathers Day are grandfather clocks.  Mechanical chiming wall clocks, and chiming mantel clocks, such as those made by companies like Howard Miller and Ridgeway, do an especially  brisk business just before Mothers Day.

Time comes and time goes, but the tradition of giving clocks for special occasions, including a grandfather clock as wedding gifts and milestone anniversary gifts, is here to stay.  We at 1-800-4CLOCKS are quite happy about that.

A wall clock in one’s office is, studies have shown, looked at an average of 30-50 times a day.  A watch on one’s wrist, also known as a wristwatch, probably looked at a similar number of times.  A clock on one’s computer is certainly noticed, but at least current adult creatures of habit still look at it with less frequency than dedicated clocks or watches.  And as for looking at the clock on your iPod, fuhgeddaboudit.  iPod users, while we have yet to see a definitive study, tend to look at the clocks on their devices with much less frequency than those who own and wear watches.  But on the bright side, who would buy an iPod for the clock feature anyway?

As mobile computing and virtual realities becomes more pervasive, the future of timekeeping, and the devices used by individuals, will no doubt shift to some important degree.

Having said that, grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks and the like are frequently as much about home decor, office decor, and interior decorating as anything else, so we don’t anticipate major marketplace changes from that vantage point.

Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clock Collection, Hermle Floor Clocks, Seth Thomas Clocks, and Bulova watches to grandfather clocks are likely to be brands that are here for the long haul.

We expect their popularity will continue unabated both among collectors and interior designers.  And we see this for both clocks and watches of all types, with some exciting innovations no doubt playing a role as we move forward in time.

Happy New Year to all.

A person’s home is meant to reflect who they are – their personality and what is important to them in terms of design, color, and style. When you walk into someone’s home you should immediately have a sense of who they are and what they represent. For many homeowners, the use of clocks as part of their décor can really set their home apart in terms of style and express the qualities that are important to them. Clocks – unlike larger pieces of furniture – are interchangeable throughout the home and liven up any room in which they sit. The different clocks that can accessorize a home include:

Mantel Clocks – Mantel clocks are defined by their size and portability. Owners can move mantel clocks from one room to another – or keep several in various areas of the home. A part of European in-home décor since the late 1700s, mantel clocks are enormously popular throughout the modern world.

Wall Clocks – As their name suggests, wall clocks hang on the wall of a home and can accent any style of furnishing. Some of the famous names in clock making – Howard Miller, Kieninger, and Ridgeway – lend their names to some of the highest quality wall clocks on the market.

Larger Clocks such as Grandfather & Grandmother Clocks – Considered furniture more than accessory pieces, grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks can ultimately define an entire room.

More than just a way to tell time, clocks – when uniquely displayed – are a part of a home’s overall décor. Those searching for a clock, or even several clocks, that will foster a home’s overall personality will surely find something to suit their style at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com.