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.

We at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com are ready to DEAL!

As the state of the USA Governments somewhat controversial Cars Allowance Rebate Program (CARS) Cash for Clunkers Program (which we think is great!) is in a state of uncertainty, we wanted to let the world know that we will be willing to accept Clunkers for Clocks or Clocks for Clunkers.  Even Pocket Watches too!

While this may seem in jest, we are serious about willing to be consider accepting trade-ins of those old antique grandfather clocks, wall clocks, and mantle clocks as partial payment for brand new “fuel efficient” grandfather clocks and more.

Got old pocket watches you don’t know what to do with?  We will in some cases accept those as partial or even complete payment, depending upon the clocks or watches you want to trade in and trade up to.

So look through those old drawers and closets for pocket watches and wristwatches, or the old clocks you have stored in your basement, or maybe even the grandfather clocks in your living room.  We are open to discussing any reasonable possibility.

Are we former automobile dealers or have we ever been?  Nope, just clock dealers and pocket watch dealers.  Although we love the idea of trading an old clunker automobile for a grandfather clock.  Barack Obama take note!

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.

We have written on our Blogs about grandfather clocks in The White House over many years, including the Oval Office, and the President’s Private Office. The antique grandfather clocks have graced the White House for many generations over time.  If only the clocks could talk, what stories they would tell.

Less chronicled than the White House grandfather clocks, are the wall clocks and mantel clocks that also grace and have added to the decor of the USA’s most well known house for many generations.  We will very soon post a picture of this Wall Clock, known as a banjo clock, that currently hangs in the White House.

There are also mantel clocks, and one we will soon definitely show a picture of, is a ships clock set which include a clock and a barometer, and which we believe were most likely made by Chelsea Clocks.

STAY TUNED for some very exciting photos we will soon be sharing.

At 1-800-4CLOCKS, we are always seeking customer input to be innovative and to meet customer needs and desires. This is true whether it be for grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, atomic clocks, or whatever timepiece.

We recently received such a fascinating suggestion, and one we thought worthy of sharing and are interested in any and all reactions! he new product could be an Ant Farm in a Wall Clock or in Mantel Clock, or even a grandfather clock. Does an Ant Farm enclosed in shatterproof glass as a mantel clocks or wall clocks offering sound possibly appealing to you. We looked and we have not seen any out there on the market today.

Alternatively, we’ve thought that perhaps there should be only a children’s version on an Ant Farm Wall Clock or Mantel or Desk Clock. Maybe a kids version would appeal to what would seem to be a more traditional audience.

On the other hand, when one looks at the amazingly successful work of British artist like Damien Hirst, whose work, among many others, like a shark in a tank in formaldehyde have made him a media icon and his name almost a household word, and many other quite interesting and unusual art forms which have both been exhibited in museums and sold for millions of dollars at the major Auction Houses, maybe an Ant Farm as Art in a Clock is a time has come.

Below is one work of Damien Hirst which was seen by the writer of this blog post on exhibit at Lever House in New York City, and subsequently believe sold for literally millions of dollars, along with similar works (this may be a similarly themed work rather than the actual one seen):

Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, by Damien Hirst

So what to you think of an Ant Farm in a clock? We’ve thought of a new series of clocks entitled Art Form in a clock. While this may sound either like a self-contradictory idea, as many clocks are indeed amazing art forms and most certainly museum-quality.

We are thinking of what might be viewed by most as “Contemporary Art” Clocks. These could be grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks or we are open to anything.

Let us know your thoughts.

Damien Hirst – are you possibly interested in teaming up with us? We would love to work with you, and will see if we can call you. Give us a call at 1-800-4CLOCKS. Your work is most certainly cool and cutting edge Art!

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.

One of the most cherished and heart-warming gifts we have seen, with much emotion both from the gift-giver and gist recipient is a grandfather clock given as a wedding gift.  This is also true for grandfather clocks given as a present for a very special milestone wedding anniversary, sometimes from a spouse, and sometimes as a gift from the child or the grown children of a couple celebrating, say, a silver or golden or platinum wedding anniversary.

Clocks can also make a great gift for ringing in the New Year, and perhaps tied into a Christmas present (a little late in the season to be sharing that idea, we realize).  There is a wonderful symmetry in giving the gif of time as the New Year is rung in.  As the ball descends in Times Square ushering in 2010, so do a clocks chimes ring in the New Day every day, and keep old traditions alive.  One of the most appealing traits of clock ownership, both to collectors of antique clocks as well as people buying clocks for home decor purposes for interior design and interior decorating, is the continuity representing by clocks as they have been used for timekeeping, and as wonderful pieces of furniture to boot, for generations before.  Whther an heirloom clock or a new clock, the similarity of purpose and design is ever present.

When the New Year is approaching, how about gathering around a grandfather clock rather than gathering around a television set.  It would be a new approach for many, but perhaps familiar to those over, say, 70 years of age.  A chiming mantel clock or wall clock would be reminiscent of this celebratory approach as well.  Or how about merging the old with the new and using an atomic clock, and one would know with amazing precision when the old year has gone and the new year has arrived.

New Year’s is a time when many visit others, including close family and friends.  How about a clock as a great gift which would have special meaning, and remembered in an unusual and special context for years to come.

And remember, never ever drink and then set the clock’s time.

Do you know when you have a certain image of something in your head? Perhaps you have only talked to a person on the phone or through online communication and you conjure up an image of what they look like; and then when you meet them you are completely thrown off because they look nothing like you envisioned them. Or perhaps you imagine what a house looks like on the inside having only seen its exterior year after year – passing it on the way to work – but then when you are invited inside it bears absolutely no resemblance to what you had created in your head.

This is what I thought about clocks to a smaller degree. “Clocks?” you say. “Everyone knows what clocks look like.” But what I’m talking about is the image of what clocks would look like in my home. I have been bucking convention since I was a small child; if it matched I wouldn’t wear it, if it was the way everyone else was going I went the other way, if it smacked of tradition I turned my head; I was never, according to my own beliefs, going to fit into the mold.

Today, I am a wife and mother and while I’m not Betty Crocker by any means I have settled into what is essentially a more conventional type of life. And I’m okay with it; in fact I love it. But when my aunt told me she was sending me a mantel clock for our new home all I could think of was the traditional, old-fashioned clock image I had in my head. But what arrived was something completely different and completely personal and it began my love affair with clocks of all varieties; something that was easily satisfied online as I’ll explain in the next post.

With the economy putting financial strain on so many of us, we have had to make compromises in many areas of our life. While home decorating may seem like the last thing on anyone’s priority list right now, it is still a consideration regardless of the economy; making our home a comfortable place for ourselves and our family can be mentally significant for many of us and it doesn’t have to necessary come attached to a ridiculous price tag.

Clocks, for example, are one of the more affordable pieces that can be used to transform a home’s décor. Oftentimes we think we need to go big in order to make an impact on how our homes look but the truth is that all we really need are those special things that make us happy and say a little something about how we are as people and as homeowners. Clocks deliver on this front as they come in a variety of styles and prices and give us the impact we desire with an affordable price tag.

Through online resources, homeowners are able to find any and all clocks that appeal to them on a multitude of levels; including the price. So while the economy may be calling for a tightening of purse strings in order to come out ahead, there are still options for decorating your home in a way that is completely in line with your personality and your budgetary constrictions. Wall clocks, mantel clocks, grandfather clocks, and atomic clocks; just one placed with care in the room of your choice can have enormous impact.