Big Ben, as the iconic clock sitting atop the Houses of Parliament in London, turned 150 years old today, May 31.  The clock still runs mechanically as it did and with most all of the same parts as it did when it began ticking away in 1859.  The clock still also plays the Westminster Chimes, which as most clocks enthusiasts know, is the favored chime for grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks and more.

Big Ben Clock Tower Turns 150 Looking Great

As we have noted before and many know, Big Ben actually refers to the bell that is struck, but the name has come into common usage as the name for the clock tower as a whole. We go into more detail on this and other aspects of this wonder timepiece on our website which can be found at the following link: http://www.1-800-4clocks.com/tour-big-ben-clock-tower.html.

July 11th will bring another 150th Anniversary, as that is the date Big Ben actually first struck its bell, telling time with sound and with Westminster chimes.  The clock is generally wound three times a week, and the very minor time adjustments that are made are done by adding weight to the weights equivalent to the size of USA pennies.

The 4 sided timepiece masterpiece has always captured the imagination of legions around the world.  One of the more amusing ways the Big Ben Clock has been in the news in recent generations has been by ongoing rumors that the British Government has decided to turn Big Ben digital.  As far as we know, this first dates back to a 1980 broadcast by the BBC on April Fools Day where they announced that Parliament had made this decision, and phone lines were opened to sell parts of the famous clocks facade, including the hands.  Calls came in with offers from as far away as Japan, and this April Fools Joke has gone down in the annals of history as one of the greatest, perhaps in the Top 100, April Fools jokes of all time!

We have seen postings in Blogs at other times, and we have to say that frankly some of them seem to think the news is real and new, or perhaps they are only hoping others will pick it up.  Below are some “actual pictures” of the Digital Big Ben Clock”:

Big Ben Clock has gone digital AND accepts Advertising for Coca Cola

Big Ben Goes Digital for April Fools Day IMAGERY ONLY

Houses of Parliament with Digital Big Ben Clock FOR FUN ONLY

But SERIOUSLY, HAPPY 150th BIRTHDAY DEAR BIG BEN CLOCK, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Grandfather clock buyers, collectors, sellers, and all horology beginners to experts - here is a new one to think about.  At least new for us and grandfather clocks.  We had a grandfather clock customer who claimed to recently have conducted a study which concluded, with what scientific framework or methodological rigor we do not know, that buyers of grandfather clocks frequently gravitate to grandfather clocks that somehow look like them.

Now while we have occasionally seen some grandfather clocks buyers wearing bonnets atop their heads, we have yet to encounter a customer with a split pediment or swans neck.  We have met some who might do well on American Idol were they to perform the major grandfather clocks chimes, such as the Westminster Chime, Whittington Chime, Shubert’s Ave Maria Chime or the wonderful Beethoven Ode to Joy Chime.  But that sounds like, not looks like!  Yet this study apparently claims that much like individuals frequently look like the dogs or cats they own, or some say come to look more like each other over time, they conclude the same can be true with grandfather clocks and their buyers.  We were told that this was discussed over in merry old England, and while only anecdotal over there, that owners and family members do sometimes look like their longcase clocks or tallcase clocks, even when those clocks have been passed through generations as family heirlooms.  We wonder, which came first — the grandfather clocks gene or the biological family genes passed on through the ages?

We requested pictures or photos of clocks and their owners, and even did some searching ourselves, and while we came up emoty, we were told that no one volunteered to be photographed to demonstrate this correlation, and sharing photos could get them in legal hot water or trouble.

Do you believe this?  We personally have our doubts.  But it is quite an interesting grandfather clocks theory, and one we thought worthy of at least documenting.  Strangely, we could find no references from the major search engines to support this kind of claim.  So if it is in fact true, remember you read it here first!  We know inquiring minds want to know as much as possible about clocks, so we strive to bring you the latest all the time.

If you have any photos and stories you would like to share on this subject, please do write to us, and we will gladly share anything that seems newsworthy or “grandfather clocks worthy”.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to go back to the clocks shop!

Grandfather clocks sound so stately and yet essentially innocuous.  It is amazing how many times we hear from our customers that when a loved one from an older generation passed on, how disappointed individuals can be by not being the ones to either be the designated recipient of a grandfather clock.  Or sometimes their sibling or another relative entirely either just got to the place first, or it was the farthest thing from their mind at the time of a loss of a loved one.  And those same people, either months or years or sometimes decades later feel as though they are missing, at least directly, and sometimes it manifests itself as missing the sight and sounds and memories, and a part of their physical family history.

Many grandfather clock shoppers are trying to fill in that void, and at the same time perhaps get a clock that while it may be antique looking in nature, more closely resembles their more modern home decor and they can also benefit from some of the more modern features, such as automatic nighttime shutoff, or choice of more chimes than were available on the clock they grew up with, or remembered from visiting grandma and grandpa.

While major family feuds are not something we hear about a lot, and only occasionally, the loss and regret generally seems to seep in over the years, frequently as individuals are going through the same stages as parents that they did as children.

The good news is that people can generally almost always find a clock that resembles closely the grandfather clock they grew up with, and then have the choice of picking that one, another one with perhaps a different design, and it will still bring them the same pleasure.

As a clocks retailer, it is genuinely uplifting when we can help people fill a void in one’s life and, as we have been told several times, feel like they have a true home once again.

The vast majority of high-end mechanical grandfather clocks, whether they have cable driven movements or the chain driven movement type, have 8 day movements.  This means the movements, when fully wound, will run for eight days.  This is true for Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Floor Clocks, the Ridgeway Grandfather Clock Collection, Bulova Grandfather Clocks, and the made-to-order Kieninger Grandfather Clock Collection.

One question we are asked with some regularity is whether a grandfather clock can be damaged if it is allowed to wind down completely, or if it is stopped - by stopping the pendulum - while the weights are, say, halfway down.  The short answer is no, this should not hurt the mechanism of one’s grandfather clock.  The grandfather clocks are built to both withstand the pressure of the weights if they are partially down or fully down.  When winding a chain-driven clock, it is important, as it would be all the time, not to pull the chains too hard so that the weights go higher than they should.  But this would not be any different whether the chains are being pulled up after 7 days or after the clock has stopped and fully wound down after eight days.

Many super high quality grandfather clocks in fine condition that have been owned by the person writing this post have been left more or less as decorative pieces vs. timekeepers and chimers, in some cases for years, and these floor clocks are no worse for the wear, or perhaps the lack of wear!

Grandfather clock maintenance is of course still critical, with most experts recommending a cleaning and oiling at least every 3 years, as the oil will tend to dry out over time and cause more wear on the internal mechanism if it is not sufficiently lubricated.

Oh, and to start your grandfather clock up again if it has stopped (aside from any necessary winding, of course), don’t forget to move the pendulum on your mechanical grandfather clock with gentle nudges or pushes or swings from each side until you hear it ticking away and can hear a consistent ticking sound, known in the trade as being “in beat”.

Wishing all clock collectors, admirers, and everone else in the world a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2009!

Some atomic time grandfather clocks by what we would consider to be medium to low quality makers have begun to appear in the marketplace.  All have quartz driven non-mechanical atomic movements, and clocks cases that are not very impressive.

We see two niches just waiting to be filled by the right higher-end clock manufacturers.  Most exciting would be mechanical grandfather clocks, with the usual assortment of best and most popular designs, where the internal mechanical movement would adjust the time on the clock daily based on the US atomic time clock and receiving its signal.  This would allow for a marriage of the best of the old and the best of the new.  Mechanical clocks with high-end movements offer by far the best sound quality for chiming purposes.  These could truly be heirloom quality clocks that would be treasured for generations.  Interior decorators and home designers should take note.

The other niche would be non-mechanical quart driven atomic clocks in the nicest of solid wood cases. The best mahagony, assortment of oak clocks, solid cherry would clocks and more that would be outfitted with battery driven movements that could and would sync regularly with the radio controlled atomic time of the USA’s Atomic Clock.  The only two real downsides here are that these movements do not tend to last as long as mechanical clocks, and their chime sound quality tends to be OK, but not horrible.  The real risk or variable is to ensure these clocks are housed in the proper cases, or they risk being real junk from a furniture standpoint.  Also, buying an established brand basically assures that replacement parts will be available for generations to come, whereas replacing a part of a no-name clock could be an exercise in futility.  Battery driven clocks movements tend to have a much shorter life-span than those of mechanical clocks, when looking at and comparing the better and best ones by the major manufacturers out there today.

We encourage the development of Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks along these lines, Bulova Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Floor Clocks, and Ridgeway Grandfather Clock Collection, among others.

1-800-4CLOCKS believes consumers would benefit from these added choices, and to a great extent preempt the introduction by some low quality brands out there that are beginning to think about clock and timepiece introductions along these time lines.

There are those spaces in all of our homes that call out for something very specific; something very particular that is the only thing that will fit the bill. When I moved into my new home I was terrified by the amount of space, to be honest. It’s not that I didn’t love the wide hallways, the closets, and the rooms that flowed easily one into the next; it was that I was unsure of myself in terms of actually placing things in my home that would work in terms of style and scale.

This one part of the house has very high ceilings and lots of natural light; while it’s not really a room – more of a landing between the first and second floor, it is one of my very favorite spots in the whole house. There was enough room there to put a big overstuffed chair and reading lamp – which I did – so that there was a quiet little nook where you could read a book or just watch the rain outside on the windows. But it needed something else. And I knew just what it was; a grandfather clock.

I began my search for a grandfather clock through many traditional stores and outlets. But not just any grandfather clock would do; I knew that I would know it when I saw it. And I did – online. Once I began searching for that special grandfather clock through online resources I found exactly what I wanted – exactly what I loved – on this great website. Now my quiet little nook is exactly what I envisioned.

I have had a recurring dream for many years now; in the dream I am on a swing that keeps going higher and higher until I feel that I will eventually fall if it doesn’t slow down. Then, just as feel myself getting completely out of control I hear the sound of a chiming clock and the swing begins to slow down until it is simply swinging calmly back and forth like the pendulum on that clock. The dream always ends with the swing finally coming to a complete stop and me turning with relief and gratitude toward the grandfather clock in the corner; the grandfather clock that had brought me back down to solid ground.

I know. It’s ridiculous. But I had that dream for so many years that I really never gave too much thought to it any real way; until the grandfather clock of my dreams was suddenly right in front of me.

I built this amazing library in my new home; the library I had always wanted where I could sit for hours on rainy days and read book after book that lined the shelves around the room. I just love this room. But I always knew that what it really needed to completely finish off the space was a grandfather clock; something that I began to search in earnest for online.

Who knew that there were so many options on the Internet? I wound up finding this great website that had as many grandfather clocks – and probably more – than you would ever see in a typical retail location. I hunted through the pages of high quality clocks from really well-known designers and, suddenly there it was – the grandfather clock of my dreams. I hadn’t even really thought about that clock during waking hours but the second I saw it I knew that it was the grandfather clock that I always turned to at the end of my dreams.

Needless to say, I bought that grandfather clock. And I haven’t had that dream since. Instead, if I want to see that grandfather clock I simply go into my library where it sits above me as I read – always the good friend.

As I shared in the last post, the time during which I gave birth to my first daughter was a time filled with excitement and trepidation as I made preparations to bring home this tiny new addition to our family. What I found after her birth was that I was far less concerned with filling her room with toys, stuffed animals, and fancy clothing – things that were of no interest to her in these early months – as I was with putting memories together for her; things that would be sentimental gifts for her when she was older. But who knew that – in addition to the baby books, the photographs, and the journals - that a grandfather clock would wind up being the most precious touchstone of all?

The grandfather clock came into our lives right after our daughter was born; we were looking at many different grandfather clocks to occupy the entrance in our new home. There were so many styles to choose from – contemporary, traditional, country, eclectic; I couldn’t believe how many designs were available and on the Internet no less, where we could shop at our convenience.

We eventually did find the perfect grandfather clock for our home but what really sealed the deal was when it first arrived and we had just set it up in its new home. When the hour turned the grandfather clock began to chime and my daughter, who was now five weeks old, turned her little head to the clock and smiled for the first time. They were fast friends after that.

The grandfather clock has stood sentry in our home watching our daughter – and later, our son – grow these past years. When I look at our grandfather clock I will always see my daughter’s first smile; and for her, this grandfather clock that has always been in her life will forever be a memory of childhood.

When I was expecting my first daughter I was like most new parents-to-be in that I was running around like crazy putting things in place for an event that I couldn’t even wrap my head around; I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like after this child was born – what our life would look like and how things would change. And so I did what any new mother does when they don’t know what to expect – prepare for any and every possibility. Honestly, when I think back to the lengths I went to prepare to bring home this small person who had only the most fundamental of needs I have to laugh. What did a newborn baby need with an “exercise” play area with approximately four-hundred thousand interconnecting parts? Four wardrobes of clothes that had all been pre-washed in the appropriate infant-friendly detergent? A highchair of varying heights and inclines? Ultimately all she needed was me, some clothing basics (that did not involve in any way, shape, or form frilly undergarments and snap jeans), warm and cozy blankets, and enough diapers to circle the globe.

The funny thing was that after she was born I forgot all about the stuff and started to think of the sentimental gifts I wanted to give her at this time. I took as many pictures and videos as I could in my sleep-deprived state, wrote in her baby book, and journaled my experiences as a new mother, hoping that these would all be precious gifts to her one day.

Around the same time we purchased our first home and we were looking for something to fill the foyer in our new entrance; it had this very high ceiling – it was a beautiful space. And what we ultimately found was a grandfather clock that would up filling a number of different roles. It would be the grandfather clock for our home – and our daughter. More in the next post…

In the last post I related my story of my close friend who – along with her sister – was charged with cleaning out her parents’ home after their deaths just eight weeks apart from each other. While it was a grueling process, the women were able to complete it with honor and each came home with pieces that would serve as remembrances of their childhood home. My friend chose a grandfather clock that belonged to her father and once I saw it in her house I knew that I wanted something equally lovely for my own home; and something that would forever remind my kids of the place where they spent their childhood.

My search for a grandfather clock was much easier and much more pleasant than I anticipated. Lucky for me, the Internet has offered a whole new world of convenience when it comes to finding clocks of all kinds. I was able to logon and within moments I was browsing through truly unbelievable selections of grandfather clocks – from traditional to contemporary and even some really interesting and different clocks.

I was able to find a traditional style grandfather clock that fits perfectly in my home in terms of size and style. And best of all I know that for many years to come my kids will remember this grandfather clock that stood in their childhood home. Hopefully it will bring back wonderful memories for them some day as it has for my friend. And hopefully they will carry on the tradition by having a grandfather clock in their home for their own families.