Customer-focused grandfather clocks stores like ours always try to keep our finger on the pulse of our customers’ wants and needs.  Interestingly, more and more grandfather clocks shoppers are focused on where the floor clock movements in particular are made for the grandfather clocks they are considering. While most every shopper wants a good grandfather clock discount and are always looking for grandfather clock sales, many have realized that the flood of cheaply made imports that are in cases and resemble grandfather clocks, are frequently cheap grandfather clocks that will not work for long, require further construction, have poor sound quality putting it mildly, and most certainly are not built to last and are not like the heirloom quality grandfather clocks that we sell.

Currently, and over the last few years, literally all of the new mechanical grandfather clocks we sell have grandfather clock movements that are made in Germany.  The major brands like Howard Miller Clocks and Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Clocks, Kieninger and Americana Clocks all have mechanical grandfather clocks with the clock movement itself made in Germany.  The two remaining high-end mechanical grandfather clock movement makers who make grandfather clock movements in any large quantities are the Hermle Clock Company and Kieninger Clocks.  Both makers make clock movements of excellent quality.

Antique grandfather clocks, historically, have included these same fine German Clock movement makers, but also others in Germany, England, Switzerland, the USA and many other countries.  The grandfather clock movement makers industry has consolidated and shrunk over time, like many other industries where the antiques version of the product still being used today is similar to those antiques used historically.  This is true for antique grandmother clocks as well.

The grandfather clock cases is another matter.  Many excellent grandfather clock cases can and are made in many different parts of the world.  The quality of the antique grandfather clock case or new grandfather clocks cases really depends on the quality of wood and then the quality of workmanship and material that goes into the making of the case.  Grandfather clock shoppers need to be careful that they are purchasing a floor clock in a quality clock case built to last, and not one built to simply resemble others on the market that are built to last but other than the similar look do not have any of the positive attributes in a quality grandfather clock case.  The continuing popularity of the term Black Forest Clocks, originating from the Black Forest of Germany, is a testimonial not only to the historical quality of German Clocks, and especially their clocks cases.  Seth Thomas Clocks were probably the biggest maker of American Grandfather Clocks cases, and wall clocks and mantel clocks as well, over the last century.

Interesting, Made in America or Made in the USA is making a comeback in the grandfather clocks market.  Probably the best example is Hermle Clocks, with its new Made in America grandfather clock line (the grandfather clock movements are still German-made), and features many high-quality grandfather clocks.  Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks have cases that for years and years have been made in Michigan, USA, and Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks were made in Virginia until they were consolidated into Howard Miller Clocks Michigan facility 5 or so years ago.

Hermle Triple Chime Manchester Grandfather Clock
List: $6,147.00
SALE: $3,996.00

Hermle Grandfather Clock from Made in USA, with Floor Clock case made of solid American Maple Wood

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandfather Clocks owners sooner or later, with or without regularly scheduled grandfather clock maintenance including oiling and cleaning, will need to address the inevitable grandfather clock repair challenge or question.  We sell many brands of floor clocks, including Howard Miller grandfather clocks, Hermle Floor Clocks and Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks and the Kieninger Floor Clock collection.  Even these best of the best grandfather clock makers will find their customers in need of clock time adjustments, grandfather clock movement refurbishing of pivots and pallets, the occasional manual adjustment that may need to be made inside the grandfather clock case or movement or pendulum or pendulum bob or even to a damaged or worn finish or wood of the outside of a grandfather clock case.

In today’s more modern world, good grandfather clock repair help can be difficult to find.  Interestingly, after a rapid decline in the number of people able and qualified to repair timepieces including pocket watches, wristwatches and mechanical grandfather clocks, there seems to have been something of a renaissance in the number and quality of available repair people.  Some schools of horology, the study of timepieces, have revamped and added new classes and certifications, and the demand appears clearly present both for the apprentices in training as well as the eager customers on the other end.

Owners of mechanical mantel clocks and wall clocks and grandfather and grandmother clocks, whether made by Howard Miller Clocks or Hermle Clocks or Ridgeway or Kieninger or Americana Clocks will and should want only qualified clocks technicians to be working on their movements.  If a grandfather clock was made by a major established floor clock company, such as Howard Miller or Hermle or Ridgeway, there is an excellent chance that the preferred method for fixing the mechanical clock might be to simply exchange the old movement for an equivalent new one.  The repair can be less expensive.  One factor, though, that can catch people by surprise, is that grandfather clock makers have gradually effectively lowered the fixed volume level on grandmother clocks and grandfather clocks in recent years.  This has been done to meet changing consumer preferences and with more household items, especially electronics,vying potentially for attention at the very same times.  We get occasionally very puzzled calls from long-time clock owners and enthusiasts who do not understand why their new grandfather clock is softer in volume than their old one, lower in volume than the Howard Miller grandmother clock in the home of their Aunt Shirley.

Another piece of advice we give, and yes we do repair clocks ourselves so this might sound purely in our self-interest, but the reality is that repairs can take a long long time, frequently much longer than originally anticipated.  And yet we live in an I want it tomorrow culture, or a what could be so complicated approach on the part of customers.  It’s all about setting and managing and understanding reasonable expectations and drivers.  Frequently new parts may not arrive on time.  Sometimes they have to be hand made, which can be very expensive.  Most all repairs require multiple levels of quality control testing.  Sometimes the problem is difficult to isolate.  Sometimes a spare part may not be readily available and yet can be obtained with diligent follow-up on the part of the grandfather clock repair person, yet at the same time frustrating to the actual owner of the clock.  Reasonable expectations and communication are key.  I frequently tell customers do not ask us to fix it if you will be unhappy if it might take 2-3 months, because that may be necessary and realistic.  It’s a delicate balancing act!

Finding a grandfather clocks repair specialist reasonably local to you can be a challenge.  There are a variety of sources, including the Yellow Pages, the Better Business Bureau (of which we are proud members), membership organization like the National Association of Clock and Watch Collectors, the American Clock and Watch Institute (of which we are also proud members), and a good online database at Howard Miller Clocks website which is searchable by both zip code and state.  Keep in mind whether you are repairing a new or antique grandfather clock or wall clock or mantel clock, and what the specialty of any candidate grandfather clock repair person might be, as they may require different knowledge bases and skills.

Still looking for grandfather clock repair advice.  Always feel free to give us a call at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com.

Kieninger model NS Movement -

Precision Kieninger clock cable movement with 8 rubies and 6 bronze bushings, Graham steel pallet lever escapement, automatic beat adjustment, maintaining power & seconds indication.

1-800-4CLOCKS.com is proud and excited to be introducing into our Authorized Grandfather Clock Dealer and grandfather clocks product the entire current selection of Americana Grandfather Clocks and Americana Grandmother Clocks.  A quick look at these Americana Floor Clocks will give you an appreciation for the incredible style and quality, not to mention amazing grandfather clock designs and additional grandfather clocks shoppers will now have in addition to the more established brands such as Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, Kieninger Clocks, Hermle Clocks, and others.

In fact, the Americana Grandfather Clock company was founded by the individual who headed Ridgeway Clocks when it was a Division of Howard Miller Clocks for some years.  These clocks attempt to delight and wow the customer and floor clock shopper with gorgeous high quality for the most part triple chime grandfather clocks that are made of 100% of the type of wood that is described including Oak, Mahogany, Cherry and Rosewood.  The Americana Grandfather Clocks also feature both some wonderful examples of contemporary grandfather clocks and Traditional grandfather clocks.  Grandmother clocks too!

All of these models come with both an automatic nighttime shut-off and a working rotating moonphase dial – for those clocks that feature a moonphase dial.  All have German mechanical cable-driven movements.  Some have a dual lighting system which illuminates the case and in some models the dial as well.  Some even have the look and feel of genuine antique grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks or floor clocks.

There is also an amazing and helpful to prospective grandfather clock shoppers array of heights in the clocks, so that many can be considered grandmother clocks as well as grandfather clocks, the only real difference being the height.

All of the Americana Clocks have the wildly popular Westminster Chime, and some also have the Whittington Chime and the St Michaels chime as well.  The styles also include a white grandfather clock and a black grandfather clock, with the white grandfather clock being an especially tough one to find in a good quality grandfather clock brand.

It is absolutely worth expanding your horizons in your search for a grandfather clock.  Not only do we want to be the ones who Add Time to Your Life ™, but we also want you to have the grandfather clock with the greatest design and workmanship possible.

Here are some examples from the Americana Grandfather Clock Collection:

Americana Capitol Grandfather Clock
List: $6,150.00
SALE: $4,612.50

Americana Atlanta Grandfather Clock
List: $6,478.00
SALE: $4,858.50

Americana Indio Grandfather Clock
List: $4,182.00
SALE: $3,136.50

Americana Savanna Grandfather Clock
List: $4,510.00
SALE: $3,382.50

 

There are essentially 4 kinds of chiming grandfather clocks, three of which are mechanical grandfather clocks based, and one of which is quartz or battery based. By far the 2 most common high-end heirloom quality mechanical chiming grandfather clock types are cable driven grandfather clocks and chain driven mechanical clocks. Chain driven mechanical grandfather clocks generally will have the Westminster Chime as the sole chime, a chime-silence option, a faux or fake, meaning non-moving moondial or moonophase dial, and an 8 day movement which can be wound weekly by pulling down on each of the 3 chains which brings up each of the 3 weights. Some of the best makers of grandfather clocks, including Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks and Ridgeway Floor Clocks and Hermle Grandfather Clocks, plus Kieninger Clocks, all feature chain-driven clocks in their offerings.

Having said that, generally considered one step up in terms of not only durability, but also chime and feature options, are cable-driven grandfather clocks. These clocks also have 8 day movements. While almost all of them will have the famous Big Ben Westminster Chimes, they will also have some combination of Whittington Chimes, Ode to Joy, Ave Maria, St Michaels and BimBam chimes. The movements, with proper care and in our experience should last 50-100+ years with proper care and maintenance. Cable-driven grandfather clocks tend to be put in heavier and more durable and ornate solid wood cases, and are also frequently taller clocks, partly because the cable-driven movement is larger than the chain-driven movement. Options available to retail grandfather clock shoppers looking for grandfather clocks on sale and discount grandfather clocks tend to multiply with cable driven grandfather clocks. Want automatic-nightime shut-off on your grandfather clock? You will need to buy a cable-driven grandfather clock. What about a working rotating moonphase dial? Again, most all of your choices will be on cable-driven mechanical chiming floor clocks. Want a grandfather clock with an illuminated dial or a light in the cabinet of the grandfather clock. Again, you will be looking at cable=driven grandfather clocks. This is true for Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, Howard Miller Grandfather and Howard Miller Grandmother Clocks, as well as Hermle Floor Clocks and Kieninger Grandfather Clocks.

The 3rd category of chiming mechanical grandfather clock is the most expensive, by far, least understood by the general public, with the fewest models made. They are generally sold in limited quantities importantly, aside from the expense factor, because grandfather clock shoppers looking for grandfather clocks on sale are not even aware of the existence of this type of grandfather clocks, and there are even relatively few people who can service and repair them throughout the country. These are tubular chime grandfather clocks. The grandfather clock movement’s mechanism will generally trike either 5 or 9 hammers of 5 or 8 tubular chime pipes of varying lengths (each with a different note), with the Westminster Chime requiring 5 tubes and 5 hammers and the Whittington and St Michael’s grandfather clock chimes requiring 9 hammers and 9 tubes of different lengths, each playing different required notes. Tubular chimes tend to resonate more deeply, with a much lower pitch and a longer lasting musical note length frequency. The makers of these clocks are also Howard Miller Clocks, Kieninger Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Grandfather Clocks and Ridgeway Grandmother and Grandfather Clocks. Also worth a special look are the Americana Grandfather Clock brand which we plan to be adding to our retail operations and website within the next week or so.

The 4th type of grandfather clock and grandmother clock or floor clock movement, which is the quartz or battery operated grandfather clock movement. Here there can be many features, but the smart grandfather clocks shopper wants to be especially sure they are not buying a piece of junk. More and more cheap imports are flooding the markets for quartz grandfat5gher clocks. this is also true to a certain degree for the mechanical grandfather clocks. We would recommend only buying from a reputable authorized dealer for a known maker, and most definitely NOT because the model name sounds familiar and NOT because the clock looks so much like one made by a respected high-end maker. We get too many calls from “suckers” who have just purchased clocks that “look like” clocks on our website, or have similar model names, but when they get home and open the packaging, their is no operational booklet, no number to call for help OR there is major assembly required which will lead to who knows what. People then sometimes end up throwing good money after bad.

We are here to help those looking for heirloom quality grandfather clocks discounts and grandmother clocks on sale. Just call us with your questions. No hard sell. We simply want to Add Time to your Life™ with a clock you and your loved ones will cherish for generations to come.

While our vast selection of high-end heirloom quality grandfather clocks are comprised of many parts, we do not sell parts for individual grandfather clocks.  There are many grandfather clock repair and authorized service centers for floor clocks, but we will suggest other places if a customer is looking for parts for a grandfather clock or grandmother clock.

We will and do, however, service and repair grandfather clocks and wall clocks and mantel clocks, both new and antique clocks.  Each clock type and clock is an individual, and depending upon the clock’s circumstance, we would recommend a different course of treatment, which might or might not include us.  And yes we do on occasion make grandfather clock house calls just like the old fashioned family doctor.  Fir some mantel clocks and wall clocks repairs, depending upon the issue, the customer, the distance, the budget and other variables, we will sometimes make home visits as the grandfather clock doctor, or for the more junior wall clocks and mantel clock generation.

We even will help select customers, assuming the geography works out for us all, move a grandfather clock,  Failing that, we are generally happy to advise individuals on how to move a grandfather clock, both on the dos and the do nots or dont’s.

Back on grandfather clocks parts, if you call us at our toll free tore number 1-800-4CLOCKS (1-800-425-6257) the voice menu will actually give you prerecorded messages if you are looking for clock parts, including winding keys.  We get no benefit from referring customers to these grandfather clocks parts and other clock parts suppliers and retailers, and it is a more efficient way of us being able to help our customers in one of the few ways we choose not to do ourselves.

Let’s take some of the most frequently asked for clock parts, both for grandfather clocks, as well as key-wound mantle and wall clocks.  Hands down the winner is a winding crank key for a grandfather clock, usually for Howard Miller Clocks or Ridgeway Clocks, with a grandfather clock or grandmother clock door key being the next runner up.  As we deal in antique pocket watches, wristwatches, and antiques in general, we also get request for pocket watch winding keys, as well as mechanical wall clocks and mantel clock winding keys.

Most collectors of antique clocks, including high-end grandfather clocks and mantel clocks and wall clocks, and yes pocket watches too, do not realize that there are basically a dozen sizes of clock keys, one of which will fit almost all American or European grandfather clocks, grandmother clocks, wall clocks, and mantle or mantel clocks made.  The same is true, with a smaller size set of 12 keys, for antique American and European pocket watches, including famous makers like Elgin pocket watches and the Waltham and Hamilton Watch companies, not to mention the many incredible Swiss, French, and British makers, among others.

So the good news is if you need the most popular or sought after grandfather clocks part, it should be very easy to locate at a grandfather clock or Floor Clocks supplier near you, or one whom 1-800-4CLOCKS can and does recommend.

“When I think about what moves me most in my life, it is beauty,” writes California-based interior designer Barbara Barry in her debut book, fittingly titled Barbara Barry: Around Beauty (Rizzoli, $65). In addition to presenting tours of several residences she has decorated, the volume details the things that inspire her: a horn bracelet, a Mexican fig tree in the courtyard of a client’s Los Angeles home, Shaker philosophy—to name just a few. The Summer Palaces of the Romanovs: Treasures from Tsarskoye Selo (Thames & Hudson, $100) reveals just how good it was to be czar. At this imperial compound the splendor of the buildings’ exteriors is exceeded only by the richly appointed interiors: Even everyday items, such as a mother-of-pearl sewing kit, an amber shaving set, and a silver spoon engraved with images of the Kremlin, are remarkable feats of craft. The Iconic Interior: Private Spaces of Leading Artists, Architects, and Designers (Abrams, $65) surveys 100 of the 20th and 21st centuries’ most celebrated dwellings. The range is deep and broad, featuring not only sumptuous and stately standards like Coco Chanel’s Paris flat and Jacques Garcia’s Normandy château but also Dieter Rams’s functionalist Frankfurt digs and John Pawson’s understated London home.

View Slideshow A lowly substance of near limitless function, concrete has been used since ancient times in buildings both monumental and subtle, beautiful and hideous. Haunted by its Brutalist past, the simple mixture of stone, sand, and water is widely associated with sterile, imposing architecture, but concrete has taken a staggering variety of forms throughout history, from the Pantheon’s soaring dome to Louis Kahn’s rhythmic Salk Institute. In the beautifully illustrated Concrete (Phaidon, $49.95), William Hall features 175 striking structures—by Frank Lloyd Wright, Luis Barragán, and Zaha Hadid, among others—by way of exploring eight basic themes: form, texture, juxtaposition, landscape, light, mass, presence, and scale. The book is a vivid reminder of the sheer endurance, unexpected delicacy, and humor of architecture’s humble hero. Click here to see the fascinating ways Le Corbusier, Barragán, Berthold Lubetkin, and Norihiko Dan used concrete.

Now pretty much everyone has heard the expression the clock keeps ticking away, or tick tick tick, or even tick toc tic tock, but how often have you had the same applied to grandfather clocks ticking away with time.

Now the focus of this floor clock post may not be entirely what you expected.  What we want to focus on here is the volume not only of the ticking of the grandfather clocks, but also the volume of grandfather clock chimes.  Our focus here is on high quality 8 Day German mechanical grandfather clocks movements that our used today by companies such as Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, Kieninger Clocks and the Hermle Clock company, with the two main high-end movement manufacturers being Hermle Clock and Kienininger Clocks.  Both of these German clock makers and grandfather clock movement makers have been making movements for well over 100 years.  In more recent years, features have been added to grandfather clocks like automatic nighttime shutoff, illuminated grandfather clock dials, multiple chimes including not only the best known Westminster Chime grandfather clock, with Whittington Clock Chimes and St Michaels Clocks Chimes, but also adding Beethovens Ode to Joy chime or Schuberts Ave Maria chime.  Some people still long for the mechanical two-note bim-bam chime, found more on antique clocks and vintage clocks, but still seen on many models.

So what has happened to the grandfather clock volume over all these years.  There is the volume of the sound of the grandfather clock or floor clock ticking, there is the volume of the gong of the hour, and there is the volume of the grandfather clock chimes.  All floor clocks have one direction in which they have moved over the years, which is that the grandfather clock chime, ticking and gong volumes have been built-in so that it has effectively been turned down more and more over the years.

If one listens to an antique grandfather clock and compares it to a present day Howard Miller grandfather clock, or even a vintage 20 year old Ridgeway Grandfather Clock, one will find that the gong volume has gone down progressively over the years.  For grandfather clocks that chime, whether the Westminster Chime or even a Bim-Bam chime, in general one will also find that the grandfather clock volume has gone down over the years.

Recognizing that people used to use the clocks more as a way to keep track of time, it makes sense that grandfather clocks were built to be heard throughout a home.  Nowadays, now are there not only many other ways to tell time, e.g. on television, iPods, game systems, smartphones including the Apple iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy III, and PCs themselves, but there are also many more items in the home competing for the full attention of household members.  What might happen if a grandfather clock started gonging SO LOUDLY during the Super Bowl being watched by a rowdy group congregating around a giant flat screen tv … well, we might not want to see what might happen.  While most all grandfather clocks will have a chime-silence option, it might be overlooked, or might even be an issue for some for everyday conversation, listening to music, or watching their favorite television shows.

The actual volume of the tic tock has also gone down, which most clock consumers today would probably find to be a plus.  The grandfather clock chime mechanical movements of today have also been modified to lower volumes, for much the same clock reasons as noted above.

One question we are asked often is whether it is possible to adjust the volume of a mechanical grandfather clock strike or chime.  The short answer is no, not really, for most all models.  Small adjustments to raise the volume can be made, but that might risk damaging the movement or the loss of the correct chime notes.  Lowering the grandfather clock volume has some possibilities, yet that is a question we rarely get in today’s grandfather clock marketplace.

Quartz grandfather clocks, also known as battery operated grandfather clocks, will likely have a volume control, but one has to be especially careful that they are buying a good quality floor clock with a clock movement that is built to last.  There are more and more cheap imports of this type.

Lastly, there should not be much of a difference between the volume of a chain-driven grandfather clock vs a cable driven grandfather clock.

As with everything in life, there are exceptions, such as tubular chime grandfather clock movements, but that is a subject we will address separately.

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Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, the Manhattan-based duo behind the über-hip fashion house Proenza Schouler, may have surprised everyone by planting their first-ever retail flag on tony Madison Avenue, but they brought with them more than just a dose of their signature downtown style. “We wanted to do something that went against the grain,” Hernandez (left) explains. Working with architect David Adjaye, who also designed the firm’s SoHo office, they devised a look that, while reminiscent of a raw industrial space, is in fact meticulously constructed, lock, stock, and patina, from the aged-wood beams to the expanses of poured concrete. Rusted-bronze screens with triangular cutouts (Adjaye’s ode to the brand’s geometric flair) add to the timeworn aura—a precedent for stores to come. At 822 Madison Ave.; proenzaschouler.com

With the growing importance of the Chinese market, Blancpain is now offering a watch that displays both Gregorian and traditional Chinese time and dates.