Howard Miller’s Grandfather Clocks LIMITED WARRANTY

This product has been manufactured using only the very finest of materials and has been thoroughly tested prior to leaving our manufacturing facility.

Howard Miller warrants to the original consumer/purchaser or recipient that this product will be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of two years from date of purchase.  Howard Miller’s obligation under this warranty shall be limited to repairing the product with new or renewed components or, at its option, replacing it with a new or renewed product.  This warranty does not include damage to product or components resulting from abuse, accident, alteration, climatic/environmental conditions, damage beyond normal use, freight damage, mishandling, misuse, or unauthorized repair.

HOWARD MILLER DISCLAIMS ANY LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY. IMPLIED WARRANTIES ON THIS PRODUCT SHALL BE IN EFFECT ONLY FOR THE DURATION OF THE EXPRESS WARRANTY SET FORTH ABOVE AND THEREAFTER, THERE SHALL BE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, (INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE), ON THIS PRODUCT.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or the limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

SERVICE INFORMATION

Before pursuing service, ensure that all instructions provided with your Howard Miller product have been carefully followed. These instructions will provide detailed information to answer most questions. Contact the Howard Miller web site (www.howardmiller.com) for a list of frequently asked questions that may conveniently resolve your problem or answer your questions.

In the unlikely event that your clock appears to be malfunctioning or requires repair, in NORTH AMERICA please call one of our Repair Technicians at (616) 772-7277 (extension #386). OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA please call your distributor or agent. If they determine that the problem cannot be easily resolved, they will help locate a Service Center in your area.

Before calling, please have the following information available. The model number and serial number can be found on the Product Information Label (see General Information.) Model Number: ______________ Serial Number: ______________ Date Purchased: ______________ Where Purchased: ______________ Brief Description of Problem:____________________________________________________________________

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Please also have these instructions and the sales receipt or other comparable proof of original purchase available at the time of your call.

Most problems can be quickly resolved without returning the clock for service.

PROCEDURES TO OBTAIN REPAIR SERVICE

1. Contact the Dealer from whom you originally purchased the Howard Miller product or a Howard Miller Service Center.  Service charges will not be paid by Howard Miller for any repairs not performed by a Howard Miller Service Center.

2. You will be required to provide a copy of the sales receipt or other comparable proof of original purchase to obtain warranty service.

3. Provide the Dealer/Service Center with the Howard Miller model number and serial number and a complete description of the problem.

The Dealer/Service Center will make arrangements with you to service the product and/or to order any required parts from Howard Miller.

4. Howard Miller Dealers and Service Centers do not need prior authorization for service and repairs. The Dealer/Service Center will provide the necessary service and charge the party responsible within the guidelines of the limited warranty.

5. Return Authorization is required for all returns to Howard Miller. If you have been given authorization to return the product to Howard Miller, you will be provided with a Return Authorization number (RGA#).

Please include this Return Authorization number, above your name, on the address label. Also include a copy (original receipts should never be submitted as they can not be returned) of the sales receipt or other comparable proof of original purchase. Returns without prior authorization or proof of purchase may be subject to additional charges and delays. If a return is necessary, please package clock in the ORIGINAL packaging. Failure to properly pack the clock may cause damage that is not covered under warranty.

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NON-WARRANTY REPAIR SERVICE

Charges will result for repair services if a sales receipt or other comparable proof of original purchase is not provided, if instructions were not followed, if the product is beyond the Limited Warranty period or is otherwise outside the scope of the Limited Warranty.

MINOR ADJUSTMENTS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY The following minor adjustments are not covered under this warranty. Repair service and/or parts to correct these adjustments are at the consumer’s expense.

1. “Set-Up”.   Set-Up instructions have been provided with your Howard Miller product.  (As a Customer of 1-800-4CLOCKS, you may well be eligible for our FREE IN-HOME Set-up).

2. Mechanical Movement Oiling and Cleaning. The movement in your clock is a mechanical mechanism and, therefore, requires periodic oiling and cleaning depending on climatic and environmental conditions.

Under normal conditions a movement requires oiling with high quality clock oil approximately every two years from the date of purchase.

Please contact a qualified clock repair person or Howard Miller Service Center for this service.

3. Replacement of Suspension Spring. Replacement instructions have been provided with your Howard Miller product. Please return broken suspension spring to Howard Miller for proper identification. Replacement suspension springs are available from Howard Miller.

4. Pendulum, Timing, and Chime/Strike Hammer Adjustments. Instructions for these adjustments have been provided in this publication.

FREIGHT DAMAGE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY It is the responsibility of the consignee to claim any freight loss or damage directly with the carrier. If the carton indicates signs of “visible damage”, instruct the driver to note the damage on the freight bill. If the carton contains “concealed damage”, notify the carrier and request in writing within 14 days of product receipt a carrier inspection and damage report. Failure to notify the carrier within 14 days of product receipt may waive your rights to a damage claim.

WE HOPE THIS IS AS CLEAR TO YOU AS IT IS TO US AT 1-800-4CLOCKS .  Have questions?  Feel free to call us any time at 1-800-4CLOCKS (1-800-425-6257).

Antique Grandfather Clocks offer a piece of history.  Not only the history of time and timekeeping, but also a physical connection to the past.  Heirloom quality grandfather clocks can be passed from generation to generation, and grandfather clock owners can take great pride and comfort  in knowing that their grandfather clock is like a living connection spanning, potentially, centuries.

If you are not the lucky beneficiary of a high quality antique grandfather clock, and you are shopping for GrandfatherClocks, one might want to consider whether it is worthwhile to purchase an antique grandfather clock or whether to buy a new one from one of the high-end clock makers like Howard Miller Clocks, Hermle Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, or Bulova Clocks.  Each approach has its pros and cons, and in many cases individual timepiece and clock collectors may have their wants and needs based on exogenous factors.

Antique GrandfatherClocks clocks have the advantage, assuming the clocks are all original, of being highly collectible, and potentially having a rich history themselves.  For example, one grandfather clock near me right now was special ordered from Tiffany & Company by the Founder of Coca Cola as a gift to his daughter.  The daughter lived in a well known hotel in her later years, and allowed the clock to be in the Lobby of a well known Atlanta hotel for many years.  Upon her death, she bequeathed the clock to a Church, which had it in its rectory for many many years.  In recent years, the Church decided for whatever reason that it wanted to sell this grandfather clock, and the lucky buyer of this historic grandfather clock happened to be in the right place at the right time.  Now could any new grandfather clock have a story behind it like that?

So why would any grandfather clocks buyer think about buying a new grandfather clock instead of an antique grandfather clock.  The reasons are many and varied, especially in this season where individuals are looking avidly for grandfather clocks discounts and for a grandfather clocks sale.  To purchase an antique grandfather clock, a buyer really needs to know what he or she is doing, or there is a high likelihood one may either overspend in general on a clock, or more likely, not get what they really think they are getting.  Reproductions of grandfather clocks or outright counterfeits are not that unusual.  Clocks that are not all original, but rather parts of different clocks put together as one, known as marriages, can make a grandfather clock relatively worthless, or at least devalued to a small fraction of its monetary worth otherwise, from a collectibility standpoint.

Also, in terms of the features of a clock, not to mention the condition of the clock case and movement, can mean an antique will be significantly more expensive for a grandfather clock purchase for a comparable looking and sounding clock.  Antique grandfather clocks will not have automatic nighttime shutoff, something introduced relatively recently as one of the grandfather clock features.  It is unlikely one will find a triple-chime grandfather clock, unless one is willing to pay 2-3-5+ times the price for a comparable looking clock.  A working moondial, or even having a moonphase that rotates, is a feature on most new grandfather clocks. Having that on an antique grandfather clock will add significantly to the cost.

Want a contemporary grandfather clock?  Well, then your choices are pretty much limited to the newer ones.

Probably the biggest distinction and point to be mindful of when shopping for a grandfather clock is that an antique clock has the potential to be both a money pit and an ongoing headache, with much higher repair and service bills.  This does not even include the fact that there may also be restoration costs and that fact that it is much harder to find someone (one of the reasons it is so much more costly) who can work on antique grandfather clocks.  The potential for wood restoration, where a furniture or cabinetry expert, or possibly someone who works with inlay, may also be an added cost and consume a lot of time.

Any antique clock should be bought recognizing that there is a reasonable chance that it may end up being what we call a project clock, which requires a series of efforts over time with different experts.

Advantages to antique grandfather clocks are they they are general louder, assuming one finds this to be a benefit, and if one gets a good deal on an antique grandfather clock that is the genuine article, it is likely to hold its value better, and also more likely, in our opinion, to increase in value  over time.

Interestingly, when factoring in the above issues, which we don’t think many grandfather clocks shoppers do anyway, the vary large majority of grandfather clock and grandmother clock shoppers tend to go for new clocks, both said that they know they will be working “out of the container” and they no there will be no surprises.  The rich features of the new clocks help too.  And there are more easy choices to go with ones home decor or while doing interior decorating or interior design.

Regardless, there is one common denominator among grandfather clocks shoppers.  A grandfather clocks discount and a grandfather clocks sale is always welcome and sought after by shoppers of all kinds of clocks.  Go figure.

In more modern grandfather clocks, there are 3 major categories of grandfather clocks with related movements, which are cable driven grandfather clocks, chain driven grandfather clocks, and quartz grandfather clocks, which are battery operated (there is also a tubular chime grandfather clock which has yet a different movement, but these clocks, while perhaps the most collectible, are the least collected because of their high price tag — so not addressed in this post).

The finest of the 3 movements, in our opinion, is the cable-driven mechanical clock. These magnificent timepieces, especially when the movements are made by the leading German movement makers Hermle and Kieninger, can in our experience expect to have a true heirloom life expectancy of 50-100 years with proper care, literally spanning several generations. The movements are generally 8 days, so winding once a week keeps then running continuously. The chime quality is the best because one actually hears the hammer striking the chime rod on each note. And cable driven movements can come with many bells and whistles, such as automatic nightime shut-off options, and many have triple chimes, with 2 in addition to the Westminster Chime. The downsides are there is no volume control for practical purposes, and grandfather clocks with these movements tend to be the priciest, though within a wide price range.

Grandfather clocks with chain-driven movements have some advantages and disadvantages as well. The movements themselves are smaller, so they are generally put in smaller cases, resulting in grandfather clocks with less height and depth than average. Many are attached to chain-driven clocks for sentimental reasons, especially if one grew up with one in one’s home. They are generally less expensive. They are also mostly 8 Day Movements, so if one “winds” the three weights by pulling down on each of the 3 chains once a week, the clock will run continuously. The only downsides we see with this type of movement are that the associated grandfather clocks do not generally have the same “bells and whistles”, e.g. automatic nighttime shutoff, or a moving and working moonphase dial. Perhaps the biggest downside in our experience is that the lifetime expectancy on a grandfather clock with a chain-driven movement is perhaps roughly half of what it might be for a cable-driven grandfather clock movement — in our experience maybe 25-50 years for a chain-driven grandfather clocks vs. 50-100+ years for a cable-driven grandfather clocks.

Now quartz grandfather clocks, which are battery operated, have a separate set of pros and cons. The pros are they are the least expensive to purchase, they have volume control, most have auto-night shut-off, and one does not need to remember to wind one! The cons are that the cases tend to be not as nice as those grandfather clocks housed with mechanical movements, and the sound of the chimes is not as good as with a mechanical grandfather clock. The reason for that is with a quartz grandfather clock one is actually listening to the chimes on a sound chip, and it has a higher pitch and “tinnier” sound. In our experience, a high quality quartz movement for a grandfather clock might be expected to last 10-25 years.

The good news for all 3 of these types of clocks is that the movements can either be repaired or replaced, even many many years later (we will go out on a limb here, be futuristic, and say they should be available for the next 100+ years, if a replacement movement is needed). Proper care and maintenance of a clock, including a “check-up” with cleaning and oiling every 5 years, is a must to preserve the longevity of your clock. When parts where out, and they will, there is always the question of whether it is cost-effective to simply replace the movement, or to fix the worn or broken parts, e.g. worn pivots or a broken wheel.

Quartz movements are generally most cost efficient to have replaced. They are inexpensive. With cable driven and chain-driven grandfather clocks, one really needs to look carefully at the pros and the cons of each action, with a special focus on the cost and likely longevity factor weighing in with either choice for a grandfather clock. Currently, there would not seem to be a reason to keep the clock “all original”, but tell that to the kid who’s mom threw out his old junk baseball card collection in a house clean-up. The conventional wisdom and collectibility factor could be a set of changing rules over time.

Have a grandfather clocks service center that you trust makes all the difference. We might also recommend getting 2 opinions if that is possible in your situation.

If one is horologically inclined, one could even order a new movement directly from an authorized supplier, such as Merritts.com or BlackForestImports.com. One needs all the numbers and markings on the back of the clock to be most certain-likely to get the “exact” or close to exact movement.

Any specific grandfather clocks questions or comments, please feel free to post them here at GrandfatherClocksBlog.com, operated by 1-800-4CLOCKS.com.

With the advent of consumer electronics and the industrial age, many quite valuable mechanical grandfather clocks, as well as wall clocks and mantel clocks, had their works replaced when they broke down, with battery operated movements.  In most of these instances, the mechanical movements were simply tossed into the garbage as broken worthless remnants of a bygone era.  And many of these movements were simply replaced with new “state of the art” battery operated quartz movements.

This was as true for mechanical watches as it was for antique grandfather clocks and mantle clocks and wall clocks.  The reality, as many discovered years later, is that essentially threw away, or allowed to be gutted, the very core of the mechanical clock or watch, and with a critical component of the value of the timepiece.  As most all serious clock collectors know, a mismatched case and movement, whether for a grandfather clock or a pocket watch, are known, rather ironically, as a “marriage”.  Serious collectors as a general rule will not even collect a marriage, and Dealers who try to pass of a “marriage” as all original would be frowned upon as untrustworthy.

Some forward thinking individuals, perhaps with the help of their grandfather clocks repair person, suggested that individuals keep the movement even when it was broken, but just store it separately.  This was a very wise move indeed.

In this post we have focused on replacing movements in antique grandfather clocks, wall clocks, and mantel clocks.  We will soon also post here on this Grandfather Clocks Blog what the considerations are when deciding whether or not to replace vs. repair a movement on a more modern clock.  Different thinking and logic frequently applied.  But that is what people thought when they replacing Rolex mechanical movements with quartz battery driven ones.  Anyway, stay tuned for our advice on more recent clocks, to discuss our current wisdom.

Oh, but if we only knew we and our ancestors would have held on to our old Model Ts, Packards, and Studebakers.  And do not forget the many many thousands of baseball card collections that were thrown out by parents during home clean-ups.

Is your grandfather clock running too fast or too slow?  If so, what should you do about it.  This is a question we get asked many times, and we are attempting to provide here a useful guide for most owners of clocks.

Before deciding whether to raise or lower what is known as the pendulum bob – the usually brass round  weight near the bottom of the pendulum – it might first worth be asking whether the grandfather clock had been running fine for many years.  If so, and it has, say, after 5 or 10 plus years after purchasing it, a slow-running clock may be a symptom of a clock that needs a good cleaning and oiling.  If so, find a good local grandfather clocks repair center.

But what if your grandfather clock is new, or you’ve recently moved it, and it needs adjustment?  If your grandfather clock is RUNNING TOO SLOW, one should RAISE the pendulum bob to make the clock’s movement run faster.  If the clock is RUNNING TOO FAST, one should LOWER the pendulum bob to make the clock’s movement go slower.  One needs to have patience and be willing to experiment with how many turns of the screw beneath the pendulum will affect your clock.  Checking against a computer clock or other reliable timepiece once a day is a good idea, as is keeping notes of how many turns of the screw were made and the impact it had on the time.

Another key question is WHAT DIRECTION does one turn the screw beneath the pendulum to raise or lower the pendulum bob.  While it does not work the same for all clocks, the large majority of clocks made in the last 50 years will allow one to follow the direction of turning the screw clockwise or right to raise the pendulum bob and make the clock go faster.  Conversely, for most grandfather clock movements, if one turns the screw beneath the pendulum bob counter-clockwise or left to lower the pendulum make, it will make the clock go slower.

The best advice we can give is to try moving the pendulum bob a turn for every minute, for, say, up to a 10 minute daily variation vs. the correct time.  Recalibrate after seeing the results after 24 hours, and decide what to do the next day.

A final note.  We recommend not seeking the perfection of an atomic clock, but rather getting your clock to be accurate within, say, a minute or so per day.  After all, another way of looking at it is you can spend $25 for a very accurate quartz watch or many thousands of dollars for a Rolex, Audemars, or Vacheron Constantin.  One is buying more than accurate timekeeping when investing in a grandfather clock.

Howard Miller Newman Grandfather Clock Model 611-120 611120

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!

If you have been in your own place for even a few years you have undoubtedly discovered that what you thought was really fun in terms of decorating just a year ago may not necessarily be something that you enjoy today. When I first moved into my home, for instance, I was just married and I happily filled our house with those things that we had received as wedding gifts. Mind you, I had registered for this gifts which means that we had picked them out ourselves. But here I am, ten years later and I’m looking at these dishes and those towels and I’m wondering “who was that person who would have thought these were attractive??”

The point is that styles change and tastes change; that will always be the case. But there will also be those things that will always be considered classics; those things that never go out of style. And in my opinion, grandfather clocks are a perfect representation of that.

We actually got a grandfather clock for our wedding as well – from my husband’s grandparents who have since passed away. I loved this grandfather clock then and I love it now. It transcends trendy style and even changing tastes because it is its own classic; something that will always be perfect and recognizable and fit seamlessly in with a variety of décor.

So I know without a doubt that no matter how many times I change my dishes, or replace my towels, that grandfather clock will always have a spot right here in my house and in my heart – my most favorite, classic piece of furniture.

Having a grandfather clock in the home is the realization of a dream for many homeowners. This is because grandfather clocks have long been associated with high-end pieces that are typically used in the most luxurious of homes. This perception most likely stems from the advent of grandfather clocks when only the wealthiest of homes were able to afford a grandfather clock as a part of their décor.

Today, however, grandfather clocks are much more affordable than ever before; and the Internet has expanded the options available to consumers when it comes to purchasing grandfather clocks at the most affordable prices possible.

As affordable as they are, however, grandfather clocks are still an investment that must be taken seriously. To this end there are ways in which consumers should protect their grandfather clocks in order to protect their investment and perhaps be able to pass their grandfather clock down through their family; these steps may include:

* Protect your grandfather clocks by placing them in an area of the home that is free from heavy activity; placing a grandfather clock in an area of the home that has high traffic could be asking for trouble.

* Keep up on regular maintenance. By keeping your grandfather clock maintained to the best of your ability you are ensuring that it stays in working order for many years to come.

* Enlist professional guidance. Grandfather clocks can be complex pieces of machinery that should be handled with care. Be sure to seek professional guidance when it comes to the repair and routine maintenance of grandfather clocks.

Everyone has their own preference when it comes to homes. For some, the perfect home is a smaller, more compact home – enough space to house their family and their stuff but not too much home that they are unable to keep up with the utilities and, of course, the cleaning. For others, a home is just not a home unless it is large enough to comfortably house family and guests – with rooms to spare that are dedicated to specific activities including a game room, a study, a library, and so forth.

There are challenges that come with larger homes; mainly being able to furnish the home affordably and fill the empty spaces with furniture and artwork that is in scale to the size of the rooms. Grandfather clocks work well in this capacity as they are large enough pieces that they can stand on their own in whatever capacity you use them but also because they work so well in helping to further the design goals of a room and home.

For larger homes that need to “fill” their space, grandfather clocks are especially helpful. Their height – they are generally six feet or over – help to fill a room, especially those rooms that have higher than average ceilings.

So conducive to large homes are grandfather clocks that many homeowners choose to place grandfather clocks – of different styles – in different rooms throughout their home; they find that the height and elegance of grandfather clocks work quite well in a variety of spots and will help to fill the often empty spaces in larger homes.

Clocks themselves are one of the first human inventions; an invention that has obviously stood the test of time and since evolved to reflect the changing technology as well as the needs of consumers. Grandfather clocks – one of the variations of this invention – were first created in late 1600s, a product of an English clockmaker’s creation of pendulum technology. The first grandfather clocks were created using painstaking detail and the highest quality materials. These materials – along with the time intensity needed to create the grandfather clock – drove the price; and early grandfather clocks were typically created only for public locations.

When grandfather clocks first came to America, they were still used mostly in public arenas; their use in private homes was limited because of price. In fact, only the wealthiest of Americans could afford to have a grandfather clock in their home.

Today, grandfather clocks are certainly much more affordable. High end manufacturers such as Howard Miller and Kieninger continue to create the high quality grandfather clocks that have earned the industry’s reputation through the generations. But these suppliers use high end materials and create unique pieces that are still affordable for the average American home. Balancing this quality with affordability is the challenge of the modern grandfather clock manufacturer. But by making sure that these spectacular pieces are affordable, clock manufacturers can ensure that the average household has access to these time honored pieces.

Connecting these manufacturers with their customers are high end online suppliers. Such suppliers offer great prices, phenomenal selection and the opportunity for all consumers to have access to the clocks they love.