The writer of this blog post has always been a sucker for a clock with a moonphase dial, sometimes also referred to as moondials, whether moonphase grandfather clocks, moonphase mantel clock or bracket clock, or moonphase wall clock.  And watches too!

With antique clocks, dials with a moonphase were especially prized, and were found most often, when they were found, on grandfather clocks or floor clocks.  The lunar cycle is 29 1/2 days, which is one full revolution of the moondial on the moonphase clock.  When there is a full moon outside, the clock is supposed to show a full moon at the top center of the moonphase dial.  It will take another 29 1/2 days to be in the exact same position again.  In the olden days, these days were actually used by farmers to help to know when to plant crops.  They were also of use for people traversing the oceans, although a movement that would work on a clock with enough reliability was invented later and also had multiple uses for navigation and charting voyages.

In more recent years, moondials are seen on many types of clocks.  They are also on wristwatches too, as well as some antique pocket watches. Many clocks, particular in the relatively lower price ranges, and generally with all chain-driven mechanical grandfather clocks, the moonphase dials are faux dials (the nice, and French, word for fake), and are stationary and do not move.  hey are for decorative purposes only.  Most higher-end cable driven grandfather clocks, particular by makers such as Howard Miller Clocks, Hermle Clocks, and Ridgeway Clocks, have working moonphase moondials on their grandfather clocks.

A working moonphase dial on a new or antique grandfather clock is a great feature, if one can afford a clock in that generally somewhat higher grandfather clocks price range.  Keep an eye out for grandfather clock discounts and individual grandfather clocks for sale that have this feature.  You very likely will not be disappointed, whether a grandfather clocks enthusiast or not.

Howard Miller Stewart Grandfather Clock Model 610-948 with working moonphase dial

Increasingly we are seeing a trend towards people, usually very close relatives, buying really high quality grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks as housewarming gifts or homewarming gifts either for their loved ones, such as children getting married, a special anniversary, parents relocating, or simply as gifts to themselves when moving to anew home or a second home.

The gift of a grandfather clock can be highly personalized and a wonderfully creative gift idea.  Grandfather clocks have become almost traditional gifts both for couples themselves as well as present for loved ones on special wedding anniversaries or milestone birthdays when looking for the perfect birthday present or perfect wedding anniversary present.

We see the gifting of grandfather clocks becoming a new housewarming tradition, and many of our customers are also calling it a homewarming gift – a term to which we have taken a liking.

Personalized plaques commemorating special dates and occasions are just one way to make a grandfather clock or a grandmother clock be meaningful housewarming gifts to people.  Frequently, picking out a traditional grandfather clock design or contemporary grandfather clock that may be reminiscent of a clock that one of the gift recipients grew up with can be an important element in choosing a specific clock.  Many people will choice either a chain driven mechanical clock or a cable driven mechanical clock because it was the type they grew up with and made them feel most comfortable.

We find that the most popular makers of grandfather clocks for housewarming gifts are Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Floor Clocks, and the Ridgeway Grandfather Clock collection.  Howard Miller clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, and Hermle clocks, in addition to Bulova Clocks and others we sell are also very popular as less expensive but still very much appreciated housewarming gifts.  Grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, atomic clocks, grandmother clocks, and mantle clocks all make wonderful housewarming gifts, homewarming gifts, and special wedding anniversary presents and special birthday presents.

Clocks make great gifts for almost all occasions!

Which is the best maker of grandfather clocks?  This is a question we are asked almost daily.  It is a difficult question to answer, both because there is so much cross-ownership in the world of grandfatherclocks, and because there are so many criteria to take into account when comparing both within single grandfather clock brands as well as between the various grandfather clocks brands.

One “fact” seems simple, and least in the opinion of the writer of this blog post.  Based on overall perception and awareness by consumers and organizational buyers of grandfather clocks, Howard Miller grandfather clocks have the most overall awareness, and are perceived by most — the large majority, is our sense — as being the highest end grandfather clocks maker.

We should point out that the mechanical grandfather clocks we sell all currently have high-end German movements, made either by Hermle (whose grandfather clocks movements were used by Howard Miller Clocks exclusively before they purchased Kieninger about seven years ago) or Kieninger (which also makes its own branded Kieninger Grandfather Clocks).  To complicate matters of comparison further, Ridgeway Clocks (which is owned by Howard Miller Clocks) also currently use Kieninger Clocks movements in their Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks.  And just when you thought you had a grasp on the high-end grandfather clocks market, one should be aware that Bulova Grandfather Clocks have been using high-end Hermle Clocks movements, and not surprisingly, Hermle Grandfather Clocks use Hermle grandfather clock movements.  Also, Bulova Clocks, in recent years, has been making grandfather clocks using the Sligh grandfather clocks designs with Hermle grandfather clocks movements, as Sligh Furniture used to do before they exited the grandfather clocks marketplace.

All of these grandfather clocks makers use solid wood cases, at least for their wooden vs.wrought iron or stone waterfall grandfather clocks.

If you know think you understand the high-end grandfather clocks market, just wait 2-3 months.  It will no doubt continue to be a somewhat wild grandfather clocks ride.

Many people growing up over the last couple of hundreds years, particularly in Western Civilization, have grown up with a grandfather clock as almost a member of the family.  If nothing else, the look and sounds that these wondrous timepieces called grandfather clocks remind many of their childhood at home, or perhaps visiting their grandparents or the homes of other friends and loved ones.  Way back when, as is still the case in much of Western Europe, these clocks are and were  more commonly referred to as longcase clocks, or long case clocks, and tallcase clocks, or tall case clocks.

Customers of our who are discount grandfather clocks shoppers will frequently begin their discussions with us by mentioning a grandfather clock that in one form or another grew up with, and they are hoping to recreate that memory, including look, sound, and overall grandfather clock feeling, as much as possible.  Interestingly, people who grew up with chain-driven clocks tend to be drawn to them, at least initially, because of the unusual yet memorable way these grandfather clocks are wound, by pulling down on each of the three chains to bring up each of the three weights.

Chain driven grandfather clocks frequently have a nostalgic appeal, and they also are the least expensive of the different types of grandfather clocks movements.  Partly because the movements are smaller, the grandfather clock manufacturers tend to make these among their smallest models, from a height, width, and depth dimension.

While cable driven grandfather clocks are more expensive, the movement will generally last, based on our opinion and experience, about twice as long as a chain-driven movement.  With proper care, a cable driven movement, we believe, will generally last 25-50 years.  This makes sense when you think about it in that these clocks have much more wear and tear on the clocks mechanisms or clock movements because the chain is sliding through the movement each time the clock is wound.  Cable-driven grandfather clocks can truly be heirloom quality treasures.

A cable driven grandfather clock will not only be larger and generally last much longer with proper care, these clocks also come with more extras or options, including automatic night shut-off, working moon phase dials, triple chimes, lit interiors, and some even have lit dials.  These clocks tend to also have much more heft and weight to them, in cases which can be carved quite intricately.

While the old adage “you get what you pay for” largely applies in this instance, one needs to be an informed grandfather clocks shopper to be an intelligent grandfather clock shopper.

All the mechanical grandfather clocks we sell currently have 8 day movements.

Many of our best customers, and other consumers simply shopping with general inquiries, ask about what German Grandfather Clocks for sale we have.  In fact, all of the mechanical grandfather clocks we have for sale, those that are cable driven and keywound, and those that are chain driven, current have movements which are made in Germany.  The two remaining high-end movement manufacturers that still make quality movements in any quantity are both German companies, which are Hermle Clocks and Kieninger Clocks.

Hermle clocks currently supplies movements for Bulova Grandfather Clocks and, of course, Hermle Grandfather Clocks.  Kieninger Clocks currently supplies mechanical movement grandfather clock movements for mechanical Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, mechanical Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, and of course mechanical Kieninger Grandfather Clocks.  Kieninger Clocks is owned by Howard Miller Clocks.  Until about seven years ago, most all Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks had mechanical Hermle Grandfather Clock movements installed.

So if you read the above carefully, you will note that all the mechanical grandfather clocks offered by Bulova, Hermle, Ridgeway, Howard Miller and Kieninger have German mechanical grandfather clock movements installed.  Where the grandfather clocks cases are made is a whole another subject entirely.

So to summarize:

Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks with mechanical movements currently have German made movements made by Kieninger Clocks, a German clock company.

Hermle Grandfather Clocks with mechanical movements have German made Hermle grandfather clock movements, made by Hermle Clocks, of course (and another German company).

Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks with mechanical cable driven and chain driven movements, which is all of Ridgeway’s mechanical clocks, have German made Kieninger Grandfather Clock movements installed.

Kieninger grandfather clocks with mechanical cable driven and chain driven grandfather clocks have grandfather clocks made by the German company, surprise, Kieninger Clocks.

Bulova Grandfather Clocks have mechanical movements, both chain driven and cable driven, which are made by Hermle Clocks, a German clock company.

So when shopping for clocks on sale, a better question than “Where can I buy one of those high quality German grandfather clocks?” might be “Are there any grandfather clocks that you sell that might not be considered German grandfather clocks?”

When you’re shopping for discount grandfather clocks on sale, perhaps you will have to call us to find out.

As we near the end of the first decade of this millennium, it is as good a time as any to look back over the last decade in horology, and an especially good time to look forward to 2010 with the coming of the New Year.  The last decade has seen the rise of some great new grandfather clocks features, and the introduction of many new styles of clocks, especially among Contemporary Grandfather Clocks.

Aside from grandfather clocks features such as auto night shut-off and illuminated dials, there has also been the introduction of what we at 1-800-4CLOCKS would consider to be the equivalent quality of disposable grandfather clocks by no-name makers that have just started to flood the market in the last couple of years.  What is more notable, is that several of the most respected discount retailers have started to carry these, pardon the expression, pieces of junk.  We became more and more aware of them when individuals are calling and wanting to know how to get them running, only to be told we never even heard of that grandfather clocks “brand”, frequently named so that it sounds like an established brand.  Frequently, plastic and plywood and batteries are the key ingredients in these generally very inexpensive, and surely cheap, grandfather clock imitations, in our view.  Some even have the customer doing grandfather clocks assembly when they did not realize that was even part of the plan.

Replicas and reproductions of great clocks are nothing new, and by themselves are not indicative of inferior grandfather clocks quality.  Brand like Howard Miller grandfather clocks, Hermle grandfather clocks, Bulova’s grandfather clock collection, along with Ridgeway and Kieninger still offer super-high quality at a good value.  Solid wood cabinetry and mechanical grandfather clock movements made in Germany.   Surely heirloom quality timepieces, which make special wedding and spectacular anniversary gifts, not to mention special birthday gifts and great presents for almost any occasion.

We hope that customers will realize the difference between quality and disposable grandfather clocks.  2009, and no doubt coming at the same time as The Great Recession, seemed to us to be the peak of the plastic plywood battery driven grandfather clocks which most likely won’t make it to see the year 2015 — as far away as that may seem — much less be around for future generations as heirloom quality gifts.

Happy Holidays and quality affordable grandfather clocks to all, and to all a goodnight!

1-800-4CLOCKS is proud to have been a participant in making this Open House National NBC Television Show come to life.  The major contribution we made was the selection, donation, delivery and placement of one of the nicest contemporary grandfather clocks we sell, which is the Howard Miller Coco Grandfather Clocks Model  which can be seen just below:

Howard Miller Coco Grandfather Clock

Please be sure to tune in to this Home Rescue Special on NBC-LXTV Production  Nationally on December 20. See below for time shows near you!

‘OPENHOUSE,’ POPULAR NATIONALLY-SYNDICATED REAL ESTATE & DESIGN SHOW GIVES HOLIDAY MAKEOVER MIRACLE TO SINGLE MOTHER AFTER DEVASTATING FIRE GUTS HOME

Renowned Designer, Christopher Hyland, Teams Up with Home Improvement Guru George Oliphant, to Surprise a New Jersey Family with a Whole House Restoration Just in Time for the New Year

‘Open House-To the Rescue’ Airs Nationally on Sunday, December 20

DECEMBER 14, 2009—OpenHouse, the nationally syndicated real estate and design series seen across the country on all NBC O&Os, is giving back this holiday season when the program’s home improvement guru, George Oliphant, partners with OpenHouse contributor and prominent Manhattan-based interior designer Christopher Hyland, to create a holiday miracle for one Parsippany, NJ family.

Over 20 businesses, including lead contractor Stephen Fanuka of Fanuka, Inc., will come together to give Laurie O’Hara and her family what was taken from them just under one year ago – their home. The entire re-build and restoration, from start to finish, will be featured on a special half-hour, OpenHouse—To the Rescue on Sunday, December 20 at 8:30am on all NBC owned and operated stations (check local listings/clearance list noted at end of release).

On January 24, 2009, while Laurie O’Hara, a paralegal, and her two teenage children were out shopping for a new car to replace the one that was totaled in an accident just days before, a fire started in their laundry room spreading throughout the home’s three levels. The disastrous fire destroyed all of their belongings, including priceless heirlooms, photos and memorabilia. Sadly, one of the family dogs also lost its life to injuries received in the fire. As a single mother with a son away at college and a daughter in high school, the matriarch of the household did all she could to move past the tragedy and rebuild their lives. But when it came time to renovating her home, she needed help. As such, she wrote into OpenHouse asking if they would send host George Oliphant, who lives in nearby Montclair, for a “To the Rescue” shoot. While the highly-watched show did get back to her and offer help, little does she know the extent that they’re stepping in! This holiday season, OpenHouse is giving the gift of rebirth to this deserving family.

“The ‘To the Rescue’ segments are always rewarding,” commented Oliphant. “But this one in particular, really pulls at your heart strings. I can not wait until the family sees the final product!”

The six-room raised ranch is being outfitted by Christopher Hyland with luxurious interior design elements and architectural detail. After months of work, the master bedroom will be decked out in old Hollywood glam; the kitchen will get an art deco refinishing with bright cabinetry; her son, who is an avid hockey player, will have a room decked out with official NHL paraphernalia and Catskill-style stick furniture; her daughter’s room will incorporate her love of cheerleading with a country Swedish aesthetic; and every room will be wallpapered with varying grass cloth to add opulence, texture and a environmental sensitivity. Thanks to OpenHouse, they’ll be able to celebrate the New Year with a fresh start, in home that has been completely transformed by Oliphant and Hyland.

Hyland added: “This modern and comfortable design scheme can be at home in any upscale setting – from the existing suburban location, to Park Avenue or beachside vacation community.”

About LX.TV

Emmy Award-winning LX.TV was founded in 2006 and purchased by NBC’s Local Media Division in January 2008. LX.TV produces high-quality original content accessible on multiple platforms from on-air to online to out-of-home. LX.TV’s original programming includes “1ST LOOK,” which runs in all of NBC’s Local Media markets and “OPENHOUSE,” which currently runs on all NBC owned and operated stations, in syndication and on cable. LX.TV also produces special series and programs including the wedding series, “I Do,” and the documentary series, “My First Time” and the home improvement program, “George To The Rescue.”   LX.TV is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NBC Local Media.

OpenHouse Local Listings:

New York-WNBC, Sundays at 8:30am

Los Angeles-KNBC, Sundays at 7:30am

Chicago-WMAQ, Sundays at 7:30am

Dallas-KXAS, Sundays at 11am

San Francisco-KNTV, Sundays at 3pm

Washington D.C.-WRC, Sundays at 5:30am

San Diego-KNSD, Sundays at 6:30am

Hartford-WVIT, Sundays at 6:30am

Media Contacts:

Bonita Lynch / Stephanie Baumoel at FerenComm for LX.TV

bonital@ferencomm.com

stephanieb@ferencomm.com

212.983.9898

There is no doubt that Howard Miller, the Company that makes Howard Miller Clocks, and is probably best known for their Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, is considered by many to be among the if not the highest end grandfather clock brand on the market today.  Howard Miller has certainly shown that to be true in market share, although our sense is that other high quality brands (we will gloss over the the cheap imitation brands and clocks for the moment) have been making inroads in market share.

Interestingly, Howard Miller has almost always used the preferred term of Floor Clocks instead of Grandfather Clocks.  To us a Floor Clock and a Grandfather Clock, whether by Howard Miller or Hermle or Ridgeway or Kieninger or Bulova, are synonomous.  We’ve never been quite sure why Howard Miller Clocks has chosen Floor Clocks as its clearly preferred term.  We should point out that given their success in the marketplace, who are we to really question this strategy.

We wonder how many people actually search on the internet for Floor Clocks instead of grandfather clocks.  We know the Brits are fond of tallcase and longcase clocks as the terms of choice, but our guess is that people in the UK prefer antique clocks to a much higher degree than people in the USA.

Is the term Floor Clock the first one that comes to mind when thinking about a grandfather clock.  We would very much like to know!  Does it roll off the tongue?  Is grandfather clock a poor second choice to describe a grand father clock?  Please add comments and leave your opinion.

We also wonder about mantle clocks vs. mantel clocks.  More and more we see people using the mantle clocks spelling of the word.  Both are correct.  What’s your opinion.  We’d like to know!  Please share it with us any time you lie.

As Western Civilization is beginning to enter its annual Holiday Season, with the associated crass commercialism and materialism, not to ignore, though, the ever-time and always worthy hopes for Peace on Earth and goodwill to all men and women.  Did not mean for this to sound like a Hallmark Greeting Card.

Casual Shoppers and those more seriously looking at grandfather clocks and wall clocks and mantle clocks are facing an ever growing variety of choices.

More and more “cheap stuff” – not inexpensive, but cheaply or poorly made, are flooding the market with brand names one has never heard before but are named so that they somehow do have a ring of familiarity, and associated legitimacy, for prospective timepiece buyers.  The grandfather clocks discount and sale category have been especially targeted with a flood of poorly made grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks, with many parts made of plastic and generally with battery operated quartz movements not attributed to any maker and not likely to last very long either.  Oh, and don’t forget the instruction book.  We get countless calls from individual aspiring horologists who just purchased one of the poorly made clocks (we won’t name the Stores, but several big-name chain store names keep coming up) and want the instruction booklet that was somehow not inside or with their clock.  If we had it to send, we might actually do so as a courtesy, but in this case we are highly doubtful that these instruction books ever even existed in the first place.

Okay, so if a smart shopper stays away from the no-name cheap stuff, what else should they look at?  Good name brands do make a world of difference both in knowing you are getting a quality clock and also knowing that someone will still be there to service the clock, or replace it if absolutely necessary.   Some of the trusted names we carry and have had overall excellent experience with are Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, Hermle Clocks, Bulova Clocks, Kieninger Clocks, Movado Clocks and more.  While the movement and casing quality may vary within brand, they are generally reasonably highly consistent, and high-quality, across similar product segments within each line, e.g. traditional mechanical wood-cased grandfather clocks.

Sticking with grandfather clocks, there are 4 basic types of grandfather clocks when considering the movement types.  First, and least expensive, are quartz or battery-operated movements.  These have the advantage of being much lower cost, have volume control, no need to wind,  auto night shut-off, and are usually found in smaller clocks.  The disadvantages include the fact that the chimes are recorded and on a sound chip, and can vary pretty dramatically in sound quality, but really never as good as a mechanical clock where one hears the chime rods actually being hit by hammers.  Second, are chain driven mechanical clocks, which usually have 8 day movements, and are wound by pulling down on each of the 3 chains to bring up each of the 3 weights (some clocks models have 2 weights and some only one).  Many people are drawn to these clocks because they are the type they grew up with.  The chime sound quality is good.  The only real downsides are that the movements are not likely to last as long as a cable-driven grandfather clock movement (discussed next), and these clocks tend to have fewer “bells and whistles”,  e.g. working moonphase dial, and automatic nighttime shutoff.  Since the movements are physically smaller, they tend to be in smaller cases with less depth as well – so they can sometimes be the perfect fit for that special space .

Third are mechanical cable-driven grandfather clocks.  These are the clocks that are wound in the dial-face with a winding crank key.  For practical purposes (keep in mind there is a 4th clock movement type still coming), this is best, or at least tied for the best, type of clock movement.  They can last several generations, have the ability to have multiple chimes, and these clock models have varying degrees of the “extras” or bells and whistles, including illuminated dials and amazing carved wood cases.

Fourth is the little-known tubular chime grandfather clock, where long hollow pipes, made of different metals, act as the chime rods.  These clocks have a much deeper and louder gong sound.  Very few people even know what they are.  They are expensive to maintain, if for no other reason that few people know how to work on them.

This is a very general clocks shopping guide which can be used as a handy reference when looking for grandfather clock discounts and grandfather clocks on sale.  If you go for one of the name-brand clocks, one can be fairly certain that they are getting their money’s worth.

More to come on this horological subject.

Almost everyone has heard of Fashionistas, and has their own different interpretation of the meaning.  Well, watch out, because a new breed on consumers are emerging who  may do to Grandfather Clocks what Fashionistas have done to the world of fashion.  Anyone care to guess how the grandfather clock of the future might be affected?

A GrandfatherClocks-ionista is a person devoted to grandfather clocks, particularly those that are rare and unique, or very high-end. It is a term used to define a person, whether a serious collector or passionate timepiece shopper, with a penchant for grandfather clocks shopping and a natural flair for combining both traditional and contemporary clocks styles.  In today’s society, being a GrandfatherClocks-ionista is by no means a negative term.

GrandfatherClocksionistas simply look at Grandfather Clocks as Art, and the sense of style they develop along the way is the true masterpiece.  They are very knowledgeable and realistic when it comes to timepiece and horological trends, and mixing home decor and interior decorating and design fashions in with their current tastes in clocks.

GrandfatherClocksionista is the lexical combination of the words GrandfatherClocks, and Sandinista, a Nicaraguan authoritarian political party.  Despite recent trends to make this term more acceptable, it should be noted that while its etymology connotes negative political consequences when used in North America, when combined with another term like the horological Grandfather Clocks, it would take on an air of levity and poking fun at the serious grandfather clocks collector.  People might think of this term as more like the Grandfather Clocks Police when it comes to looking at and commenting upon grandfather clock design and trends in timepieces.

Ultimate, the GrandfatherClocks-ionista is one who believes in the power of Grandfather Clocks and the exalted nature of wall clocks, mantel clocks, atomic clocks, and watches too.  They may know, or at least think they know, all of the major Grandfather Clocks brands such as Howard Miller Clocks, Bulova Grandfather Clocks, the Ridgeway Grandfather Clock Collection, and Hermle Floor Clocks.  And also a lot about antique grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks too.

We will advise as we see this trend increasing or tapering off.  Let us know what you see and hear any time about clocks as it relates to this trend and timepieces.

The fashion police.
Fashionista is the lexical combination (see ‘portmanteau’) of the words Fashion, which is the socially decided (see ‘groupthink’) garb to be worn by those wishing to be accepted in high society, and Sandinista, a Nicaraguan authoritarian political party.