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!

When purchasing or shopping for grandfather clocks, how important is it for you to have a visible pendulum that is visibly swinging back and forth inside the tower or waist of the clock.

Is this a “must-have” feature to you when thinking about purchasing a grandfather clock.

Remember that many grandfather clocks have solid wood doors where the pendulum and weights are not visible, even when they are present.  Some consumers obviously prefer the solid wood door covering the entire waist or tower of the grandfather clock.  In addition, some grandfather clocks are sprint driven instead of weight driven, and they will not have the visible weights working in the case even when the pendulum is there.  If the grandfather clock also has a platform escapement, there will be no working pendulum visible at all.

Nowadays, there are other options and therefore more considerations when shopping for a grandfather clock.  One is the advent of the decorative grandfather clock, generally quartz or battery driven, where when when opens the door to the grandfather clock, one may find storage shelves or even a bookshelf.   Another reasonably new technology is Quartz or battery operated grandfather clocks where the pendulum is moving back and forth, yet generally powered by magnets rather than the mechanical grandfather clock movement.  In these clocks, the visible weights, while reproducing the general look of a mechanical grandfather clock, will be stationary, and will therefore not move either up or down but will always stay in the same position.  The grandfather clocks weights therefore are decorative only in these cases.

So if you are looking for an “old-fashioned” mechanical weight driven grandfather clock, it comes down to a simpler question.  Do you want a grandfather clock with a glass door, or not?

Let us know your clocks preferences.

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.

Now that the Super Bowl is over, and many households may be heading back to some semblance of normalcy, it may be the time of the year for the hot dog and peanut and beer salespeople to start peddling grandfather clocks.  Can you hear it resonating throughout the football stadium; “Get your grandfather clocks here”, “Grandfather Clock Sale here”, “Grandfather Clock Discounts and Sales … gert them now while they last”.

Interestingly, a segue that had not occurred to this author as the post was first being written.  We are asked an average of at least once a day if we would appraise a grandfather clock, wall clock, mantle clock, pocket watch collection, or entire clock and watch collection.  We say no almost all of the time, with some notable exceptions.  We will also need to explain why we generally say no to clock and watch appraisals.  But back to the segue – one group for whom we did literally hundreds of appraisals for was individuals who lost their clocks, especially grandfather clocks, to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Home of the newest Super Bowl Champions! (whomever one was rooting for, I would like to think every American took some pride in this Super Bowl Win as Katrina is still a Phoenix rising from the ashes, but with even more pride, and still some way to go.  Especially Ward 9, which can and never should be forgotten or given short shrift!!!

So when Hurricane Katrina victims called us “needing” appraisals for their ruined antique and new grandfather clocks, and special wall and mantle clocks, we felt a duty to respond.  We did many many appraisals, and never charged a penny for any of them!

We also make exception for fire, hurricane, and smaller flood situations where the owners are sometimes literally grasping for straws by the time they get to us with their clocks or watches collection.

Here is why we are so wary of timepiece appraisers and doing clock and watch and pocket watch  appraisals.  In our experience, we encounter appraisals most often when an individual is looking to sell a timepiece, and they bring along the associated Appraisal.  In our experience and opinion, and even setting aside current market realities, the sour economy, and many luxury items being seen as ever more discretionary, we find Appraisals, in our opinion, to be GROSSLY OVERSTATING the value of the item which is being appraised.  Now why might this be?  Adjusting for changing markets, and general market swings from time-to-time in Antique timepieces, which are very real, we still see a wide gap in our view of value and the Appraisers view of value.

Simply put, our experience and resulting opinion is that because Appraisers generally charge hefty fees (which is of course subjective), they want their “clients” to feel good about having paid a large amount for an Appraisal.  Therefore, there is an inherent bias in making the Appraisal number so large that the customer will be thrilled both with the Appraisal and the Appraiser.  In fairness, it should also be noted that many Appraisers employ many methodologies in establishing a value for a new or antique grandmother clock or grandfather clocks, and there are many legitimate “market value prices” for, say, a particularly special antique grandfather clock where it to sell at Sotheby’s, vs. sitting in a high-end antique store for a year, vs. sitting for a year in a decent general antique store, vs. a quick sale approach, vs. a well-placed eBay auction, vs. a non-trusted or not well listed eBay auction (again, the timing length can be critical), vs. word-of-mouth, vs. Dealer consignment, vs. Craigslist, and on and on.  Not to mention that the same identical item could  reasonably sell for widely divergent prices depending upon the dynamics and participants in an auction on any given day.

One point not to forget – any Dealer who gives an Appraisal has an inherent conflict of interest in that the Dealer may well be either interested in purchasing parts or all of a collection, and/or may be offered that very opportunity.

Now this post started about grandfather clocks discounts, and has moved on to grandfather clocks appraisals and some of the limitations that may well be inherent.

Grandfather Clocks discounts rule.  In the midst (hopefully rapidly fading, especially in the dark employment picture) of the Great Recession, grandfather clock shoppers are more proactive than ever in seeking out discounts.  We welcome that and are pleased when people call us to see what the best deals are that we may offer on a particular clock.

So go for the discount!  Just don’t ask anyone for an Clocks Appraisal until after your new or antique grandfather clock has been in your home for some time.

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!

When purchasing one grandfather clock of the several high-end grandfather clocks makers for sale, most offer a free engraved plate for you to write whatever you think might be meaningful enough to affix to the inside of your grandfather clock.  Many corporations also give grandfather clocks as corporate gifts, for specific length of service awards, retirement gits, or grandfather clocks as achievement awards.  Many of those clocks are given with the plate and the inscription on the outside of the clock.

We find most people purchasing grandfather clocks as individuals almost always choose to put the engraved plate somewhere more discreetly on the inside of the grandfather clock.  The purpose of this post is to share a small sample of some of the nicer or more interesting things people chose to say on their engraved plate for their grandfather clock.

We welcome people to add as comments either engravings they have seen elsewhere or used themselves, and that others might find of interest.

Here’s one of my personal favorites:

The SMITHs      (all names changed for privacy purposes)
May We Always Be Together – A Family
Till The End of Time

Here is another (simple but meaningful, wedding gift to selves):

John and Jane Doe

Married February 13, 1981

Here is another:  (for Corporate Retirement Recognition Award – straight and simple)

William B. Long
Pfizer, Inc.
1974-2008

Here is another: (simply their wedding date)

The Simpsons
James & Carolyn
AUGUST 20, 2009

Here is another:  (first names and personally important date)

Rebecca and Royce
December 20, 2007

Here is another: (with date of gift of grandfather clock)

Elizabeth French
To David R. Barker
March 25, 2009

Here is another: (Board of Directors – Appreciation of Service Award)

ABC Board of Directors
Derrick M. Kennedy
November 10, 1995  -  December 17, 2008

Here is another:  (simple and meaningful)

Jacqueline and William Ramsey
2008

Here is another: (speaks for itself)

to a true professional from your friends at homicide unit

Here is another: (Service Award and Retirement Gift)

CHARLES L. MADISON  JANUARY 22, 2009
30 YEARS GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Here is another: (very simple and yet personal, gift of love)

Mathias 2007

Here is another:  (Board of Directors Recognition Service Award)

ANTHONY B. MENDELSON
DIRECTOR – MINNESOTA BANK
1965 – 2005

Here is another:  (Wedding Present or Wedding Gift to selves)

Judy and John
Beginning Our Life Together

Here is another:  (Wedding Anniversary Present)

To The Next 40 Years

Here is another:  (Wedding Gift from Parents of Bride and Groom)

Linda and Benjamin
Wishing You Eternal Happiness

Here is another:  (Special Wedding Anniversary Gift)

June, Time Did Not Begin Until I Met You.
All my Love, Lawrence

We would love to develop a compendium or reference tool of the best and most interesting engraved plates and their accompanying words of wisdom and/or wit.

Please share with us any grandfather clock inscriptions you feel might merit inclusion.  We also plan to more thoroughly cull through our records to find many more words commemorating weddings, anniversaries, special birthday gifts, retirement awards, and many others.  We will share what we find.

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