“Hello, I am very interested in purchasing the Howard Miller J.H. Miller II Grandfather Clock Model 611-031 (611031) with tubular chimes, or perhaps the Howard Miller J.H. Miller Grandfather Clock Model 611-030 (611030), which looks identical, but is several thousand dollars less expensive.  I would ideally like to see any grandfather clock I purchase in person.  May I stop by one of your stores to compare these clocks, and perhaps some other Howard Miller, Ridgeway, and Hermle Grandfather Clocks I have also found quite intriguing”.

The above grandfather clock sale inquiry is not at all unusual.  People, especially in an ideal world, want to see and hear and even touch all the choices before them in person.  Some grandfather clocks shoppers come carrying an array of wood samples, others carrying paint color chips, some bring along a friend for a second opinion, and some simply want to see and hear how each grandfather clock might sound, and the differences and similarities between and among different grandfather clock makers.

I know if I was considering spending several thousand dollars on a grandfather clock or floor clock, I would surely want to see it and hear it in person before I bought it, even id I knew it was made by a quality maker with an excellent reputation.  Having said that, there are literally hundreds of grandfather clock models to choose from, and at least in the New York tri-state area, which includes New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, it is difficult to find any place that will have even a significant number of new grandfather clocks on display.  We had in our Grand Central Station Store for many years, until we were forced to close it after the entire floor on which we were located was taken over and occupied by the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority, maybe 3-4 grandfather clocks on display at any one time, and as far as we knew, that was the largest selection in the New York City area.  The economics of selling grandfather clocks, and mantle clocks and wall clocks etc. has led over the years to a continuing and ongoing reduction in the number of brick and mortar stores selling both new and antique grandfather clocks.

We still make sure to keep some grandfather clocks on display in one or more of our locations, but when one adds in space for wristwatches and pocket watches, not to mention space for repair of mechanical cable driven and chain driven grandfather clocks, keywound wall clocks, antique mantel clocks and much more, it takes up space.  We try to keep much inventory in antique clocks and antique pocket watches (and like to purchase collections of old pocketwatches and wristwatches, and even clocksmith tools, whether the timepieces are working or not).

We frequently have to ask our clock customers to make a leap of faith, that yes, the grandfather clock will look as good and sound as good, or maybe better, in person.  We look for ways to help people deal with this legitimate desire to see a clock before plunking down thousands of dollars.

The good news is that when we get feedback from customers who buy without first seeing the grandfather clock in person, the feedback is almost universally that the grandfather clock was MUCH NICER overall than they expected.  A satisfied grandfather clocks customer and owner makes it all worthwhile!

Howard Miller J.H. Miller Grandfather Clock Model 611-030 (611030) (on left)

Howard Miller J.H. Miller II Grandfather Clock Model 611-031 (611031) (on right)

Do the grandfather clocks make the celebrity, or does the Celebrity make the grandfather clock?  We would like to know.  We are aware that many celebrities are owners of both antique grandfather clocks and new grandfather clocks, and grandmother clocks are quite popular as well.  One way we know this is that we have sold and installed grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks to many people who are household names, so to speak.  Generally, these famous business people, actors, government officials, university president, major network chiefs, religious leaders, heads of state, and heads of state giving gifts to other heads of state and visiting dignitaries, among others, will work through an intermediary.  Yet in most all instances we know who the so-called end users for these great timepieces are.  Usually because they tell us, they visit our shop, or they call for follow-up of certain kinds.

Aside from antique mantle clocks, antique wall clocks, and antiques grandfather clocks, the large majority of the emphasis is on the major high-end clock brands like Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Grandfather Clocks, and Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks.  Seth clocks are also a good seller, as are Movado Clocks, especially for high-end corporate gifts.

We do not sell and tell, so you will never see anything about an individual customer unless the customer wants us to publicize the sale for some reason.  We currently have one client, who is an absolute mogul, known the world over, and he asked us to work with his interior decorator, and plans to have this home, once decorated, shot for Architectural Digest.  I think it’s a fair bet to say that if he wants it, he will get it.  So stay tuned, and we may be able to publicize that one.

Of the many first questions we are asked by our grandfather clocks shoppers looking for grandfather clocks on sale, is, effectively, how big of a discount will you give me, and are you offering the best deal available anywhere.

It’s actually both an easy and a hard question to answer.  We try to always be the low price leader, especially in published prices and internet sales.  We pride ourselves on offering a Low Price Guarantee which is explained in some depth on our website at www.1-800-4clocks.com.

At the same time, there is so much more to consider when buying a grandfather clock than simply how good a discount you might get.  We can’t tell you how many calls we get from people who have purchased grandfather clocks from other dealers and retailers, and then either don’t know what to do with them, have major problems if any issue arises, or found that what they have purchased is not what they think they have purchased.  And by then it it almost always too late to do anything about it.

We offer, for highly discounted mechanical grandfather clocks over $1,000, free in-home set-up by a knowledgeable individual, not to mention free shipping which more than 90% of the time also includes free unpacking at the time of delivery.  The unpacking is especially valuable because it offers the customer added insurance and product protection if any damage occurred in shipping.  And this is a subject we review with all of of grandfather clocks customers before they receive their shipment of a Howard Miller or Ridgeway or Hermle or other grandfather clock.

Looking for grandfather clocks on sale is something any smart shopper can do.  At the same time, you want to make sure that if any issue arises, you will be able to go back to the place where you purchased the clock, where they will now only be both reachable and responsive, but will also know what they are talking about when it comes to grandfather clocks.

We are also very proud of our A Rating by the Better Business Bureau, which we feel reflects how responsive we truly our not only to our customers’ basic needs, but also to the natural clocks concerns that arise over time.

Have you ever heard of a Grandfather Wall Clock? Or a Wall Grandfather Clock?  Well, many of our customers have, and they are almost always not referring to grandfather clocks but rather to large wall clocks with a pendulum and weights.

Many of those we work with have wondered if there is some mythological clocks beast which they had never encountered by name.  But it does make sense.  When one thinks of some of the defining characteristics of grandfather clocks, it is that they are big, chime, and frequently have weights that show through glass — not unlike many of the Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks or Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks or Hermle Floor Clocks (also known as Hermle grandfather clocks), among many others, including antique grandfather clocks, hat we sell routinely.

We have always thought of one of the defining characteristics of a grandfather clock or a grandmother clock as one that is free-standing and unless a miniature, of a certain height for a grandmother or grandfather clock.

Wall clocks need not apply.

Ridgeway Vanderbilt Biltmore Grandfather Clock R2538

Howard Miller Stevenson Wall Clock 620-262 – NOT a grandfather clock

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.

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.