return to top

---

2 - Quartz clocks vs. mechanical clocks?

It depends on what you are looking for in a clock, and what you want it to do for you. If you are only concerned about accuracy, you might want a quartz clock as they can be accurate to within fractions of a second per month. However, if you are looking for furniture, or a clock that you can pass on to your grandkids, you would want a mechanical clock. A hundred years from now, someone could pull the old mechanical clock out of the attic and restore it to working condition. Not so with the quartz.

return to top

---

3 - What makes a good "investment" clock

The quality of the clock, the reputation of the manufacturer, and the number of them still in circulation helps determine the potential investment value of a clock. We don't beleive that one should buy a clock just for its investment value as there is no guaranteed way of knowing what it will be worth in a few years, but if you buy a clock that is of high quality, their production is limited, and the manufacturer of the clock has a good reputation, you will enjoy your clock for as long as you have it. And there is a good chance that it will be worth a lot more than you paid for it when you pass it on to the next generation, or you decide to offer it for sale.

return to top

---

4 - Should my clock match my furniture?

It doesn't matter. It is no more important that you clock matches your furniture than it is that your car matches your house. For many years clocks have been passed on to the next generation. I doubt that there has ever been a will that read, "I leave my clock to Ralph if it matches his furniture." If Ralph inherits a clock, it will go with his furniture. That is true with clocks, telephones, and pianos.

return to top

---

5 - What if my clock does not strike the correct hour!

Click here for instructions about adjusting the hour strike on your clock

return to top

---

6 - What is the purpose of the moon on a clock dial?

Click here for information about
understanding the moon dial.

return to top

---

7 - How accurate should I expect my grandfather clock to be?

That depends on how much time and patience you are willing to invest. The length of the pendulum determines how fast or how slow the clock runs. On todays better grandfather clock mechanisms, it is not rare to hear of one being within 5 to 10 seconds per month. Click here for more information about adjusting the regulating nut on the bottom of the pendulum. Remember that moving up speeds up, and moving down slows down.

return to top

---

8 - Can I turn the chimes off?

The short answer is yes. Many of the grandfather clock's of today even have a cam built in that automatically turns the chime off at night from a preset time untill another preset time. However, remember that most of the clock's charm comes from hearing the chime. It only takes a couple of weeks to become so accustomed to the chimes that you don't hear them much of the time. If you turn the chimes off, you cheat yourself out of much of the clock's charm and beauty. If you have company it is better for them to remember the beautiful chimes they heard during the night, than to remember the sounds of your refrigerator, cars, heaters and other sounds of your home.

return to top

---

9 - How do you wind a grandfather clock?

On the less expensive clocks, and many of the older clocks, you wind them by pulling on a chain that moves the weight back to the top. On the more expensive clocks, the weights are connected to the driving gears with a cable that is wound with a key crank. The clocks will run up to a week with out winding but if you get in the habit of winding it every morning, the clock won't stop if you forget to wind it once, and you will enjoy the clock seven times as much. Once you become accustomed to your clock, often the only time you notice it is when you wind it, or when someone is telling you how beautiful it sounds. We think you should wind it everyday.

return to top

---

10 - How do I take care of my clock?

The clock mechanism should be oiled every 2-3 years depending on how dry your home is. It should be cleaned and oiled every 3 to 5 years depending on how much dust gets into the mechanism. Click here for information about cleaning and oiling your clock. It is just as important to take care of the clock case to keep it from drying out. Whatiuse Orange Oil was developed especially for clock cases. With Whatiuse, you can clean and oil your clock case any time you feel like loving your clock. The more you love it, the longer it will look great.

return to top

---

11 - Can the volume of my clocks chime be increased?

The short answer is yes, but this should be done by a clockmaker and is not recommended. The clock is designed to have a certain sound. This is determined by the soundboard which is the back of the clock, the chime rods, and the amount of force that is used when the chime rods are struck by the hammers. If you alter any of these the clock will, as a rule, not sound as good. You can make it louder, but the tone will usually suffer.

return to top

---

12 - What is a single chime, and what is a triple chime?

A single chime clock is one that plays only the Westminster chime, while a triple chime will play your choice of 3 different chimes. There is a lever on the dial for selecting a chime, and the most common chimes are Westminster, St. Michaels, or Whittington. Click here to hear the three most common chimes.

return to top

---

13 - How can I be sure that I get a good buy on a clock?

It pays to shop, and to do a little home work. You will get your best value and best service by buying from a clock shop in your neighborhood. You will want to talk to the people, look at their showroom, and find out how long they have been in business. It is easy to find out what kind of reputation a clock shop has by talking to your friends. If a shop has a bad reputation, it does not take long for everyone in the town to know about it. You can also contact the clock factories for a list of their authorized dealers. Click here for information about online clock scams.

return to top

---

14 - Is it possible to service my clock myself?

There is no quick answer to this question. Without knowing what your mechanical ability is, we can only recommend that your clock be serviced by a professional. However, there are many people that do service their own clocks. Sometimes they do just fine, but sometimes it is necessary to correct some of the things that they did. It requires years of training and experience to become a good clockmaker, and there are special oils, and cleaners that are used. You can refer to How to Removing My Clock Mechanism or How to " Oil the Clock Mechanism". This will give you an idea of what you could do in your home to service your clock, but if you can take your clock to a clock shop for service, the service would be much more extensive, and the cleaning would be done with ultra sonic cleaners.

return to top

---

15 - How do I find a good clock service & repair shop?

First you can check with your friends, family or neighbors. If someone has found a clock repair shop that they like, they are happy to tell you about it.

You can also go to the websites for the major clockmakers where thay list their Authorized Clock Service Centers by zip code.

For Howard Miller clock service, click here.

For Ridgeway clock service, click here.

return to top

---

16 - When did they first start making clocks?

There are many books that deal with the history of clocks, and the early ways that men tried to keep tract of time. Click here for some of that information about the History Of Clocks.

return to top

---

17 - What does Authorized Dealer or Authorized Service mean?

Authorized dealer means that the factory recognizes the dealer as one of their dealers, and that dealer buys direct from the factory. The advantage is that all factory warranties apply at any authorized warranty service center. Another advantage is that you know that you are receiving factory fresh merchandise. There are two kinds of dealers; authorized dealers, and gray market dealers. Sometimes a dealer will offer a product or brand name in his advertising for the prestige or respectability that name will add to his establishment. When a gray market dealer sells an item that he is not authorized to sell, he must buy it from another shop that is an authorized dealer. As a rule, the only way that an authorized dealer will offer merchandise to a gray market dealer is if he has old, freight damaged, or unpopular merchandise he wants to get rid of but does not want to sell it to one of his own customers. When you buy an item from a gray market dealer, it is technically second-hand merchandise, and factories do not recognize gray market dealer warranties.

Authorized Dealers for Howard Miller Clocks .

Authorized Dealers for Ridgeway Clocks .

Authoirized Service means that the factory has requested documentation, and other proof as to the qualifications, experience, and reputation of a service center. Only after the service center has proved to the factory's satisfaction that they are qualified to meet the manufacturer's standards will the factory grant the "Authorized Service Center" designation. This certification process must be repeated for every manufacturer individually,as the service requirements and training vary by brand.

Authorized Service Centers for Howard Miller Clocks .

Authorized Service Centers for Ridgeway Clocks .

return to top

---

18 - Buying online vs. buying from your local clock shop?

You will almost always find the best buy, your best service and the nicest clock by actually going to a clock shop and dealing with them in person. When a clock sales person can deal with you eye to eye he has options that he does not have online. Clock Shops can have in store sales that they don't put online, and when you buy from your local shop, they deliver it and set it up for you. When you buy from your local clock shop if you should ever have a problem with your clock, you have a local person to deal with. But even more importantly you can see that actual clock that you are going to receive, it is more fun when you buy a clock off of a showroom instead of a web page, and you get to hear what your clock will sound like. Your local shop can be just as competitive as they are online, but more than just the price, he can give you service that you can't get online.

There are big clock websites that look great when you see them on your computer screen but you have no way of knowing what their store is like in many cases because they don't list a showroom street address, and in many cases that wonderful website is actually out of the back of a truck, or someones garage. There are also online clock scams so you need to be careful when you buy online.

If you buy a clock online just because you saved a few dollers, but when you receive it, it is a less expensive clock than you ordered, is a customer return, or you don't get your clock at all, you really didn't save any money.

The bottom line is this: You will be better served by going to your local shop, finding the clock you want, talking nice to the sales people, getting the price you want, having them deliver and set it up for you, having a great relationship with the clock shop you bought your clock from, and enjoying your clock for the rest of your life.

!! BEWARE !! of Online Clock Scams

return to top

---

19 - If I have a clock shipped to me,
how hard is it to set up?

It is not considered very hard, but the clock boxes can be heavy, and there are precautions you need to take. There are many advantages to letting your clock shop deliver it and set it up for you. However, if you live in an area where there is no clock shop to set it up, you can find instructions online about how to do this. If you click on this link,
"Unpacking & setting up a new clock"
you can get an idea about what is involved if you decide to try it yourself.

If there is not a clock shop in your area, the nice people at Creative Clock of Eugene, Oregon would love to try and help you to select and purchase your new clock.
You can call them at 541-344-6359.

return to top

---