ABOVE Clock restorer
Craig Kerr works on an
early German anniversary
clock, ca. 1905, with a
disc pendulum. RIGHT The
rack-and-snail striking
mechanism ccomes from
an eight-day German
tall-case clock, ca. 1930.
LEFT Spare keys each
await the right clock.- YOU MUST NOT OVERWIND THE CLOCK.
Winding a clock spring all the way
does not damage it! If a clock stops
when it is fully wound, look for a
lubrication or wear problem.
- MECHANICAL CLOCKS ARE VERY ACCURATE.
While most weight- and spring-
driven mechanical clocks keep time
within a minute or two a day, don’t
expect split-second accuracy as
you would get with a modern quartz
movement. Spring-driven clocks
lose power (and time) as the spring
unwinds; fluctuations in temperature
can cause the movements to expand
and contract, affecting timekeeping.- BUY ONLY AMERICAN. Well, American
clocks manufactured prior to WWII
were not as well made as those
from France, Germany, and Austria.
European clocks had higher-quality
movements and require fewer
repairs today than clocks cheaply
produced in the U.S. and Japan.- JUST GIVE IT SOME WD-40. No, this
lubricant is not your clock’s friend!
Never spray the mechanisms with
WD-40 as that will attract dust, ruin
the cleaning solution used for its
maintenance, and make cleaning
and repairs more costly.
Myths & Clocks Four common myths about old clocks, and the truth behind each.
ABOVE An American
figural clock, by Ansonia,
ca. 1880, includes a
musketeer. Flanking it
are Parian-ware figures.