Mantel mechanical clock recommendation

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

I am looking for chiming mechanical mantel clock as a present for my wife. Obviously best place to look - internet :)). And spent hours to decide which one is good quality, long life mechanism to buy.
Does anybody has a world of wisdom what to look? Which company make a good clock, where to buy it?

Thank you,
Ed.

[Mike Henderson]

Do you want a finished clock, or just a movement for you to make the housing?

Mike

[Lee Schierer]

Look for Seth Thomas, Howard Miller, or Hermle,

[Jerome Stanek]

Look for Seth Thomas, Howard Miller, or Hermle,

This would be my first choices. FIL had a Seth Thomas that he got when he was first married it was still keeping perfect time when we sold it at auction 50 years later. We have a Hermle that we got the year we were married back in 1971 and it is still keeping great time and my Sister in law has the Howard Miller that only needed repairing once in 45 years. So I am familiar with all 3

[Alan Lightstone]

I'm a huge fan of Atmos clocks. They are made by Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Amazing mechanism. Mine has been running continuously, without ever being wound for almost 60 years now. It winds itself with minute changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature. You should google "Atmos Clock". They are fascinating. It makes you think it violates the second law of thermodynamics.

I don't believe they have chiming versions, though.

[Michael Weber]

Just went down the rabbit hole of mechanical clock repair before realizing it wasn’t something I should pursue. I learned a lot on the Facebook page “Clock repair and restoration”. They are as friendly and helpful as the members here. You might ask there for a reputable source in your area. Lots of potential pitfalls buying from an unvetted source. Beware, it’s a fascinating subject.

[Kev Williams]

I LOVE clocks, especially 'real' clocks ;) - our home is filled with them! Our real clocks include a Ridgeway Grandfather, a Howard Miller 'Grandmother', 2 German made cuckoo clocks, and my favorite, a John Harrison Sea Clock--
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--has a grasshopper escapement that's fascinating to watch!

I was going to suggest a Ridgeway, but I found they only manufacture grandfather clocks...

All of the above suggestions are great-- MY suggestion would be to take the time to further research any clocks you like; find videos and watch them work, like this one below,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x0w4mYziKk
I've never heard of this brand but one can tell by looking that it's a nice clock (should be for just under $700)-
The video didn't play the chime, so I found the same clock on another website that has a link to the sound:
https://www.theclockdepot.com/clock_chimes/passing-bell-strike.html
I notice the sound doesn't work on one my computers ,works fine in the other? Anyway, personally I LIKE this clock, it's one I'd consider if I was looking!

Anyway, look for video's and sounds of clocks you like, it'll make a difference!

[Mike Henderson]

While not mechanical, my favorite mantel clock is this Junghans Mega radio-controlled clock. I bought this one many years ago when radio-controlled clocks were just becoming widely available. It uses a C-sized battery which lasts a long time.

Here's a picture of mine, but it has a lot of reflections in the glass.
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This picture from the web shows what it looks like a bit better.
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I don't think Junghans makes them anymore. Looks like they've gone to wrist watches only.

I just like these radio-controlled clocks.

Mike

[Bruce Wrenn]

Consider buying used from a clock repair shop. They are often consigned clocks from estates. A few years back, I spent close to $200 to have wife's grandmother's clock rebushed. In the over 100 years it had been running, the holes in the brass plate wore out

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Guys, thank you very much for information. My only criterias for clock - mechanical and chimes. I found a few sites on internet - wow, prices from $500 to $12K. Going to indulge myself in multiple videos to investigate.
What do you think about this one - Tellurium III Clock by Hermle (https://www.simplymantleclocks.com/admacl.html) ? my only concern, I can not place it on mantel, nobody will enjoy figurine movements. But from other side - excuse to build a stand.

Ed.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Consider buying used from a clock repair shop. They are often consigned clocks from estates. A few years back, I spent close to $200 to have wife's grandmother's clock rebushed. In the over 100 years it had been running, the holes in the brass plate wore out
We have grandfather clock and mantel clock, both bought used. In last fifteen years - rebushed both. For last year, mantel clock start giving us problem with precision time and occasional missing chimes.
Ed.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Wow, this John Harrison Sea Clock amazing.
Ed.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Alan, you help me to discover something beyond my imagination. Perpetuum mobile - incredible. Unfortunately not in my search parameters. But amazing.
Ed.

I'm a huge fan of Atmos clocks. They are made by Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Amazing mechanism. Mine has been running continuously, without ever being wound for almost 60 years now. It winds itself with minute changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature. You should google "Atmos Clock". They are fascinating. It makes you think it violates the second law of thermodynamics.

I don't believe they have chiming versions, though.

[Kev Williams]

Check out this webpage, especially the pics & video of the Astro-Skeleton clock, most fascinating piece of machinery I've ever seen :D

http://www.my-time-machines.net/

(won't fit on a mantle tho) ;)

[roger wiegand]

Do yourself a favor and take a weekend trip up to Lancaster county (beautiful almost any time, especially in spring) and go the the National Watch and Clock Museum (https://www.nawcc.org) for inspiration, and then buy a nice old clock from a reputable repair/restoration person. You can have a vastly better clock for the money buying old rather than new. Many of the movements in newer clocks are made of inferior brass that just doesn't last-- unless you go for a clockmaker like David Lindow, who is out of most people's price range. You can get old clocks from any of the Connecticut and MA clock companies of 100-150 year old vintage that are great movements that, with care, will run forever, and very often come in much nicer cases than contemporary clocks.

I do recommend going to a restorer and buying a fully reconditioned old clock. Clocks off ebay or the local antique mall are often in very bad shape, missing parts, or damaged to the point of irreparability. Periodic maintenance on an old clock should run $100-250, depending on the movement, and be done once a decade or so. You will find that many, probably most good clock repair folks will refuse to work on modern clocks due to their low quality-- too many unhappy customers from repeated failures of various components. Major restoration can easily run 2-3 times that, and repairing an ebay basket case double that again. Most good clock repair guys are backlogged 12-18 months or more, so finding a clock they've already fixed is a time saver.

Shelf clocks with chimes from the 1920s to 40's frequently need only cleaning and minor repairs to run well and are relatively inexpensive to buy.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Roger, thank you for your advice. I was thinking same about quality of the parts in a new clocks. Biggest problem now to find a good repair/restoration shop in my area.
Looks like we are going to make a trip.
Ed.

Do yourself a favor and take a weekend trip up to Lancaster county (beautiful almost any time, especially in spring) and go the the National Watch and Clock Museum (https://www.nawcc.org) for inspiration, and then buy a nice old clock from a reputable repair/restoration person. You can have a vastly better clock for the money buying old rather than new. Many of the movements in newer clocks are made of inferior brass that just doesn't last-- unless you go for a clockmaker like David Lindow, who is out of most people's price range. You can get old clocks from any of the Connecticut and MA clock companies of 100-150 year old vintage that are great movements that, with care, will run forever, and very often come in much nicer cases than contemporary clocks.

I do recommend going to a restorer and buying a fully reconditioned old clock. Clocks off ebay or the local antique mall are often in very bad shape, missing parts, or damaged to the point of irreparability. Periodic maintenance on an old clock should run $100-250, depending on the movement, and be done once a decade or so. You will find that many, probably most good clock repair folks will refuse to work on modern clocks due to their low quality-- too many unhappy customers from repeated failures of various components. Major restoration can easily run 2-3 times that, and repairing an ebay basket case double that again. Most good clock repair guys are backlogged 12-18 months or more, so finding a clock they've already fixed is a time saver.

Shelf clocks with chimes from the 1920s to 40's frequently need only cleaning and minor repairs to run well and are relatively inexpensive to buy.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Kev, thank you for interesting site- just spent an hour on this fascinating site.:eek:
Ed.

Check out this webpage, especially the pics & video of the Astro-Skeleton clock, most fascinating piece of machinery I've ever seen :D

http://www.my-time-machines.net/

(won't fit on a mantle tho) ;)

[Alan Lightstone]

Ed, this won't fulfill your criteria (I'm 0/2 there :( ) but this is the clock I grew up with. When I first went to elementary school, and my teachers were trying to teach me how to read time, how what the big hand and the little hand meant, I kept telling them that my clock at home "Had no hands". I think they thought I had special "needs" at that point. Finally I brought this in for Show-and-Tell, and they were stunned.

It was one of the first digital clocks made, and my father was given one as a present from one of his hospitals. It's a Seth Thomas model 5038. I picked this one up at an auction a few months ago. My best guess is circa 1964.

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I'm not sure this has chimes, but this is also an interesting mantel clock. A Plato Clock. Very early digital:
478592

I'm collecting far less expensive clocks. I presently have a Nixie Tube clock, and a few flip clocks. All stuff from my distant past.

I haven't delved into large mantel clocks (my Atmos is the closest to that). SWMBO would likely kill me. Plus, no mantel here in this house (sigh...)

I'm sure you'll love what you find. Pick something special.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Alan,
thank you for information and photos. Even these clock not what I am looking for, it is still very interesting info and stories behind it.
And you are correct, I am looking for something special. Problem - I don't see it yet.
Ed.

Ed, this won't fulfill your criteria (I'm 0/2 there :( ) but this is the clock I grew up with. When I first went to elementary school, and my teachers were trying to teach me how to read time, how what the big hand and the little hand meant, I kept telling them that my clock at home "Had no hands". I think they thought I had special "needs" at that point. Finally I brought this in for Show-and-Tell, and they were stunned.

It was one of the first digital clocks made, and my father was given one as a present from one of his hospitals. It's a Seth Thomas model 5038. I picked this one up at an auction a few months ago. My best guess is circa 1964.

478591

I'm not sure this has chimes, but this is also an interesting mantel clock. A Plato Clock. Very early digital:
478592

I'm collecting far less expensive clocks. I presently have a Nixie Tube clock, and a few flip clocks. All stuff from my distant past.

I haven't delved into large mantel clocks (my Atmos is the closest to that). SWMBO would likely kill me. Plus, no mantel here in this house (sigh...)

I'm sure you'll love what you find. Pick something special.