Author Topic: Wind up clocks.  (Read 280 times)

Traveller

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2626
Wind up clocks.
« on: Nov 06, 2019, 07:56:24 AM »
Anyone still got a wind up clock or a long case clock?   Mrs. T acquired a nice Westminster chime wall clock which had belonged to her parents.  When it stopped working, a colleague repaired it, but said that if it broke down again, I should replace the mechanism.

Well, it did stop (after about 30 years use) so I searched round for a replacement movement.  Only one firm in the UK supplied them - £200 + vat + postage! 
I could have got one slightly cheaper from the USA, but the import duty was about £50.  I even looked at the makers website in Germany, and they didn't list that exact unit - strange, but their prices for other types were dearer than the UK price.

Waiting for the new bits to arrive and looking at the price of new wall clocks - anything from £500 upwards and the cost seems to be dependant on how fancy the case is.
You'll have had your tea.

Floydian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2212
Re: Wind up clocks.
« Reply #1 on: Nov 06, 2019, 10:10:44 AM »
It depends on what you want to do with the clock really. If you want to pass it on as a family heirloom then have it professionally restored. If you regard it as just an ornamental piece then by far the cheapest and best thing to do would be to take the movement out and replace it with an inexpensive quartz one.
"Unbelievable, Jeff...."

Scrumpy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24731
Re: Wind up clocks.
« Reply #2 on: Nov 06, 2019, 10:21:26 AM »



I remember my mum winding up the clock before bedtime.. We only had one in the house.. !
Everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, its not the end.

Michael Rolls

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 72679
Re: Wind up clocks.
« Reply #3 on: Nov 06, 2019, 12:22:53 PM »
My mum always kept the clock 5 minutes fast to 'give herself time'. Trouble was, she knew it was fast so paced herself accordingly!
Mike
Thank you for the days, the days you gave me.
The older I get, the better I was!

Raven

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27193
Re: Wind up clocks.
« Reply #4 on: Nov 06, 2019, 04:25:46 PM »
We have two, a Grandfather clock in the hall and a Hermle Chime Wind up up on the mantlepiece, don't wind the chimes though just the clock. Both are 8 day runners.

Traveller

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2626
Re: Wind up clocks.
« Reply #5 on: Nov 06, 2019, 05:51:46 PM »
The clock in question has a Hermle  8 day Westminster chime.  It belonged to Mrs. T's parents, so it's got sentimental value.  I did make a clock using a Hermle quartz pendulum movement with Westminster chime,  but the strike was eratic and it would tend to strike the wrong hour.

I was advised that the cost of having the movement restored could be as much as a brand new one.
You'll have had your tea.