New Grandfather Clock Feature Guide
Grandfather clocks (or floor clocks as many call them now) tell much more than time. They also
tell the world you’re the kind of person who appreciates a classic timepiece, design and fine furniture. Whether you prefer a traditional look, a European design or a modern style, you can find a clock that expresses your personality beautifully. Your new floor clock will create a prestigious new look to your home as well as the warm, subtle tone of the chimes.
New grandfather clocks will give you a wide selection of styles and finishes in which to choose. You may also have the confidence of knowing that you are the first owner and your clock is 100%. Older clocks may be risky in terms of repair or future maintenance. Below we have listed the main considerations you should look for in a new Grandfather Clock.
Selection should be based on:
- Style: the “look” that fits best in your home
- Size: always measure the “footprint” where you wish to place the new clock
- Brand: make sure your clock is made by a leading builder of floor clocks
- Features: choose chime melodies and night-time shutoff options
- Price: high quality clocks cost less than 50.00/year over their lifetime
- Dealer: a reputable clock dealer is as important as the clock you choose
Grandfather Clock Style
You have a wide range of styles available in your selection of a new grandfather clock. You may choose the top (or bonnet) of the design you like and then the finish. When selecting the finish of you clock, always remember it doesn’t have to match your existing furniture exactly. Your clock will probably outlast your other furniture anyway. Choose what you like and pick the largest clock that will fit the area where you wish to place it. You will be more pleased with a larger clock over the years and receive many more compliments.
There are four basic designs of new grandfather clock cases.
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| Open Pediment | Round Dial |
Flat Top |
view all of the styles of Grandfather Clocks available and select the style that best fits your personality and liking.
Grandfather Clock Size
You should wish to choose the largest clock that will fit within the area where you wish to place the clock. Open foyers and Great Rooms have become the two most popular areas to place floor clocks. In the foyer, the grandfather clock offers a warm greeting every time you enter. In the Great Room the clock not only becomes the focal point, but adds much personality to the room for all to enjoy. The average footprint of most clocks is smaller than a end table measuring an average of only 23″ Wide by 13″ deep. It appears to be more of a wall accent than a floor piece. Most clocks will fit anywhere in height, as most clocks are under 90″ tall leaving plenty of room with an 8″ (96″) ceiling height. Many lower level ceilings today are higher.
Grandfather Clock Brands
~ Howard Miller World’s largest grandfather clock manufacturer. Kieninger German movements, in a case, handcrafted in the United States.
~ Ridgeway The oldest continuously produced grandfather clock brand in the United States now wholly owned by Howard Miller and built side by side.
~Hermle Fine German floor clock builders with the expensive, modern clocks made in Germany and the lower priced clocks use an excellent German Hermle movement with an imported Asian case assembled in Virginia.
~ Kieninger Grandfather Clock builder in Germany specializing in very expensive grandfather clocks, now wholly owned by Howard Miller.
Grandfather Clock Features
Different Types of Movements add different features to your selection. The higher the price of the clock, the more features you will have onboard.
Basic Feature sets: (lowest to highest price).
Chain-Driven Movement with Westminster Chimes
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Cable Driven with Westminster Chimes
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Cable Driven with Westminster Chimes and night shutoff lever
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Cable Driven with Triple Chime (3 melodies) and night shutoff lever
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Cable Driven with Triple Chime (3 melodies) , hour strike only option and night shutoff lever
Chain Driven Westminster Chime Clocks (lowest price)
These selections use 3 chains located behind the door that are pulled down once a week to raise the weights that power the clock as they drop down during the week. The Westminster chimes will plays a few notes on each quarter hour and then play the 16 note melody on the hour, then count the hour. There is a lever on the dial to manually turn off the chimes at will. These are usually entry level Grandfather Clocks and smaller cases.
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Cable Driven Westminster Chime Clocks (lower priced)
These selections use a key to turn 3 arbors located in the dial that are wound once a week to raise the weights that power the clock as they drop down during the week. The Westminster chimes will plays a few notes on each quarter hour and then play the 16 note melody on the hour, then count the hour. There is a lever on the dial to manually turn off the chimes at will. Your hands never touch the brass on this design.
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Cable Driven Westminster Chime Clocks w/night time chime shutoff option (mid priced)
These selections use a key to turn 3 arbors located in the dial that are wound once a week to raise the weights that power the clock as they drop down during the week. The Westminster chimes will plays a few notes on each quarter hour and then play the 16-note melody on the hour, then count the hour. There is a lever on the dial to manually turn off the chimes at will. Your hands never touch the brass on this design. There is an additional lever on the left of the dial to select an option for the chime to play continuously or to cease between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM.
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Cable Driven Triple Chime Clocks w/night time chime shutoff option (higher priced)
These selections use a key to turn 3 arbors located in the dial that are wound once a week to raise the weights that power the clock as they drop down during the week. The chimes will plays a few notes on each quarter hour and then play the full chime melody on the hour, then count the hour. There is a lever on the dial to manually turn off the chimes at will or to choose between Westminster, Whittington or St. Michaels Chime melodies. Your hands never touch the brass on this design. There is an additional lever on the left of the dial to select an option for the chime to play continuously or to cease between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM. You may also use an option for the clock only to count the hour without any hourly or quarter-hour melody.
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Cable Driven Concerto Triple Chime Clocks w/night time chime shutoff option (higher priced)
These selections use a key to turn 3 arbors located in the dial that are wound once a week to raise the weights that power the clock as they drop down during the week. The chimes will play one note on the first quarter hour and one each quarter hour. The movement will then play the full chime melody on the hour and count the hour. There is a lever on the dial to manually turn off the chimes at will or to choose between Westminster, Ode to Joy or Ave Maria Chime melodies. Your hands never touch the brass on this design. There is an additional lever on the left of the dial to select an option for the chime to play continuously or to cease between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM. You may also use an option for the clock only to count the hour without any hourly or quarter hour melody.
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Quartz Floor Clocks (battery operated clocks) (lowest priced floor clocks)
Quartz floor clocks use batteries to power the time, chimes and the swinging pendulum. There is no winding and the clocks are very accurate. Most are dual chime offering a choice of Westminster or Ave Maria melodies. There is also a volume control to adjust the volume to the size of the room, chime silence and hourly only chimes. Batteries will easily last a year a time and easy to replace. Some Quartz clocks will have the three weights to resemble a mechanical movement, but these do not move and are added to enhance the style of the clock. Some models of quartz floor clocks are non-chiming. In most cases these clocks are less than half of the price a mechanical movement clock.
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Moon Dials
Most keywound grandfather clocks will offer a functional, astrologically correct moon dial.
When the image of the moon reaches the 15th day of 29 1/2 day lunar cycle it will appear at the top of the dial indicating the Full Moon outside. This dial rotates slowly clockwise over 29 1/2 days. When the image of the moon disappears, it is new moon. In the image to your right, you can see the top of the moon is one mark after the 5 on the dial. The number 5 is the 5th day of the lunar calendar. This would indicate a crescent moon outside waxing toward a full moon. When the moon is under 15, it is a full moon. This clock has 9 days to go before the full moon.
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Where to Buy Your Grandfather Clock or Floor Clock
A recessionary market has caused many clock shops to close and there are not many clock shops that have a good display of grandfather clocks anymore. You want to be able to choose from a good selection.
~Furniture stores Furniture stores will sometimes carry a few models, but generally you know more about the clocks after reading this far down the page than the furniture salesperson will know. You may find new clocks in the showroom that may be several years old and some abused from improper chime selection or time setting. You might read the grandfather clock owners manual before shopping and ask the salesperson a few questions you learned from the manual.
~Clock Shops Clock shops are becoming more rare by the day. The market downturn, coupled with internet purchasing and pricing, has pushed the clock shops that are left into service and repair. A sign of a stable clock shop is one with regular 6-day-a-week store hours and not a one-man operation performing outside service work and one you may catch between calls. If a clock shop doesn’t have the clock you want in stock, they should be able to order for you on approval. Failure to do so may be a red flag.
~Internet Purchasing: Purchasing your clock online may be a real blessing or a curse. There may be some genuine savings at some stores, but you have to know who you are dealing with.
Here are some tips:
1) The address and phone number of the business should listed sitewide. You need to know there is a real address and business phone in case there were a problem. Place the business name followed by the city and state on a Google search window.
example: [ Name of Clockstore, City, State ] Not only should the name and matching address appear, but a map and a matching phone number should appear from a google search. If the merchant also displays their local number on their contact page, it is a good sign. You can place the local number (not the toll-free) in a Google search window, and the merchant’s name should appear. If a person’s name appears, it may be a bedroom office. Follow the rules above and you will know you are dealing with a real business and not a cell number answering from their friends basement. Always look at the address on the contact page. You may wish to make sure the address is in the United States. Your legal rights are stronger in the US than they would ever be in Canada or Mexico.
2) Carefully read the written policies of the dealer. If you see a restocking fee….bail. Only a dealer or seller who had no provision to accept an unwanted clock would charge a restocking fee or else they wish to make a dollar whether you are pleased or not. Neither is positive to the buyer.
3) Call and ask detailed questions about the clocks you like and delivery time and method.
4) Clock Brands are important. If the clock is not one of the brands listed near the top of this page, beware. There are some Chinese clocks selling under many different names showing fictitious retail prices of close to 1000.00 in some cases selling for a few hundred dollars. Most of these clocks are worth less than a few hundred dollars and are known as CSO clocks (Clock Shaped Objects). Your investment will be safe with a properly delivered quality brand-name clock.