Clocks back?

[cee-dee]

So, it's time to put the clocks back by one hour tonight, have you got clocks and if so are they striking or chiming clocks?

Turning the hands of some such clocks back can cause damage particularly antique clocks. Others may well get the striking/chiming out of sequence. If you're unsure, the safest way to avoid damage is to stop the clock for an hour.

How do you cope with your clocks?

[Anonymous]

I have a nice antique mantle clock which still works, but we had to stop it ticking and chiming as our kids hated it. Now they are not living at home anymore I might get it working again. A bit of a job to get it to give accurate time again though, but it once did until the kids messed with it.

Other clocks in my house are just battery operated. I also have a nice Art deco one....or better it was nice until my mum's neighbour "fixed" it up for her with some "nice" new grey paint over the chrome and replaced the old wiring with a brand new plastic battery box.

I always liked it and my mum had it fixed up especially for me.....I could have cried!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cee-dee]

Do people have many clocks these days or do they rely on their phones, TV, computers or the radio? D'you wear a watch? What sort? Mechanical or battery powered?

For the modern age, mechanical clocks and watches can seem to be such a nuisance. They need winding up, they're relatively fragile and pendulum clocks need to be set up "level". After that, every now and again they need oil and it has to be "just in the right place", spraying with stuff like WD40 or similar just won't do and eventually, that stuff will cause them to stop necessitationg dismantling and cleaning.

So what sort of devices for time-telling have you got?

Me? You don't want to know? OK, right in front of me is a mechanical clock out of a Mig-29. On the wall is a battery clock the last owner of this house left here.

In the hall are two Westminster chiming loncase clocks (not very old, one's about 20 years old, the other dates from the 1930's). Then there's four 18th/19th century longcase clocks. Upstairs there's a radio-controlled bedroom alarm clock and on my wrist is a Rolex. I've another watch, a Casio which I use sometimes if I'm doing any sort of rough work.

Some clocks need careful handling at this time of year. Some striking/chiming clocks have a lever which is lifted every quarter of an hour or on the hour and if you turn the hands back, you'll find they come to a stop, continue turning and you'll either break the hand, the lever, or whatever the lever gets lifted by.

Some clocks have either a springy lever which allows you to turn the clock back without damage or an ingenious extra lever which flips if you turn the hands back.

Every year, someone just HAS to force a clock and cause some damage, make sure it's not you eh?

[fallen-archie]

One true sign of Britishness: every year discussing the clocks going back without immediately grasping what it will mean in practice.

[astrologica]

We have an antique Viennese pendulum wall clock. This clock keeps good time, but if you wind it more than four turns it stops! So I have to watch the pendulum and not let it wind right down. I don't know why it's stops if it's wound any more than four turns....and clock repairers are a bit thin on the ground around here. I also have an oak mantel clock that belonged to my Mother. I grew up hearing it chime every hour and on the half hour. I love the clock and begged to be allowed to have it when my Mum passed on. I had it about two years and then, as I was winding it one day, there was that loud twang that tells you that you have overwound it and the Spring has gone. I do intend to get it repaired as I love hearing it chime.

We also have a lovely little brass carriage clock, early Victorian I think, which keeps excellent time. I do wear a watch every day. I don't alter the time on this one when the clocks go back/forward as it's a moon phase watch and it's a right pain to reset all the times, dates and moon phases. So, for half of every year, my watch is an hour ahead of real time! 

I think that if I could choose a new clock, I would love one of those antique skeleton clocks, that have all the workings visible.....and also a really nice accurate sun dial for my garden.

[fallen-archie]

On your final point Astro I will settle for some sun in my garden! The only thing a dial would confirm is that we don’t get much up here😩

[cee-dee]

Astro, your Vienna is probably German, "real" Vienna's are rare and really valuable. There could be several reasons why it's doing what it does.

Your matel clock is a striker. You've not "overwound" it. The mainspring has broken. The spring is a long strip of spring steel contained within a Brass barrel. The spring has a "hole" in each end which hooks on to the barrel arbor at one end and the barrel hook at the other. The greatest strain is at the barrel hook and most springs break just there, some springs have a badly shaped hole which eventually tears. I prefer a round hole, it's stronger.

When the spring broke, it went down with a "thwack" and sometimes that breaks some teeth in the mainwheel. If you're unlucky it can also bend or break the first pinion.

Yes, it can be repaired no matter what's wrong with it, it all depends on how it was made and what's actually happened which will determine the "how much".

If you want to buy a clock, now's the time, prices have dropped considerably depending of course on where you buy from.