Every old clock has a story to tell — where it came from, who owned it, and the moments in time it quietly witnessed. Unfortunately, as clocks are sold, traded, or passed down, those stories often get lost along the way. The clock may keep ticking, but the people and places behind it fade into … More A Box of Parts, and a Special Clock That Journeyed Through Time
In the winter of 2017, I took on the restoration of a Junghans Crispi wall clock, made in Schwenningen, Germany. Built in the Vienna Regulator style, the clock came to me as a box of parts—an exciting challenge, especially once I learned of its remarkable history. This clock survived the Halifax Explosion on December 6, … More Dating a Historic Junghans Crispi Wall Clock
Back in 2017, I took on the restoration of a Junghans Crispi wall clock—a project that began with enthusiasm but has since tested my patience more than once. While the case restoration went smoothly, the movement has been another story. Despite professional servicing, bushing work, and later my own repair attempts, the strike side has … More Closing In on a Cure: The Ongoing Battle with a Junghans Crispi Movement
I have never been completely happy with how the movement runs in this Junghans Crispi wall clock. When I got the clock in 2017, I jumped right into restoring the case because it was an interesting challenge to put the clock together from a bunch of parts. Now, eight years later, the clock continues to … More Crispi Wall Clock Movement by Junghans | My Nemesis
My sister, who’s just a couple of years younger and was once an avid collector of antiques, recently shared something that’s been weighing on my mind. She told me that she’s stopped collecting, something I never thought I’d hear from her. “There’s no one to leave them to, no one who will appreciate them,” she … More The Future of Antique Clocks: A Call to Appreciate Our Past
Assessing the quality of mantel clocks, whether American or German, involves considering various factors such as craftsmanship, materials used, design, and overall reliability. Both American and German manufacturers have a rich history in clockmaking, and each has its own unique characteristics. In my collection, I’ve assembled a diverse array of clocks, featuring both American and … More A tale of two mantel clocks – German vs American engineering
My apologies for the wordplay in the title. I recently encountered an issue with the striking mechanism in a German clock I’m currently repairing, and in this article, I would like to describe my experience with the repair. I have to admit it is a frustrating problem that could have been a disaster but I … More Disaster strikes a Junghans movement
In the heart of North End Halifax, on December 6, 1917, a Junghans Crispi clock fell off a wall in a house on Princess Court. Unbeknownst to it, this simple clock would become a silent witness to one of the worst man-made disasters in Canadian history – the Halifax Explosion. As the Belgian relief ship … More Honouring History, One Tick at a Time – the Halifax Explosion Dec 6, 1917
In the past two weeks, my focus has been directed towards the servicing of a Junghans roundtop mantel clock. This particular time and strike mantel clock is the Hunsruck model manufactured in the second half of 1913 (stamped B13 on the rear plate). For first impressions and background information about the clock itself, you can … More Junghans round-top mantel clock – wrapping up servicing
Last week I began working on a Junghans round top mantel clock. For first impressions and background information about the clock itself, you can find the article here. During this segment of the maintenance process, my attention will be focused on the mainsprings. Upon my initial assessment, it appeared that the movement was found to … More Junghans round-top mantel clock – servicing the mainsprings
I first wrote about this clock in April 2023 after having won it at auction. With so many other projects on the go, I can finally allocate time to focus on servicing this captivating German time and strike mantel clock. The 1915 Junghans catalog identifies the clock as the Hunsruck, named after a mountain range … More Junghans round top mantel clock servicing
In the world of horology, antique clocks stand as both timekeeping devices and exquisite works of art, bearing witness to the craftsmanship and design sensibilities of bygone eras. Yet, beneath their exteriors lies a profound philosophical conundrum—one that questions the very essence of their identity. As we dive into the realm of antique clocks, we … More The Philosophical Conundrum of Antique Clocks: When is a Clock No Longer Itself?
We have been facing a challenging spring here in Nova Scotia, as the threat of wildfires has been looming over us. In May 2023, our community in Nova Scotia has been devastated by the occurrence of two uncontrolled wildfires. The dire consequences of these fires include the evacuation of thousands of individuals and the tragic … More If I had to take one antique clock from a “burning house” which one would it be
Junghans, a renowned manufacturer of high-end wristwatches today, acknowledges their significant role in the clock industry by providing access to their catalogs to anyone interested in researching their clock production since the company’s establishment in the 1880s. This demonstrates the company’s commitment to preserving the history and legacy of their brand and allowing collectors and … More Junghans Hunsruck roundtop mantel clock – refreshing the case
Junghans, a name that is well-known to clock collectors and repairers, is not the company it once was. In recent years, the company has established itself as a prominent manufacturer of high-quality wristwatches. However, During the early to mid-20th century the German company had established itself as a prolific producer of wall, mantel, and tall … More Unboxing the Junghans Mantel Clock: An anticipated Arrival
As a manufacturer today Junghans is not the same company that made mechanical clocks many years ago. In response to the demands and advancements in technology in today’s world, the company has undergone a transformation in its products. In recent years, the company has established itself as a prominent manufacturer of high-quality wristwatches. With a … More Junghans Mantel Clock: Initial Impressions Sight unseen
Seven clocks in my collection have family connections, not necessarily with my own family but clocks that I am able to trace back through families mostly in Nova Scotia (Canada). No names are mentioned. The stories are sad in some cases but interesting nonetheless. Let’s begin. Waterbury wall clock When I was a child back … More 7 Clocks in my collection that have family connections
Honestly, an entire book could be devoted to the topic of dating clocks. Some time ago, I published an article titled “How to Date an Antique or Vintage Clock – Part I,” in which I used specific examples from my own collection. I’d like to explore this topic further, and this post will discuss additional … More Dating an Antique or Vintage Clock – Part II
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from readers concerning clock issues, challenges faced, a clock you would profiled or advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer S. writes; This clock was … More Tick Talk Tuesday #40 – identify Junghans bracket clock
Is it worth the time and expense to have a clock professionally serviced? That is the question of the day. I receive many letters from people who ask whether a clock handed down to them is worth repairing/preserving. It is not an easy question to answer. Shared history and stories connected with the clock can … More Having a professional service your clock
During the Christmas season, we split our time between Calgary, Alberta, and Ottawa, Ontario to see our 2 daughters. While in Calgary my wife spotted an interesting item on an Ottawa Facebook Marketplace, an English time and strike clock. She showed me the photo and I said, “that does not look like any English clock … More Dating a Hamburg Amerikanische Uhrenfabrik (HAU) shelf clock
Thank you, viewers and subscribers. It is always a thrill to reach a milestone. Six years ago I attended a WordPress workshop and after the instructor assisted us in setting up a rudimentary site, I thought, I can do this. I can talk about clocks! WordPress 101 certainly made it sound so easy but it … More Over 108,000 views so far this year – thank you
Every clock enthusiast has their own way of doing things and each has a different approach to clock restoration. Am I different? Not really, but I have put some thoughts to paper that you might find interesting. Like everyone I started out knowing virtually nothing about clock restoration but learned as I went. As I … More My Approach to Clock Restoration
In January 2017 I took a chance, plunked down $75 and bought a project clock which consisted of a box of clock parts. I took it home, stared at the box for a while trying to figure out what to do and how far I would get with this project. I itemized the parts, arranging … More Finial replacement on a Junghans wall clock
During the winter of 2017, I restored an antique Junghans Crispi time and strike wall clock, circa 1898. It came to me as a box of parts. I sensed the seller fully intended to complete the project but never got around to it but at least he reconstructed the case. I saw a challenge in … More Junghans Crispi wall clock and strike woes
Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks 
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