Learn About Clocks & Time

Type of Clocks | Glossary | Official US Time | Why Clocks Turn Clockwise 
About Clocks | Time Measurements | B.C & A.D | Clocks In General
How Grandfather Clocks Got Named  | Grandfather Clock Song | Sun & Moon Data

The Many Types of Clocks

Most clocks sold in retail stores fall into one of the following major product categories.

<~~ Anniversary Clocks: So-called because they run approximately one year without winding or battery replacement. Clock movement is characterized by brass weights rotating horizontally on a spring. Many anniversary clocks today have accurate quartz battery movements.

Decorator Clocks: General name for a wide variety of wall clocks for kitchen, den, family or living room, usually battery powered for decorating versatility. Design choices range from traditional to modern, to complement any interior.

<~~Executive Desk Clock: Usually incorporates pen/pencil, weather instrument, busines card holder, etc. into its design.

Desk and Table Clocks: Serving a wide range of decorative and useful purposes. Many feature beautifully polished brass cases with richly colored dial and bezel accents.

Floor Clocks: Patriarchs of the clock family, majestic Floor Clocks, commonly called Grandfather Clocks combine superbly detailed cabinetry with the finest weight-driven German chime movements. Available in a wide choice of fine furniture finishes. They offer features such as moon-phase dials and Cathedral Chimes. Often purchased as family heirlooms.

 

<~~ Tambour: A mantel or shelf clock in a drum-shaped case with elongated base. It is said that this distinctive "camelback" shape was designed after Napoleon's hat.

Mantel Key-Wound Chime Clocks: Frequently used as a mantel centerpiece, but equally appropriate on a shelf or bookcase. Usually cased in rich solid hardwood cabinetry, with ornamented dials and equipped with key-wound chiming German movements.

<~~ Bracket Clock: A shelf or mantel clock that has a
handle on top. Usually a wooden case.

Carriage Clock: Usually a brass case with a handle on the
top that can be placed on a mantel or tabletop. ~~>

<~~ Wall Key-Wound Chime Clocks: Handsome, ornamental clocks, usually crafted in solid hardwood. May be key-wound or weight-driven, and usually distinguished by a polished brass pendulum and Cathedral Chimes.

Travel and Alarm Clocks: ~~>
Compact clocks suitable for carrying
in the pocket or suitcase.

Digital Clocks: Contemporary clocks, with time displayed in figures rather than by conventional dial and hands.

Quartz Dual Chime Wall or Mantel Clocks: A very exciting, new opportunity for clocks offering authentic chime tone quality at quartz battery value prices. These German movements offer two melodies (Westminster/Ave Maria); automatic nighttime shut off, and volume control.

<~~ Radio Controlled Clock: Accuwave DS (tm) clocks keep perfect time be receiving a radio signal from the U.S. Atomic clock, the most accurate clock on the planet. They even correct themselves for daylight saving time, automatically.

Regulator: A rectangular type wall clock ~~>
designed to esemble those used in railroad stations (railroad regulator), or used to time watches (jewelers regulator).

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About Clocks

Clocks are generally powered in one of six ways: weight-driven, spring-driven, atmospheric, battery-operated, electric or atomic. Weight-driven, spring-driven and atmospheric clocks have mechanical movements and will be discussed first.

Weight-driven clocks are mechanical timepieces that are powered by the gravitational pull of heavy weights slowly falling down. The gravitational pull generally lasts for seven days, at which time the weights need to be pulled back up. The weights hang on either cables or chains and are pulled up by either winding the cables up with a crank that gets inserted into the holes on the front of the dial or by manually pulling up the chains. Most weight-driven clocks will also produce a chime. The example of a grandfather clock below illustrates this type of weight-driven movement with chimes.

The patriarch of clocks, the grandfather, are mostly weight-driven, mechanical clocks which are encased in a tall, wooden cabinet that acts as an echo chamber for a cathedral chime melody or other classic clock chimes. As the hand advances, the minute hand trips a star gear located on the center stem of the dial face. The point of the star gear lifts a pin that triggers the turning of the music roll (just as you would find in a music box).

As the music roll turns, it pulls back a chime hammer, which then falls back to its original position and strikes a chime rod, or in some cases a steel tuned tube. Most of the chiming, weight-driven, mechanical clocks have 12 hammers and rods. Yet a few select models have 16 hammers and rods. Still further, a very select few models have 5-9 hammers with steel tuned tubes. The chime rods, or in some cases steel tuned tubes, are cut at various lengths to produce different notes. These hammers and rods, struck in various orders, will produce the selected chime. Models with 12 hammers and rods will generally produce either the single Westminster melody (with 5 hammers and rods) or the selected triple chime cathedral melody of Westminster, Whittington or St. Michael's. Models with 16 hammers will generally feature the triple chime of Westminster, Shubert's "Ave Maria" and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony "Ode to Joy."

Chimes are selected by simply moving a lever on the dial face to the appropriate position. If chiming melodies are not desired, there are some weight-driven clocks that just feature a "bim-bam" tone or an hourly strike. Moreover, if rods or tubes are not desired, there are also some weight-driven clocks that feature coils or glass and metal bells. An easy way to visually determine if a weight-driven clock produces melodies or just simply strikes is by the number of weights. Weight-driven clocks that feature a melody will have three weights. The middle weight regulates the time, the left weight (as your looking at the clock) regulates the strike and the right weight (as your looking at the clock) regulates the chimes. The middle and left weights are generally the same weight. Yet the right weight is always heavier because the chime side needs more power to produce the melodies. However, if there are only two weights, the clock will generally just produce a "bim-bam" tone or an hourly strike. Finally, if there is only one weight, the clock is just a time-only model.

Weight-driven mechanical clocks are regulated by the use of a pendulum and can be surprisingly accurate. Indeed, they can be timed to within one minute per month by simply adjusting the length of the pendulum. This is done by turning the rating nut at the end of the pendulum bob, which will either raise or lower the bob. To speed the clock up, the pendulum bob should be raised up by turning the nut to the right. To slow the clock down, the pendulum bob should be lowered by turning the nut to the left. One turn of the nut should impact the clock by about two minutes in a 24 hour period.

Many weight-driven clocks, such as those found in grandfather clocks, will also feature a working moon dial. The moon dial tracks the 29-1/2 day lunar cycle. A separate gear on the center shaft of the dial trips a pin once every 24 hours which advances the dial one "click"/one day. The phases of the moon (i.e., new, quarter, half, full, ect.) are depicted through the Eastern and Western Hemispheres (1/2 circles located on each side of the moon dial) bisecting the moon through its rotation.

Howard MIller does not make cuckoo clocks, but a special note should be made on cuckoo clocks. They are also weight-driven mechanical timepieces and are powered the same way grandfather clocks are. . They are usually wound once a week, although some models need to be wound every day. Moreover, the time is regulated the same way by adjusting the pendulum. For example, to speed the clock up, the leaf of the pendulum is raised up. The reverse is done to slow the clock down. Although weight-driven clocks, such as grandfather clocks and cuckoo clocks, are very popular, so too are spring-driven mechanical clocks.

In spring-driven clocks, a key winds the mechanical main spring which powers these clocks as it unwinds. Spring-driven clock movements generally run the clock for up to seven days before winding down, although some 14-day models are offered. There are, however, some 31-day movements that, for a variety of reasons, we will never offer or deal in. Spring-driven clocks need to be wound once a week by inserting a key into the holes in the front of the dial. Spring-driven clocks generally offer Westminster or triple Cathedral Chimes and are produced in the same manner as weight-driven clocks. Like weight-driven models, there are also a variety of other types of chimes that are featured in some select spring-driven clocks. Moon dials are also operational in many models just like the weight-driven ones.

Spring-driven clocks are also surprisingly accurate and can be timed to within one minute per month. The mechanism in this type of clock is generally regulated with the use of a balance wheel, which acts in the same function as a pendulum. Some select models will utilize a platform escapement in place of a balance wheel. To speed or slower the clock, a screw is turned near the balance wheel in the direction of the appropriate indications.

A particularly interesting mechanical clock of note are the atmos clocks, which are simply powered by the earth's atmosphere. Although this is a unique power source, many other forms exist to power clocks, such as batteries, electricity and radio signals. For example, quartz, battery-operated, clocks are powered from electronic impulses that pass from the battery through a quartz crystal. Similarly, electric clocks are powered from an electric current. Finally, atomic clocks are powered by radio signals transmitted from the cesium atomic clock at the National Institute of Standards in Fort Collins, Colorado. This radio signal that covers the entire United States will keep these clocks accurate to within one second over one million years.

Most of the electric and atomic clocks made today are simply time-only models and do not produce a chime. However, there are quite a few quartz, battery-operated, clocks that offer a chime, the most common being the dual chime Westminster and Ave Maria melodies.

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How The Grandfather Clock Got Its Name

Over one hundred years ago in Piercebridge, England in north Yorkshire there was an old hotel known as the George Hotel that was managed by two brothers named Jenkins. In the lobby of the hotel was an old upright floor clock that kept time very well. The place was a rest stop for weary travelers and was run by two brothers. The clock always kept perfect time until one of the old Jenkins brothers died. When one of the two brothers died, the clock started to gradually lose time, first a minute or so every few days, then a minute a day, then several minutes a day. Clockmakers were called in to repair the clock, but no matter what their level of expertise, it seemed nothing could be done. All attempts to repair the clock failed.

One day shortly after the second old man Jenkins passed away in his ninetieth year, the old clock stopped running altogether, and was never repaired in remembrance of the brothers. It never ran again. Attempts to fix the clock by the new owner of the George Hotel failed. But the clock, having become somewhat of a mysterious landmark in the hotel, was left to stand in the corner of the lobby - dusted and polished, but silent.

Around the 1870's, Henry Work, a song writer from the States was staying at the George Hotel and learned the story of the Jenkins brothers and the old floor clock. He was inspired to write a turn and a song about the clock. To personalize the lyrics somewhat he thought of writing about one old man and visualized that old man as his very own grandfather. The tune was named "My Grandfather's Clock." and the first part of the song goes: "Oh, my grandfather's clock was too tall for the shelf, so it stood ninety years on the floor. It was taller by half than the old man himself, though it weighed not a pennyweight more." After this, people started calling floor clocks by the name grandfather clocks. The song became very popular and sold over a million copies.

Grandfather's Clock
by Henry C. Work, 1875

Prelude
My grand-father's clock was too large for the shelf,
so it stood ninety years on the floor;

First Verse
My grand-father's clock was too large for the shelf,
so it stood ninety years on the floor;
It was tall-er by half than the old man himself,
though it weighed not a pen-ny weight more.
It was bought on the morn of the day he was born,
and was al-ways his treasure and pride;
But it stopp'd short nev-er to go a-gain
When the old man died.
Chorus
Ninety years, without slumbering (tick, toc, tick, toc)
His life seconds numbering (tick, toc, tick, toc)
It stopp'd Short never to go a-gain,
When the old man died.

Second Verse
In watch-ing its pen-du-lum swing to and fro,
Ma-ny hours had he spend while a boy;
And in childhood and man-hood the clock seemed to know
And to share both his grief and his joy.
For it struck twenty-four when he en-tered at the door,
With a blooming and beau-ti-ful bride;
But it stopp'd short nev-er to go a-gain
When the old man died
Chorus
Ninety years, without slumbering (tick, toc, tick, toc)
His life seconds numbering (tick, toc, tick, toc)
It stopp'd Short never to go a-gain,
When the old man died.

Third Verse
My grandfa-ther said that of those he could hire,
Not a ser-vant so faith-ful he found;
For it wast-ed no time, and had but one de-sire
At the close of each week to be wound.
And it kept in its place, not a frown up-on its face,
And its hands nev-er hung by its side;
But it stopp'd short never to to a-gain
When the old man died.
Chorus
Ninety years, without slumbering (tick, toc, tick, toc)
His life seconds numbering (tick, toc, tick, toc)
It stopp'd Short never to go a-gain,
When the old man died.

Fourth Verse
It rang an a-alarm in the dead of the night,
An a-alarm that for years had been dumb;
And we knew that his spir-it was plum-ing for flight
That his hour of de-parture had come.
Still the clock kept the time, with a soft and muffled chime,
As we si-lent-ly stood by-his side;
But it stopp'd short never to go again
when the old man died.
Chorus
Ninety years, without slumbering (tick, toc, tick, toc)
His life seconds numbering (tick, toc, tick, toc)
It stopp'd Short never to go a-gain,
When the old man died.

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Our various styled mantel clocks are of the highest quality, and can add the perfect touch to any decor.

Whether you desire a floor clock or a mantel clock, why not consider purchasing one as a gift for yourself or a loved one.

When looking for the very best, there is only one choice: Howard Miller. Don't you deserve it?

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Measurements of Time

• 1 picosecond (one-trillionth of a second) - This is about the shortest period of time
  we can currently measure accurately.
• 1 nanosecond (one-billionth of a second) - 2 to 4 nanoseconds is the length of time
  that a typical home computer spends executing one software instruction.
• 1 microsecond (one-millionth of a second)
• 1 millisecond (one-thousandth of a second) - This is the typical fastest time for the exposure of film in a normal camera. A picture taken in 1/1,000th of a second will usually stop all human motion.
• 1 centisecond (one-hundredth of a second) - The length of time it takes for a stroke of lightning to strike
• 1 decisecond (one-tenth of a second) - A blink of an eye
• 1 second - An average person's heart beats once each second.
• 60 seconds - One minute; a long commercial
• 2 minutes - About as long as a person can hold his or her breath
• 5 minutes - About as long as anyone can stand waiting at a red light
• 60 minutes - An hour; about as long as a person can sit in a classroom without glazing over
• 8 hours - The typical workday in the United States, as well as the typical amount of sleep a person needs every night
• 24 hours - One day; the amount of time it takes for the planet Earth to rotate
  one time on its axis
• 7 days - One week
• 40 days - About the longest a person can survive without food
• 365.24 days - One year; the amount of time it takes for the planet Earth to complete one orbit around the sun
• 10 years - One decade
• 75 years - The typical life span for a human being
• 5,000 years - The span of recorded history
• 50,000 years - The length of time Homo sapiens has existed as a species
• 65 million years - The length of time dinosaurs have been extinct
• 200 million years - The length of time mammals have existed
• 3.5 to 4 billion years - The length of time that life has existed on Earth
• 4.5 billion years - The age of planet Earth
• 10 to 15 billion years - The suspected age of the universe since the big bang
• HowardMillerTime (at eBay) - we always have time for you

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Why do clocks turn clockwise?

There is no mechanical reason why clocks turn clockwise. A lot of things in the world are dominated by left to right motion. In the Western world, we read from left to right, because we write from left to right.

The numbers on a clock also move the way we read. From 1 to 2 to 3 is left to right. Even if you keep going to the bottom of the clock, you are still going left to right from 4 to 5 to 6, even though it may look like it is going the opposite direction.

Clocks run left to right because it fits into our standard reading method. The word clockwise was invented after clocks were invented.

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B.C. and A.D.

In the modern calendar, we label all years with B.C. (before Christ) or A.D. (anno domini, or "in the year of our lord"). There is no "zero" year -- in this system, the year Christ was born is 1 A.D., and the year preceding it is 1 B.C.

This practice was first suggested in the sixth century A.D., and was adopted by the pope of that time. It took quite a while for it to become a worldwide standard, however. Russia and Turkey, for example, did not convert to the modern calendar and year scheme until the 20th century.

One interesting side note: Because of a variety of changes and adjustments made to the calendar during the middle ages, it turns out that Jesus was most likely born in what we now think of as 6 B.C., and likely lived until 30 A.D.

Besides B.C. and A.D., some people use B.C.E. (for "before common era") and C.E. (for "common era").

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Clocks In General

Up until the early 1800's a clock was a symbol of prosperity. Every part was painstakingly handmade and a single timepiece would take months to produce. A buyer would pay dearly.

Today clocks are so plentiful and inexpensive, we take them for granted. But no LCD or battery-operated instrument can replace a handsome mantle or majestic grandfather clock. Somehow, they seem to give a home its heartbeat.

Despite the seemingly effortless precision with which clocks operate, they do require some attention to maintain their peak timekeeping abilities. Here's how to keep yours ticking along:

Clocks run best when they are not subjected to extreme temperature changes. That means keeping them away from stoves, sunlight, and radiators. Ironically, mantel clocks, despite their name, should not be placed on a mantel -- at least during a working fire. Rising soot and temperature fluctuations can impair efficiency and threaten longevity of the movement.

Keep antique pieces wound with a snug-fitting key, being careful not to overwind. Experts also recommend that you get in the habit of winding at the same time every day.

See to it that clocks sit or hang level, especially pendulums. A balanced swing will keep the clock "in beat." Always remove the pendulum before moving the clock. Otherwise it throws off its rhythm and damages the spring.

Over time, clocks accumulate dirt. The oil in the movement thickens and becomes gummy, and eventually the clock will stop running. A telltale sign of coming trouble is if your clock stops when a room gets extremely cold and then starts working again when temperatures warm up.

Visit a clock doc, more formally known as a horologist, every three years for a proper cleaning and oiling. A horologist will remove the movement from its case to make sure parts are rust-free and not unduly worn, and to inspect the teeth to check they are not bent. Consider a professional overhaul every 10 years or so.

Treat wood cases as you would any piece of fine furniture. Dust them with a soft brush or untreated cloth on a regular basis and protect them from direct light and extreme household dryness or dampness. The condition of the wood is an important part of the clock's value.

Not surprisingly, functioning clocks are generally worth more than their tick-tockless counterparts, but restore with caution and keep in mind that replacing major parts devalues a clock's worth.

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Sun & Moon Data

Complete Sun & Moon Data for Today 

You can obtain the times of sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, transits of the Sun and Moon, and the beginning and end of civil twilight, along with information about the Moon's phase on the page at the link above furnished by the US Naval Observatory.

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