Best Wall Clocks, Hermle?

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:54 pm     Post subject: Best Wall Clocks, Hermle?

I have several quartz wall clocks, But I've always preferred and wanted to get a keywound...I am planning on getting my first keywound soon..I am probably going to get a Hermle...some I have seen are around $500 which isn't bad for a keywound in today's market...I'd like some info on them, do they make a good reliable clock that lasts? Are Hermle wall clocks made in Germany? I just want something hassle free and good for a newbie that I can hang up and admire and not have to worry about it...Thanks in advance for any advice!

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:26 pm     Post subject:

Any mechanical movement can potentially last years and years beyond expectations, providing that the movement is properly taken care of (oiled every 1 to 3 years; cleaned/oiled every 3 to 5 years). All Hermle movements are predominantly fabricated in Germany, and most offer a factory warranty period (Klockit is three years from date of purchase).

Quartz units are meant to be an inexpensive replacement option. They are not made to be repaired, and they are not intended to last forever. While more worry-free, the fact does remain that you will likely replace the quartz movement once every 10 years or so (on average).

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:11 am     Post subject:



So mechanical, keywound clocks could last a long long time if taken care of? My uncle has a Hamilton from the last 1970s, and it is still going strong...Don't think he has ever even had it cleaned...So where would one take a keywound clock to get it oiled, cleaned, etc? A clock store? Probably wouldnt want to risk doing it myself, for fear of damaging it...I guess, also that most keywound clocks last much longer due to brass and metal movements, rather than the cheap plastic that the quartzes seem to have

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:51 pm     Post subject:

You will want to seek out a qualified repair person if you should not prefer to clean/oil the movement yourself. The internet is certainly one method for search. You may want to visit the NAWCC site as well to see if there is anyone in your area that would perform this service. Otherwise, you can explore "clock repairers", "mechanical movement repair" etc, as well as check around locally.

www.nawcc.org

If you should be interested in cleaning/oiling yourself, you are welcome to read an introductory blurb about the subject here:

http://blog.klockit.com/
(Note: scroll down to the second article titled "Mechanical Movements").

It is important that I mention that this is simply general info to give you a start (or idea). You may want to explore the cleaning/oiling service in more detail. Klockit's Mechanical Tech can offer additional reading materials and support. There are also other sources which can assist with this aspect (clock magazines, web forums, etc). Above all, cleaning and oiling is something that you can learn how to do to maintain your movement for years to come.