Let’s face it: We all think about picking up that one item at a garage sale or flea market for just a few dollars, only to discover that it’s worth much, much more. See what this Minneapolis bargain shopper happily discovered when he shared his Chelsea Clock find with Sean Delaney on an episode of PBS’ “Antiques Roadshow.”

Watch Appraisal: Chelsea Clock Company Tambour No. 3 Clock, ca. 1915 on PBS. See more from Antiques Roadshow.

Chelsea Clock’s Tony LaChapelle (L) and Terry Kubarsky-Engel (R) congratulate Senator Scott Brown on his special award.

We’re pleased to note that, while our Boardroom Clock was introduced just this past month, it has already achieved celebrity status! At a recent Congressional roundtable luncheon hosted by The New England Council in Boston, Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown accepted an engraved Boardroom Clock, presented by James Brett, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council.

Senator Brown addressed nearly 200 New England Council members, touching on current issues relating to economic growth and business development in the New England region.

Our Chief Operating Officer, Tony LaChapelle and Director of Corporate Sales, Terry Kubarsky-Engel, were on hand, as well, as Chelsea Clock is a long-standing and active member of the Council.

The New England Council was established in 1925 and is a non-partisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations. The Council’s mission is to identify and support federal public policies and to help support the collective interests of its members on important issues facing New England.

Happy New Year! From all of us at Chelsea Clock, we extend our sincere wishes to you and your family for a very happy, healthy and safe 2012.

As we look ahead to an exciting and promising year, we’d like to take a moment to share just a few notes and stories from friends of Chelsea Clock that helped to make 2011 a memorable and very special year for us and for them.

This letter came to us from a new Chelsea owner in Harvard, Massachusetts:

“At the age of 60, I gave myself a Christmas present of your 8 1/2″ Ship’s Bell Clock in brass. This is something I have admired and desired since I was a teenager. Now that it is in our home I can say it was worth the wait. I am sure you receive many well-deserved praises, but wish to add a comment you may not hear as often. An overriding factor in my willingness to purchase is your continued manufacture of these clocks in Chelsea, MA. If this clock were manufactured outside the United States, I would not have purchased it at any price. It is more than a clock. It is a symbol of the quality and craftsmanship that has made our country great.”

New York City-based DeNatale Fine Jewelers, one of our valued authorized Chelsea Clock retailers, shared this wonderful story with us:

This past November marked the 20th anniversary of the election and enthronement of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,

Worldwide spiritual leader of the Orthodox Christian Church. In celebration of his ministry, Archbishop Demetrios of America and National Commander Anthony Limberakis, MD, presented the spiritual leader a special edition Andover Classic Ship’s Bell Clock. The commemorative timepiece, whose dial was customized with the Patriarchal 20th Anniversary emblem, was presented to His All-Holiness on behalf of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle at a special banquet in Istanbul, Turkey.

And this happy message from Tom Piraino, a proud father and one of our long-time distributors of Chelsea Clock timepieces and barometers to companies and organizations across the country:

“I just wanted to share some wonderful holiday news: my son, who is in the Delaware National Guard, just arrived home from basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia. It’s the best Christmas gift we could hope for! With basic training behind him, it’s now on to twenty six weeks of technical training in Satellite Communications at Fort Gordon. We are so proud of him, and of all of the many dedicated men and women who are serving – or preparing to serve – our country.”

It’s so nice to share good news. And we look forward to sharing much more with you in the days and weeks ahead. Please feel free to share your stories and thoughts with us, too!

Chelsea clocks use a hammer and gong to produce our trademark sound. The strike hammer rises and falls onto a circular gong in the back of the case. If the sound is not a clean stroke, with a clear ringing tone, it can be adjusted as follows.

On the back of the case you will see a circular plate, held in place by three screws. Removing this plate allows a clear view of the hammer and the gong. At rest, the hammer head should be poised about 1/8″ above the circular gong. This allows the hammer to fall onto the gong and bounce clear, allowing the bell to ring after being struck. A slight adjustment of the wire that the hammer head is mounted on is all that is necessary to improve the sound quality. With a little patience and care, you should be able to restore our trademark Chelsea Clock sound to your clock’s strike. Move the hands ahead and allow the clock to strike several times while the plate is off, observing the action of the strike hammer. On the half hour strike, you should note that the strike hammer remains up in the air at the completion of the cycle. Move the minute hand ahead to the hour position. After the clock strikes the hour, the hammer will be at rest above the circular gong.  Make a slight bend on the brass wire that the hammer head is mounted on to affect the change in the sound quality. When you are satisfied with the sound, replace the inspection plate with the three screws. Check the strike sound one or two more times, making sure that the hammer doesn’t rub on the inside of the inspection plate.

Enjoy the sound of your Chelsea clock.

There’s nothing like a boat trip to help you escape from the craziness of life. You leave land far behind you, and your troubles seem to stay right there with them. So whether you’re a boat enthusiast or just dreaming about a nautical get-away, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is where you want to be October 27 – 31, 2011.

If you’ve never been to the show, let’s put it this way – there are boat shows and then there’s THE boat show.  This is THE boat show – the world’s largest and most exclusive in-water nautical get-together. Hundreds of the marine industry’s leading companies will be waiting to welcome you. In fact, this year’s show spans six sites and will feature more than $3 billion worth of boats, yachts, super yachts, electronics engines and thousands of boating accessories from every major marine manufacturer and boat builder around the globe.

Naturally, Chelsea Clock is going to be there, showcasing our newest collection of nautical timepieces, barometers and tide instruments, plus a number of our classic pieces, of course. All in a new booth that’s worth putting on your “must see” list.

We’re particularly excited about unveiling our new Voyager Collection clock and barometer set. This handsome collection is specially designed to fit more compact spaces, and is available at a very attractive price, as well.

If you can’t make it to the show, you can see the Voyager Collection and other authentic Chelsea Clock pieces in our new nautical catalog. Request your free copy via email to sales@chelseaclock.com.  And, for more information about the show, visit the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show website. We hope to see you there!

Interested in helping to protect and restore our world’s oceans? It’s safe to say, we probably all are. One organization that’s fully dedicated to this worthy cause is The International SeaKeepers Society. This committed group of seafarers and their friends provides governments, scientists and educational institutions with critical research about the health of the world’s oceans and climate.

To keep their work going, SeaKeepers is sponsoring an online auction that invites boaters, yachters, and sea lovers everywhere to show their support. It’s called the “SeaKeepers’ Bid to Protect Our Seas.” And here at Chelsea Clock, we’re honored to be contributing our nautically-inspired Andover Classic Ship’s Bell mantel clock to the lineup of exciting auction items.

See for yourself. Log on to www.seakeepers.org to preview the extraordinary and exclusive offerings. If you like what you see (and you will), you can submit your bid online. The online program runs until October 20, 2011, and culminates in a live auction scheduled to take place at the annual SeaKeepers’ Founders’ Dinner in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 26. That’s the night before the opening of the incredible Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, which runs from October 27 – 31. If you go, stop by and say hello because Chelsea Clock will be there, as well!

And if you like what you see in the online auction, tell your friends, family and community about it. Or share this blog with a note.  The SeaKeepers’ Bid To Protect Our Seas event a wonderful opportunity to claim some truly unique treasures while helping to support and protect the health and future of our world’s oceans.

Guaranteed, Branded Repair for Every Brand of Clock
Save 15% on all Repair Services for a limited time.

Chelsea Clock, one of America’s oldest and most respected makers of fine clocks, barometers and tide instruments, provides high quality clock repair and restoration services at its headquarters in Chelsea, Massachusetts. All professional services are performed on-site by skilled, certified Chelsea Clock technicians. To ensure expert service, optimum performance and lasting quality, Chelsea Clock recommends that all Chelsea Clock products be returned to our facility for fully-warranted, expert repair and restoration.

As the largest clock repair facility in the United States, Chelsea Clock is proud to service a wide variety of well-known brands. Clocks are thoroughly examined by our onsite technicians before a free estimate is provided.

Unfortunately, we only repair electric clocks made by Chelsea Clock, and not those made by other manufacturers.  For the repair of electric clocks by brands other than Chelsea Clock, you may wish to visit www.awci.com or www.nawcc.com for a listing of repair personnel or shops.

To help avoid unnecessary returns of non-Chelsea mechanical and quartz clocks, we always ask our customers to first email photos of their timepieces to us at repairs@chelseaclock.com. Having images of the front, back and inner workings of the clock beforehand allows our technicians to see what type of movement the piece has and if it can be repaired here at Chelsea Clock.

Among the basic repair services Chelsea Clock provides include the:

• Disassembling and cleaning of the clock’s working movements/components
• Replacement and refurbishing of worn or broken components and jewels
• Fitting and installation of new mainsprings
• Oiling, regulating and accuracy testing of movements (testing period takes approximately 2 weeks)

Visit www.ChelseaClock.com/repair-and-restoration for more information about expert Chelsea Clock repair and restoration services and to download a repair quote request form.

Mention Code SUMMER-PROMO, and save 15% off any Repair and Restoration Service now through August 31, 2011.

Considered by many to be the “boating capital of New England,” the picturesque town of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, is abuzz with excitement as participants and spectators for this weekend’s Shipyard Cup begin to pour into town. The Shipyard Cup – racing Saturday and Sunday, August 13 and 14 – is the eminent big boat sailing regatta held annually in the Boothbay Region. And specially created Chelsea Clock trophies will be at the finish to honor first-, second- and third-place winners in each of the two races that comprise this annual superyacht competition.

“The Shipyard Cup is a wonderful New England tradition that attracts some of the world’s most spectacular sailing yachts,” says JK Nicholas, CEO of Chelsea Clock. “We are thrilled to be a part of this prestigious event and honored to be the creators of the exclusive Shipyard Cup trophies.”

The Shipyard Cup is a grand sailboat regatta held for nine of the past 10 years in Boothbay Harbor, and is one of a handful of big boat regattas held in other great yachting capitals around the world such as St. Barth’s, Palma de Mallorca, Porto Cervo and Newport.

The “Corinthian Spirit” style competition of the Shipyard Cup is run under Bucket Protocol rating rules. The event kicks off at midday on Friday with registration, cocktails and, in keeping with the true Maine spirit, a lobster bake held at Hodgdon Yachts, main sponsor of the race. Participating yachts will set off from Wotton’s Wharf on Saturday for the first race at noon and again on Sunday for the second race, followed by a host of other scheduled festivities. The event rounds off with the official award ceremony on Sunday, August 14, when one of the yachts will take top honors and carry off the overall winning trophy – an engraved Chelsea Clock  4.5” Ship’s Bell Clock.

With a passion for the true amateur sport, a respect for the grandeur of big boat competition and the unmatched beauty and grace of the coast of Maine, the Shipyard Cup is a participant and spectator’s dream come true. Few events celebrate the authentic majesty of yachting’s heritage and future like the Shipyard Cup. This year, the Shipyard Cup will again be open to sailing vessels 21 metres/70 feet and above from around the globe, with typical entrants averaging 100 feet and over.

The Shipyard Cup began in 2002 with support from founding sponsors Hodgdon Yachts of East Boothbay, Maine and Boothbay Region Boatyard of Boothbay Harbor, Maine. This spectacular, weekend-long event continues to celebrate the true spirit of yachting, attracting boating enthusiasts from near and far to compete for top honors. 

For more information on the 2011 Shipyard Cup and sponsorship by Chelsea Clock, visit www.shipyardcup.com.  Follow Chelsea Clock on Facebook and Twitter, too, for race updates and results.

The Marblehead to Halifax began Sunday July 10, 2011.  Watch this great video of the start, provided by Patch.com. 

With nearly perfect sailing conditions in the forecast this race promises to be very exciting, possibly at a record pace.  Follow all of the race events with us on Facebook.