On some antique or vintage clocks, the solid brass faces were originally engraved and then hand silvered. While cosmetic in nature, the condition of a clock dial can greatly affect its readability so it is important to have your mechanical clock’s dial re-silvered if it loses its original luster.

Our earliest dials were silvered and then hand painted.  The company then experimented with different materials such as copper plated lead and cast copper before settling with the solid brass dial we use today.  Depending on the original application used to make your dial, will determine if it is a candidate for restoration.

The process of  “re-silvering a clock dial” basically involves restoring its original finish and luster.

Antique Clock Dial - Before Re-Silvering

Antique Clock Dial - After Re-Silvering

DIAL RESTORATION PROCESS

Before the restoration process begins, the dial is photographed to ensure all key information is retained.  Then we remove the escutcheons and raised numerals (if applicable).  Next, we refill the etched minute track, numbers and any logos with a black enamel.  The dial is then placed on a turn table, spun and wet sanded to repair any fine scratches or imperfections and prepare it for silvering.

SILVERING

Our restoration technicians employ a proprietary process for silvering using a compound solution that has been in place for generations at Chelsea Clock. Our unique, time honored methods give each clock a fine, even silver color and signature circular texture to the final face appearance.

POLISHING
After the clock’s dial has been restored and re-silvered, we apply a lacquer coating to protect and preserve the finish.  If the dial was hand painted, we re-silver it first and then hand paint the minute track, numbers and company logo prior to lacquering.  Some dials also have a retailer’s name either etched into the dial or ink stamped on.  We are able to replicate the ink stamps using steel plates to transfer the retailer’s name onto the dial.  Once all of these steps have been completed, new escutcheons are fitted to protect the winding holes from key slip ups.

Do you have a clock in need of restoration? We welcome you to send it to us…  Just click here to fill out our repair request form.  A free estimate will be sent to you 7-10 days from the date in which your item is received at our factory. Questions? Click here to submit an inquiry or call 800-284-1778.

Below are some of our most frequently asked questions about caring for your Chelsea Clock.  Do you have a question about your clock?  Visit our FAQ page or simply type your question in the comment section below and we will provide you an answer as quickly as possible. 

Is it possible to over-wind my clock?

No, it is not possible to over-wind a Ship’s Bell or Shipstrike Clock. An under-wound clock will sometimes have an inconsistent chime or may not keep accurate time. When it comes time to wind the clock, be sure to wind both keyholes (clock mainspring and strike mechanism) completely each time (turn the key until you can not turn it any further).

My clock chimes inconsistently. How can I fix this?

More than likely this is caused by not fully winding the clock. To resolve the issue, wind both the clock mainspring (right keyhole) and the strike mechanism (left keyhole) fully. Next, turn the minute hand clockwise to the correct time, stopping at each hour and half-hour point to allow the bells to strike their full count. The hour hand should never be moved manually; all adjustments should be made by moving the minute hand.

How should I care for my clock if I am going on vacation or unable to wind it for extended periods?

If you are not going to be with the clock for over one week, be sure to fully wind both keyholes on the clock. Then insert the black tube into the winding arbor in the front of the clock (provided with the clock’s original packaging). This will ensure that the clock does not wind down completely.  If you have misplaced your black tube you can contact us and we can mail you a replacement or you can cut a plastic straw to fit and insert into the winding arbor.

Guaranteed, Branded Repair for Every Brand of Clock
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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.

We have a bustling factory here at Chelsea. Making clock parts, assembling clock mechanisms, building new clocks, and repairing and restoring antique clocks. We receive clocks in our workroom to repair every day – and every clock has its own story.

Every once in a while, we receive a clock with an exceptional owner and story to go along with it that stops us in our tracks. Whenever that happens, sure enough you’ll find a bunch of us huddled around a technician’s workbench, hearing the retelling of that story through the clock repairs in progress. In a series of blog entries, we want to share some of these stories with you as they come up.

Sara Whitaker Hale sent us a vintage 4 1/2″ Commander, (a Ship’s Bell clock from the early 1900s)  for repair last February.

This clock belonged to her remarkable father Morris M Whitaker, and we have just got to share some of the story she told us with you…

Morris Whitaker was a Naval Architect and innovative boat builder in New York City in the early 1900s. He first went to Yale, then Cornell to study Naval Architecture, and finally to the London College of Diesel Engineering. He was the first person to put a diesel engine in a “motor launch.” He built the first boat to transport trains across the Ohio River, and his firm built many cruisers for use in the Great Lakes region. He was retained to help the Russian Government rebuild their fleet after their defeat by the Japanese navy in 1919. (He decided not to go when he heard the Bolshevik revolution had broken out.) He was Franklin Roosevelt’s wooden ships advisor when Roosevelt was Secretary of the Navy. In addition to designing boats, he also designed motorboat-building plants.

Throughout his career, he was very active in motorboat racing on the Hudson – in particular those out of the New York Motor Boat Club at West 149th Street. He officiated historic races of some of the first recorded pioneering women sailors, organized the storied July 1908 race for the Harmsworth Trophy, and designed boats for and participated in many other prominent boating races.

Amazing, right? Wait, there’s more…

In July 1909, Morris Whitaker was on board the Kitcinque in Vinyard sound sailing with the boat’s new owner, Frank D Gheen and his crew on a trial run and the engine caught fire. As the boat began to sink, the group realized the lifeboat only held fewer people than were on board. A veteran sailor, Whitaker felt responsible for the others and voluntarily remained in the water, holding onto the side of the life boat for 11 hours before they were rescued. Later, Gheen gave Whitaker this Chelsea clock in gratitude for his valiant actions. His daughter, Sara Hale Whitaker inherited the clock from her father and has since taken great care to keep it in top condition, sending it to Chelsea for routine maintenance and service.

Kitcinque as depicted in 1909 issue of The Rudder magazine

Interestingly enough, Gheen had owned 4 previous boats christened “Kit” hence this one was the 5th (“cinq” in French, “cinque” in Italian).

We specialize in restoring Chelsea Clocks as well as many other antique clock brands to their original appearance. Common antique clock restoration needs include refinish work on clock cases, dials, and hands. Here’s a story of a clock and how we restored it for its owner…

CASES: Over the years we have serviced thousands of old cases by removing tarnish and restoring them to their original brilliance. We have seen many of the original plated finishes polished off, but once we disassemble the case we can sometimes find clues that show its original color. We offer an array of finishes such as red brass, copper bronze or chrome to name a few.

During the refinishing process, our metal refinishing specialists first chemically strip off all the old lacquer and any oxidation that has built up over the years. At this time any surface dents/scratches will be addressed. Then the case is hand polished and buffed as we do for our new clocks and finally a new clear lacquer seal is applied. We also offer wood refinishing and restoration services.

In the case of the 8 1/2″ Desk Clock and Barometer Set shown below, our technicians performed a complete overhaul on the clock and barometer movements and also refinished the cases, dials, hands and reflectors.

Desk Clock and Barometer Set- Before Picture

Desk Clock and Barometer Set - After Picture

DIALS: There are various things that happen to a clock’s dial as it ages, including marks from winding and setting or attempts to clean the dial with a polish. Once the lacquer seal has been compromised, which will happen over time due to climate or just the natural aging process, the underlying finish is exposed to the elements which will cause it to deteriorate. Because of Chelsea’s unique dial finishing process, we are able to restore most Chelsea Clock dials to their original state. For these dials, we are able to re-silver the clock face and reflector to give it a brand new look. During this restoration process the raised numerals are removed, and the dial is re-silvered using our proprietary silvering process. Then dial is re-lacquered to protect the delicate silver plating.

HANDS: Sometimes hands can’t just be refinished, they need to be replaced. We reuse all the original parts of the instrument but if a hand is damaged beyond repair we will attempt to either locate the correct hand part or at least a hand from the clocks era if we don’t have originals in stock.

For a free estimate of your antique clock complete a clock repair and restoration service form and ship your clock to our facility. Charges for case, dial, hand, and base refinishing will be quoted separately. All movement service work is warranted for two years.