Customer Spotlight: Jon Grand's 1920s Ship's Bell

My Chelsea ship's bell clock dates back to 1920. For many years it sat at the base of the steps in my father-in-law’s boyhood home. Breakfast was at 7 a.m. If he was not in his place, ready for school, before the clock finished striking the hour, his breakfast was forfeited.

The clock passed to me in 1970, stiChelsea clocks are considered expensill marking time. Finally, last year, I decided to have it repaired and restored. After more than 90 years of timekeeping it seemed like the reasonable thing to do. So I sent it back to Chelsea. Throughout the process, the customer service and technical staff kept me apprised of what was going on and what their recommendations were. It took a while… but that's the nature of true craftsmen doing a professional job.

The clock is once again home. Quietly and steadily it marks the passage of my days. If I wake in the night, I often listen for its chime to tell me the hour. Of course it would be easier to turn on the light and look at my watch, but there's something comforting about its sound in the night. It's a constant joy, both for its physical beauty and for the beauty of its chime.

Chelsea clocks are considered expensive. But how many things do most of us own that, at more than ninety years old, continue to function and bring joy? (Well, there was my 92-year-old father but that’s a different story.) Plus, as the clock needs attention, the Chelsea company continues to back their product with an almost unheard of level of customer service and technical expertise. There's a watch company that, as part of its advertising, suggests that its product is not truly owned… only enjoyed for a span of time and then passed along. A Chelsea clock, likewise, is a treasure to enhance the lifetimes of many. --Jon Grand