How Did Michael get started in clock repair?

This is without a doubt, the question Michael is asked most frequently. So, for all who are interested, we give the "long" answer here.

Michael was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1960. His father was in the Air Force stationed at what was then called Lockbourne Air Force Base. Being a military family they moved quite a bit. After moves to several parts of California, New York, and Louisiana, his father retired in 1972 and the family moved back to Ohio, which was always considered our home.

Michael graduated from Groveport Madison High School in 1978 in the top 15% of his class. He had every intention of going on to college in the fall. He was contemplating architecture or accounting as a career. Life, however, had a different, perhaps better plan. He took a summer job with a local clock retail store where he delivered and installed grandfather clocks as well as doing stock work, etc. Fall came and went and yet he continued to work at his "summer" job. Michael lived at home, was unmarried and was content enough to keep working there. in spite of his college plans, winter, spring, summer and fall kept coming and going until before he knew it, almost three years had passed. His "career" as a clock delivery boy was going nowhere fast. During this time, He married his high school sweetheart, Candy.

Fortunately for him, early in 1981 he was offered the chance to begin training under the clockmaker who worked for the retail store that employed him. He admits that he did not grow up dreaming of becoming a clockmaker, but the idea fascinated him. He always enjoyed working with his hands. His interest in art, model building and history seemed to dovetail very well into a career in clock repair. Not to over romanticize it, but he has always felt that clock repair, is an art form, especially when restoring a well-made antique movement. A detail oriented mind necessary to be a good model builder was a real advantage. Also, many of the clocks he was to repair, being antiques, added an historic aspect to what he would be doing. With these things in mind, it did not take him long to decide.

How did you learn clock repair?

In May of 1981 Michael began an apprenticeship that was to last for five years. During this time, he learned all aspects of the repair of grandfather clocks, striking and chiming wall and mantle clocks, cuckoos and anniversary clocks, whether antique or modern. He continued to work with his teacher until 1992. Because of this there was always someone there to correct him if necessary and help him when he needed it. Even though the apprenticeship was over after five years, the training never really ends.

Did Michael receive any further training?

He eventually left his employment with the clockmaker who trained him and set off to begin his own business. In 1994 Master Clock Repair was born. Soon after this, instead of thinking he had learned all there was to know about clock repair, he began to seek out ways to continue his education. he believed that he had already received excellent training, but he reasoned that if he did not expose himself to other clockmakers, he would never know what he didn't know! His first stop was to renew his membership with two clock related organizations, the NAWCC (National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors) and AWCI (American Watchmakers Clockmakers Institute). The NAWCC is geared more towards the collector and the clock historian, whereas AWCI's main focus is to serve the working professional and enhance the skills of all who practice either trade. (AWCI welcomes clock and watchmakers in all skill ranges.) Both of these organizations send out informative publications each month, with articles on clock histories and proper repair procedures and tips. Along with these publications he stays current by reading major new clock repair books. By exposing himself regularly to this material he is able to compare and sometimes contrast his techniques with those of others.

Between 1995 and 2022 he has attended dozens of continuing education classes and seminars, at his own expense, sponsored by AWCI and WAO (Watch and Clockmakers Association of Ohio). There is always more to learn he says. Even after being in the trade for 44 years Michael continues to attend classes.

Tell me about Michael’s clock repair experience.

From the time he entered the trade in 1978 and up to 2022, Michael conservatively estimates that he has set up, repaired, restored or serviced over 44,000 clocks, including having made over 22,000 house calls. He has repaired all types and makes of antique clocks, from Early American and English tall case clocks to Howard Banjo's, from Chelsea Ship's Bell clocks to Vienna Regulators and from the common modern grandfather clock movement to the large antique, high quality tubular bell clocks by Winterhalder, Herschede and others. He has restored 200-year-old Morbiers as well as clocks with wooden movements made in the early 1800's. He has been an authorized service agent for Howard Miller the whole time he has been in business.

What does it mean to be certified?

Certification is obtained from The American Watchmakers Clockmakers Institute, the premier trade association for working professional watchmakers and clockmakers. As of July 2010, there were approximately 137 clockmakers nationwide who had obtained certification through this organization. As of 2022 there are only four, including Michael, currently working in Ohio.

Michael passed the initial certification exam in 2001 and then in 2011 upgraded his certification to Certified Clockmaker of the Twenty-First Century

Being Certified means you have been judged by your peers as competent in the field of clock repair. A very small percentage of people practicing the trade ever seek to be certified.

For more details on certification please see our “What is Certification” page.

Why are you called a clockmaker if you do not make clocks?

Many years ago, if you wanted to buy a clock you could not go to the local clock store. There weren't any! You went to the local clockmaker and commissioned him to make one for you! Prior to 1800, with very few exceptions, clocks were not made until someone had already agreed to pay for it!

Quite naturally, if you already owned a clock that was not working properly you would take it to the "clockmaker" to have it repaired.

Out of tradition, even today, when there is no need for clocks to be made individually, the person who repairs clocks is still called a "clockmaker".

Is my clock worth repairing?

Michael cannot answer this question specifically, since each clock and clock owner is different, but below he will share with you, what he feels is the best way to come to a decision.

There are two kinds of clocks we will consider here. The first type is a clock that has no emotional value to a person at all; it is simply a functioning clock that no longer works. In this case, the replacement value of the piece should factor into the decision. If the clock is going to cost as much or more to repair than it is to replace, you might as well replace it. An honest clockmaker will inform his customer when this is the case.

The other kind of clock is one that has either been passed down to its current owner through a family member, the current owner intends to pass it on to their children or the clock holds some special sentiment or meaning to the individual. In this case the most important factor is not its replacement value, but its emotional or sentimental value. Because this type of clock is "one of a kind" and essentially irreplaceable, it is well worth whatever the cost of a proper repair would be.

Most of the time when dealing with a quality clock, even a complete overhaul of the clock movement is going to cost less than the clock's replacement value. On some of the more common antique clocks the cost will frequently come very close to or perhaps be a little more than its actual value and the more unusual or rare pieces will have a repair cost that will fall well below. Unless the clock has been purchased for "investment" reasons or for resale, the clock's emotional value should be considered first.

Beware of those clockmakers who feel it necessary to inflate unrealistically the value of the clocks brought in for repair in order to justify their repair costs. It should not be necessary to do this. If the repair is being done in a proper manner by a professionally trained repairman whom you trust, and you love your clock, it is well worth the cost regardless of what its resale value might be.

For a more detailed analysis, read the “What Is My Clock Worth” page.

Should I replace or restore my worn clock dial?

Many early American clocks had dials that were nothing more than a printed piece of paper glued to a metal dial pan. As these paper dials aged, many of them have become extremely dirty, damaged or worn badly.  For those clocks with painted dials, misguided attempts at cleaning the dial may have removed some of the paint.  In other instances, some dials have been poorly re-painted by well-meaning but non-professional “artists”.

Many times, the customer will ask whether anything can be done about this and if it will affect the clock's value. The first thing to consider is, are you planning to sell the clock? If you are not, then the value of the clock after a dial replacement is really not a factor.

In the case of most common clocks, if the value of the clock is an important consideration in making the decision to replace or not, the answer is often that it is a wash. If you leave the bad dial, a potential buyer will want to pay you less because the dial looks so bad, if you replace it, he may want to pay you less because the dial is not original. If the purchaser is an investment style collector, he will be less interested either way because he will only be looking for clocks in original and pristine condition.

Therefore, unless the clock is rare or has great antique value, Michael recommends that the owner should do what they think will please them the most when they look up at their clock sitting on the shelf or hanging on the wall.

For very rare clocks it is best to leave the original dial as it is or perhaps, have a professional dial restorer stabilize it so it does not get worse.

For examples of paper dials that have been replaced, painted dials that have been restored or metal dials that have been refinished look at our “Before and After page for Clock Dials”.

Should I refinish my antique clock case?

The answer to this question is essentially the same as the last one. However, I'll add this. Many people now watch the "Antique Roadshow" on TV. They have heard the appraiser's comments about how a particular item's value has been diminished due to refinishing. This certainly can be true. A very rare piece is often worth more even if the original finish is in very bad condition. Notice I said very rare! Most clocks that people are bringing in for repair and considering the "refinish question" have clocks that are only worth several hundreds of dollars and although quite old are not rare at all. Frequently, the antique furniture in question on the "Antique Roadshow" is worth thousands and thousands of dollars, not a few hundred.

For most of my customers, the sentimental value far out weighs any antique value. Therefore they are repairing, refinishing and or replacing dials for their personal satisfaction, not for some future investment return.

Each clock owner must decide this question for themselves. I never suggest that a customer should refinish or not refinish. I give them the information and options and let them decide.

For examples of clock cases that have been cleaned and or refinished please look at our “Before and After page for Clock Cases”.

Why is my modern clock worn out already?

Many clock owners are shocked to find out that their fifteen-to twenty-five-year-old clock with a German made movement is worn out already. I have even seen a few that have worn themselves out after only seven or eight years. Fortunately, this is rather rare. Most of the modern era clocks that I find myself having to overhaul or replace fall into the twenty-to-forty-five-year range.

There are two main reasons why the modern clock tends to wear out sooner than many clock owners would imagine. The first reason is that many clock owners neglect to properly maintain their clocks. My recommendation is that this be done about every three to five years. You should not wait for the clock to fail before you think of having it serviced. The longer the clock runs without lubrication the more wear is likely to occur.

The second and perhaps biggest reason is, "They just don't make them like they used to." Everyone gets tired of hearing this but it is true for clocks just like it is for many other mechanical items. It hurts more when it comes to clocks because a great number of clocks produced long ago were built to last 100 years or more. In this modern age, the consumer's demand for lower prices has caused the large clock manufacturers to find ways to produce clocks for less money. Because the large clock case manufacturers are the biggest customers of the movement manufacturers, they are able to set the price they are willing to pay. After all, they are buying thousands of movements at a time. Once the case maker sets a price the movement maker must find a way to produce them in a way that remains profitable. In order to do this, he may use softer, lesser expensive brass or steel to make the various components for the clock movements. This results in decreased durability.

In spite of this, these modern German movements are still some of the best being produced today and the cost of repair or replacement is normally well below the cost of replacing the entire clock, case and all. Because of this, most of the key-wound and weight driven clocks being produced today will still be around for many, many years to come, as they are passed on to future generations.

Which brand of new grandfather clock is the best to buy?

The quick answer is that no brand is necessarily better than the others. Within a given price range the differences will be minimal. The reason this is true is because the various different brands, for the most part, are using essentially the same quality of movements in their cases. Where the difference usually occurs is in the quality of the cabinetry. In the right price range (usually $3500 and up) any clock made by any manufacturer will usually have a high quality case.

Spending more money on a clock does not mean that you get a clock that will last longer. What you get is a nicer case finish, more expensive wood and or inlays, beveled glass, gold trim, better quality dials, larger fancier pendulum, engraved weight shells, lights, more movement features etc. The durability of the mechanism itself may be marginally better but not enough to make it the most important consideration. The larger movements in these clocks are often a sight to behold and look far better than some of the smaller ones. However, also remember that when it comes time to replace that movement, the cost of doing so will be higher. Do not buy a clock without knowing that you will have to replace the movement eventually, usually in the 20-45 year range depending on brand and type of movement. Currently, in my opinion, Kieninger’s triple chime, cable driven, upgraded movement with removable cable barrels is the best of all of them in terms of durability.

Unfortunately, there are far fewer manufacturers to choose from then there was 20 years ago. Many clock companies have either quit manufacturing or have gone out of business altogether. When you go shopping for a new clock, chances are, all you are going to see is Howard Miller and Ridgeway (Ridgeway is owned by Howard Miller!). If you stay above the $3500 full retail range, you will be buying a decent clock.

You can save money and have a wider choice in brands and styles by buying a used grandfather clock. But be aware that you are buying a clock that has already had some of its life “used up”. You will have to replace the clock’s movement sooner than you would if you bought a brand-new one. However, the savings may be well worth the cost of the new movement when it is necessary.