Pricing, Condition and Guarantees

The clock’s post repair condition determines the guarantee; therefore, the guarantee is reflective of its condition and life expectancy.  We offer four levels of guarantees.  

As is - We do not sell many clocks in this category simply because we prefer to offer a guarantee on everything we sell.  When a clock is sold “as is” that means there is no guarantee, making it similar to something you would buy at a thrift store, antique store, Ebay or at an auction.  These clocks will sell for the lowest price.  Except in very unusual circumstances, we do not normally sell clocks that do not work.  Therefore, in most cases, almost everything we sell will be functional at the time of the sale. The clocks will have been serviced and fully tested.  We frequently offer clocks at this level when the life of the clock moving forward is difficult to predict. When a clock is sold “as is” we frequently offer an option to purchase the same clock at a higher price, frequently with a new movement installed and a two-year guarantee.

money back Guarantee - This guarantee is typically offered in situations similar to the “as is” clocks noted above and will most often be applied to clocks that can be brought back to us by the customer like wall, mantel or cuckoo clocks.  it is more difficult for us to offer this level of guarantee on floor clocks due to the cost, time or work involved in transporting a larger floor clock back to our shop. We offer this level of guarantee when the life of the clock moving forward is difficult for us to predict.  therefore, we sell them for far less than our other clocks. The longer the time frame of the money back guarantee, the more confidence we have in the life of the clock moving forward. A money back guarantee is much different than a regular guarantee. With a regular guarantee, if the clock fails, we will fix it for free within the time frame of the guarantee. With a money back guarantee, if the clock fails during the time frame the guarantee is in force, we will simply refund your money and take the clock back, assuming that you have not damaged the clock during the time that you have had it. In most cases, we are doing this because the cost of a repair will likely exceed what we sold the clock for. 

One Year Guarantee - This guarantee is typically used when we are selling a clock that has been repaired, but not completely restored because the original movement is in good condition with a life expectancy of at least 5 to 10 years. These clocks will sell for more than “as is” or “money back guarantee” clocks but less than the next guaranteed level.

Two Year Guarantee - Most often we will offer this guarantee when the clock movement has been completely restored or, in the case of modern era clocks, the movement has been replaced with a new one. In these instances, we would expect that these clocks will run for decades without the need for any major repairs. Even though the guarantee is only two years, we expect these clocks to run for 20 to 40 years or more depending on movement brand and type. In other instances, we will obtain a clock where the original movement is in such excellent condition that we are confident that the clock has a life expectancy in excess of ten years. These clocks will carry a higher price because we believe the customer is getting a better value.

Clocks with Multiple Price Options - Sometimes we will sell a clock with multiple price options based on a changing guarantee level. As the price goes up, so does the guarantee. This is often used when we sell used grandfather clocks. When you see two prices on a grandfather clock, the lesser price is for the clock with the original movement and a shorter guarantee. The higher price allows us to install a new movement in the clock, before you buy it, which extends the guaranteed time frame. The difference between the two prices is reflective of the cost for us to install the new movement which is often discounted. When making a decision whether to buy the clock with the original movement at a lower price or with a new movement installed at a higher price, be aware that it is much cheaper for us to replace the movement when the clock is still in our shop, then after it has been taken home or delivered, especially in the case of floor clocks. For floor clocks the difference in price can be as much a $500 or $600.