Clock Terms & Definitions:

4/4 Movement - Movements that chime or strike on the quarter, half and three-quarter hour, in addition to every full hour

Alarm clock - The earliest mechanical clocks were alarm clocks intended for the use of monks so that services could be held at the appointed ecclesiastical hours; all modern alarm clocks are descended from these monastic alarms

Antiqued - a finish that has lines or checking which simulate age

Arch top - A simple semicircular top to the cases of bracket and longcase clocks The design appeared in the late 18th century and continued well into the 19th It presented a satisfyingly simple shape to bracket and mantel clocks in the Adam and Sheratron Styles, and occurred in both mahogany and painted-satinwood bracket clocks with simple brass lion-head or disc-ring handles at the sides

Arabic Numerals - Numeral style (1, 2, 3, etc) used on clock dials

Atomic clock - Atomic and molecular vibrations constitute the most regular of motions in nature, but most are at such a high frequency as to be unusable as time standards. Radio-frequency techniques are used to generate energy at the frequency of the atomic transition from a lower frequency generated by a quartz-crystal oscillator, while the atomic vibration controls the absolute frequency of oscillation, frequency division by electronic circuits being used to obtain the low frequency required to drive the clocks indicating absolute time Accuracy to less than one second error in 100,000 years is now available with the caesium atomic clock

Balloon clock - In the late 18th century a bracket clock appeared with a case that was circular in the upper part, descending to a waisted center portion and then spreading out to a more stable, rectangular base

Banjo clock - This term is believed to have been introduced early in the 20th century to describe American wall clocks of similar appearance to that originally developed by Simon Willard at Roxbury, Massachusetts

Beat - The tick of a clock, or the time taken for a pendulum or balance to swing from its center, or dead point, to one extreme and return to center again Most clock excapements beat twice per cycle The beats should be equally disposed about the center or dead point of the pendulum or balance Single-beat escapements, such as the chronometer and duplex, have one beat on each alternate swing of the balance

Bezel - Front section of clock case including grooved rim into which crystal is set Can also describe the flat decorative surface adjacent to the clock dial

Bim-Bam - Descriptive term for clock chimes which sound only on the hour and half hour

Bob - Polished round disc at the lower end of a clock pendulum

Bonnet top - a rounded clock top

Bookmatched - cut the piece of wood in half and folded open like a book so the wood pattern mirrors each other from right to left; to match the grains of (as two sheets of veneer) so that both sheets seem to be the mirrored image of each other

Bracket clock - The terms 'bracket' and 'mantel' clocks are not synonymous The bracket clock, was made to stand on a decorative, matching bracket fixed to the wall Bracket clocks were introduced about 1670, but the mantelshelf as a normal feature of a fireplace first appeared about 50 years later: with it came the mantel clock The design of bracket clocks changed with contemporary fashion Between 1670 and 1690, square-dial clocks in ebonised pedimented cases were followed by basket-top clocks Then came the arch dial, the inverted bell (about 1720) and then the true bell top about the middle of the century Next came the break-arch case, the balloon clock, the lancet top, the arch top and, the chamfer top

Break arch - A type of top for bracket clocks and longcase clocks which appeared about 1765 and is characteristic of the style of George Hepplewhite The arch is incomplete, having a small ledge or step where it joins the sides of the case Break-arch clocks usually had circular dials with brass bezels, but a number are known with silvered all-over, enameled or painted dials Dials with a semi-circular top are also known as break arch

Burls - piece of wood with more lines and pattern in the grain of the wood; Burls have to be cut from special areas of the tree; a hard woody often flattened hemispherical outgrowth on a tree

Cabinet - The wooden case of a wall, mantle or grandfather clock that encases the clock dial and movement

Cable Driven Movement - A movement that is wound with a crank or key to pull the weights up to the top of the clock The weights will fall over the course of time and powers the clock Cable driven movements are considered to be the better movement over chain driven movements

Calendar clock - Between 1860 and 1875 several patents were granted for mechanisms indicating the day of the week, the day of the month and the month of the year on a seperate dial below the time dial in the same case as the clock mechanism The earliest patent was issued to Hawes of Ithaca, New York, on the 17th of May 1853, but it did not compensate for leap-year, although adjusting for the varying lengths of the months Atkins & Burritt of Ithaca, New York, were granted a patent September 19th, 1854 for the first true perpetual-calendar mechanism The mechanism was improved by the Mix Brothers, and purchased by the Seth Thomas Clock Company in 1864

Carriage Clock - Some horologists consider the coach watch a very large watch usually of outstanding design and workmanship and often incorporating repeating work sounding on bells, to be the first carriage clock Thomas Tompion made a few trveling clocks incorporating both pendulum and balance wheel control, the latter for use during the journey The direct precursor of the carriage clock is the pendule d'officier of about 1775, though the originator of the true carriage clock was the famous Abraham-Louis Breguet In its common form the carriage clock consists of a gilt-brass case with glass-panelled sides and top, hinged carring handle and separate platform escapement; it often has alarm and repeating mechanisms, more rarely grande-sonnerie striking It is the most popular of all clocks and is still manufactured today

Chain Driven Movement - This movement requires thate chains attached to weights are pulled down to raise the weights The weights will then fall over the course of time and power the clock

Chapter Ring - The ring on the dial of a grandfather clock where the numbers are displayed

Chime Rods - Stationary metal rods that when struck by small hammers create chimes and the hour gong

Clock - The word clock is derived from the medieval Latin "clocca" meaning a bell, and the earliest alarm clocks did not possess dials but merely sounded a bell at an appointed time

Crotch - where the limb comes off the tree (provides unique patterns of wood); an angle formed by the parting of two branches

Crown - The top of the clock

Dentil molding - A flat piece of molding, equally notched to create small squares in the wood

Dial, auxillary - A small dial either of flat ring, annulus shape, or engraved or painted, which is added to the main dial to indicate subsidiary movement such as calendar work, Strike/silent mechanisms, alternative types of chimes, choice of tunes in musical clocks, moon phases, tidal readings, and so on

Dial, brass - Although painted iron dials are sometimes found in early Gothic clocks, brass was the principal material in general use from the late 16th to the later years of the 18th century, when enamel or iron dials began to appear Before the Industrial Revolution, when it became possible to produce sheet brass of even thickness in a rolling mill, brass dials were cut from sheet metal which had been cast and reduced to the required gauge by beating with trip hammers operated by water power

Dial, break arch - An early form of arch dial: the top of the main, square dial is surmounted by a semicircular arch, slightly smaller in diameter than the width of the dial, leaving a small step or break at the base of the arch

Dual Chime - plays two tunes and is a quartz-driven movement. Usually plays your choice of Westminster or Ave Maria melodies. Some offer different melody combinations like Westminster and Bim-Bam.

Ebony - A dark, almost black hardwood from various Old World tropical dicotyledonous trees Sometimes all black finishes are referred to as "ebony"

Embossed - having a raised surface relief

Escapement - The device in a clock that controls the action of it's movement

Finial - A decorative ornament forming the upper extremity of a column or structure Often found on top of a grandfather clock

Fixed Moon Phase Dial - An non-functional image of a moondial to enhance the look of the grandfather clock

Fluted - like reeded, rounded design derived from look of small flutes side by side; having or marked by grooves

Fusee - A Fusee Engine was used to make fusees They were used around the early 1800's Watches used a small chain drive to help keep time The fusee looked like a miniature wedding cake inside the watch which is used to equalize main spring power which evens the rate of the watch The tiny chain wraps around the fusee when the watch was wound

Grandfather clock - also called tallcase, longcase, or floor clock A pendulum clock enclosed in a tall narrow case

Grandfather Clock Movement- The mechanical parts of a grandfather clock that runs the time and features of the clock

Grandmother clock - a popular name for a shorter version of the "grandfather" or longcase clock

Hands - Pointed indicators whick mark the hour, minute and seconds on the dial of a clock

Hermle - Manufacturer of clock movements Hermle builds many different movements with various features All Hermle grandfather clock movements are made in Germany Many of the name brand clock makers use Hermle movements

Keystone - semi-triangular piece of wood usually at the top center of the clock

Keywound - Term used to describe clocks powered by a mainspring

Kieninger - Manufacturer of clock movements Kieninger builds many different movements with various features All Kieninger grandfather clock movements are made in Germany

Inlay (inlaid) - creation of added wood design to enhance the looks of a clock

Marquetry - decorative work in which elaborate patterns are formed by the insertion of pieces of material (as wood, shell, or ivory) into a wood veneer that is then applied to a surface (as of a piece of furniture)

Moon Phase Dial - The dial above the 12:00 position of most grandfather clocks Every 29 1/2 days we have a full Moon which is displayed on the Moon Phase dial where the image of the moon is at the top position The Full Moon falls on the 15th of the Lunar month, or half way through the Moon cycle

Movement - The inner mechanism of a clock which can be keywound, weight driven, electric or quartz (battery powered)

Pediment - usually refers to the very top part of the clock, the hood over the mechanism

Pendulum - A swinging rod hanging from below the movement to regulate the movements timekeeping for mechanical movements and usually decorative for quartz movements

Pierced - carving goes completely through (a hole)

Pilasters - Columns or posts that are found on the sides of the grandfather clock running vertically

Quartz Movement - A timepiece that uses an electronic oscillator and a quartz crystal to keep precise time. In 1928, W.A. Marrison of Bell Laboratories built the first quartz clock, accurate to within 1-2 thousandths of a second per day.

Regulator - The regulator was first introduced in the early 18th century when demand arose for a timepiece more accurate than the average domestic clock. Over the years, the term "regulator" has been associated with many other styles of clocks. One of the best known examples is the Vienna Regulator, produced in Austria and Germany. These weight-driven wall clocks were usually very good timekeepers. At the height of mass production, clock manufacturers also introduced a variety of mass-produced "regulators" into the market. The most popular example is the Schoolhouse Regulator. These modest timekeepers were spring driven and lacking virtually all the characteristics of a traditional regulator or precision clock

Roman Numerals - Numeral style (I, II, III, IV, etc) used on clock dials

Tempus Fugit - Latin phrase that means "Time Flies" This can be frequently found above clock dials

Triple Chime - A movement that plays a choice of 3 melodies on the hour. These are usually Westminster Chimes, Whittington Chimes and St Michaels Chimes. Triple Chime Clocks take at least twice as many Chime rods of different pitches to create the different melodies.

Veneer - thin layer of wood for exquisite beauty; a layer of wood of superior value or excellent grain

Vintage - classic; a period of origin

Weight - Heavy metal piece used to power certain types of chime clock movements. Usually decorative when used with quartz movements

Westminster Chimes - Most familiar of all melodies, associated with the Victoria Clock Tower of the House of Parliment in London