Chiming Clocks

I have a fancy for a chiming clock - not a grandfather or anything huge - just a little mantel clock - but definitely not westminster chimes.

Does anyone have one?
Are they annoying?
Is there an alternative to the foul westminster chime?

Re: Chiming Clocks

I have 2 'chiming clocks' but unfortunately (or maybe fortunately!) they have both lost their chimes.

One is a very old mantel clock and belonged to my G.Grandfather and the other is a wall clock which someone gave us for an anniversary present many years ago.

Re: Chiming Clocks

We have a 7ft grandfather clock in the hall, I always turn the quarter hourly Chimes off when we go to bed or I'd never sleep with the booming echoing round the house, it seems louder at night. I put them on again in the morning, also the clock on the mantlepiece is a chiming one but the Chimes are not wound up on it ever, just too much with the both of them going every 15 minutes.

Re: Chiming Clocks

Tabby, I bought an old one in a second hand shop about 45 years ago.
It is a wooden case mantel clock and has two different sets of chimes, so you can have it either Westminster or Whittington, and it chimes every quarter.
It needs winding every few days else the chimes start going wrong.

I love that old clock, it has a really 'deep rich' tone to it, and I find the sound of it ticking and chiming homely. I'd miss it terribly if it conked out.

However, I do find they are expensive to service and/or repair.
If it doesn't have a battery or a plug, most jewellers haven't got a clue, so I had to find an old fashioned clock mender.

It was last cleaned and serviced and had new springs put in and a new door hinge several years back, and I think it cost somewhere around £300 or thereabouts.

I suppose it could do with another service really, but I will leave well alone for the time being.

Re: Chiming Clocks

My mother's next-door-neighbour in retirement apartments had one of those clocks. When staying there I found it very annoying chiming all day and especially at night, making sleep difficult.

Somehow though my mother didn't hear it, so she told me. Maybe it's like people who live alongside railways or busy roads, they just 'switch off' from it!

Re: Chiming Clocks

We have a Granddaughters Clock, which I refuse to have the charms on.

Re: Chiming Clocks

No l haven’t got one. I wouldn’t like one as l wouldn’t appreciate it.

My mother had one that seemed to chime for ages, especially when it had got to the good bit in a film or television series.

Re: Chiming Clocks

We have a mantel clock and a wall station clock, both very old and both have stopped working. Getting them repaired these days is difficult and expensive which is a shame because I love hearing the chimes. They used to go on through the night too but we got used to it. The mantel clock had a strange quirk where it would only do two chimes at three o'clock. I miss hearing them.

Re: Chiming Clocks

I have a cuckoo clock. It isn't exactly a chiming clock, although it does do a single note chime just before the cuckoo makes an appearance.

Marge doesn't like it, unfortunately, and keeps trying to persuade me to move it to another room.

Re: Chiming Clocks

I like Cuckoo clocks, never had one though.