Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 1/29/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

I have been noticing that many clock shops do not care to even touch 30/31 day clocks. I even viewed a website that would only service them by convert them to battery power!!! Is there something wrong with these clocks or are these people just being lazy? I guess my real question is are 30/31 day clocks good clocks? Thanks for your time and knowledge.

Jonathan

ANSWER: they are oriental - Korean,Chinese, etc, and are in-expensive to purchase and since the makers vary so wildly there is no standardization of parts or mechanisms making them a challenge to repair sometimes.
so most often the repair charges can be twice or more the purchase price.
a $3000 engine rebuild is reasonable on a Mercedes but not on a Yugo.
Shops just cut the grief by refusing them. Not IMHO as good as German mechanisms. But new ones probably will run 20+ years with no problems, then throw it away.
Personally I will work on them, but at the same rates as all clocks, which means most owners decline to spend "that much" on a clock they spent so much less on to buy originally.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks,

That is a little shocking to me but I am glad that I know the truth now. Are there ANY 30/31 day clocks out there that are of better quality or is this just the 30/31 day clock standard?

Are other clocks, like Howard Miller 8 day wall clocks, better in quality or is this just a problem related to wall clocks? Thanks.

Jonathan

Answer
no company has made clock mechanisms in USA for over 60 years, including Howard Miller, who until 10 years ago was buying from several German companies, but finally bought the Kieninger Company in Germany to get their own private source for their clock cases. There are no differences in 31 day movements that would make one better IMHO.
The German movements will run for 20+ years with no problems but then can be repaired easier due to all parts and new movements being readily available and their use in more expensive cases means the owners are richer and also have more invested in the clocks, so repair charges are more easily justified.

So movement quality is about the same for all, but the design and popularity of the German mechanisms makes them more repairable when that time comes.