Expert: Martin Meyer - 1/23/2009

Question
I have a Seth Thomas Desk clock, not sure what year or model. It winds,keeps time, and the Westminster Chime works. However, when the Westminster chimes strike on the hour, the chime count does not match the hour. In time it strikes some random hour. The pattern seems to be that the chimes keep gaining an hour even though the clock keeps the correct time. Do you know anything about this? Could you please tell me how to properly set the time, in case that may be the problem? Thank you.

So, the number of my clock's chimes do not coincide with the hour. My clock is a 973 Quartz Made in Germany. I received it new in 1988. I don't see any other info on the back of my clock.  

Answer
Hi Patty,

I'm not clear from your question exactly what the striking pattern is on your clock, that is, if it is random, one hour ahead of the time which the clock reads, or gains one hour more on each hour strike.

The only one of the above possibilities which you can correct is if the clock strikes the same number of times different from the time the hands read on every hour strike, that is for example, it always strikes one hour more than the time the hands read.

To correct this problem, you must change the hour hand position to match the number of times the clock strikes. On quartz movements, the hour hand cannot be easily moved to point to a different hour, without taking a chance on damaging the movement. So, you should wait until the clock strikes the hour and count the number of strikes. Then remove the battery. Next unscrew the hand nut, pull the minute hand straight off, then pull the hour hand straight off. Make sure that you do not turn the hands when you do this. Now replace the hour hand pointing to the hour number that matches the number of hours that the clock just struck. Make sure that you do this by pushing the hand straight on, do not turn it. Next, replace the minute hand pointing to the "12", and replace the hand nut. The clock's time will now be in synch with the strike.

If the clock's problem is that it is striking randomly or in a changing number of hours different from the correct, then the movement is damaged and must be replaced.  http://www.clockmasteronline.com