Sunday is clock winding day

Arthur Pequegnat Canadian Time clock

 I collect clocks. I love them. I love the sound and the constant reminder of the passage of time. When I grew up we probably had one clock in the house, an electric one located in the kitchen. Nowhere else!

Daniel Dakota, though Chinese it runs well

However, my grandmother had an old school house regulator style time-only clock in her kitchen and I loved the sound, a very loud tick-tock that seemed to resonate throughout their house. Although the clock said "Regulator" on it, it was not a true regulator since it was spring wound whereas regulator clocks are quite often weight driven and hence, very accurate.

My grandmother's clock was high on the wall in the kitchen and above the sink and I often wondered how it got wound once a week since my grandmother was all of 4 foot 9. She must have had to climb on something to reach the winding hole. Anyway the clock went to my cousin after she broke up her home and I haven't seen it in years.

Dugena Bim Bam Mantle clock

 My grandmother on my mother's side never had a clock in the house, none that I can remember. Oh, perhaps a Big Ben windup alarm clock in the bedroom as I now recall. Perhaps my grandfather didn't want to be reminded of the time. When he died in the early 80's my grandmother asked my oldest sister if she could go clock shopping with her. They came home with a grandmother clock. The clock is still running to this day although as I recall it was not a terribly expensive clock at the time, but my grandmother loved it just the same.

Ridgeway Hamilton long case clock

 The first clock I ever bought was one that my wife and I picked up in a small village on the east coast. It was the Seth Thomas pictured here, on top of the piano. That was 20 years ago. They must have made them well at that time because the clock is still running fine to this day.

Forestville Bim Bam clock

 In the last three years I have been looking for the right clocks for the house and I have what I think are a good selection with my favorites being the Canadian Time clock by Arthur Pequegnat and the Ridgeway tall-case (grandfather) clock.

Smiths Enfield time plus chime clock

 So, Sunday is clock-winding day. They are all "8-day" clocks and Sunday is the logical day to wind them all. So out come the cotton gloves!

Winding clocks on a Sunday was the ritual in the old days. It is also a time when you could make some minor speed adjustments. In the course of a 7-day period a clock picks up time on a full wind and gradually loses time as the spring unwinds. Constantly adjusting the time through the week is a waste of time but from time to time a clock, perhaps once a season it might need a little adjustment. Just the other day I had to lengthen the pendulum on my Arthur Pequegnat because it was starting to run a little fast.

Unfortunately, mechanical clocks are not as accurate as the quartz clocks of today, with some exceptions of course. My most accurate clocks are the Canadian Time clock and the tall case clock, both are within 15-30 seconds a week. Sometimes less and sometimes more depending on humidly, time of year and other factors.

Sessions Black Swan time plus chime

Winding is pretty simple, you wind it gently and evenly until you cannot wind it any longer. Contrary to popular belief you cannot over-wind a clock. If you wind it till it cannot be wound any further and the clock stops you have a number of other issues, some very serious, like weak or broken spring(s). Although there are a variety of key sizes I was lucky enough to get the original keys to all of my clocks, even the Ridgeway which has a key to the cabinet door.

Seth Thomas Adamantine mantle clock