Long case clocks, tall case clocks, and long case grandfather clocks all refer to the same thing. Grandfather clocks go by many names and are among the oldest models in existence today. A typical grandfather clock is tall, free-standing, and its pendulum is housed within a nice long, narrow case. Old clocks were simply mechanical wooden boxes that covered a considerable amount of space. Modern grandfather clocks are still big, but wall clock options are out there. The shape of the watch face and case has been modified since the mid-17th century. Another item that has been modified over the years is the grandfather clock movement.
In the past, long-case grandfather clocks were made with two types of movements. There was the movement of eight days and the movement of 30 hours or one day.
The movement of the eight days
This type of watch movement only requires you to magnify it once a week. Usually an eight day clock was powered by two weights. One weight drove the pendulum and the other weight drove the percussion mechanism. A striking mechanism consisted of chimes or a bell. On each side of the sphere, there were two locks that were used for the winding process. A great example of a watch that uses an eight day movement is the Thomas Ross. Find this watch online and see its parts.
The movement of a day
The one-day or 30-hour movement required daily winding. Watches using this movement had a weight to operate both the striking mechanism and the timing system. These were certainly the inexpensive styles bought by those people who couldn’t afford watches with eight-day movement. Manufacturers back then had found a way to make the one day and the eight day look similar. Some watches with a 30-hour movement had dummy locks to imitate the two eight-day locks. Watches with eight-day movement were expensive.
Longcase watch movement today
Most of the long case watches you are likely to get today have an eight day movement. Their weights are suspended by cables and have a pulley system. The weights of other watches are suspended by chains and have a gear system. The mechanics or the type of movement that involves weights, chains, and a pendulum continues to be updated. A company like Hermle continues to make grandfather clocks for other watch companies.
Watches that are not mechanical use electronic movement. They normally use what is called the quartz movement. Hermle also specializes in quarter movement. It can be described as a process through which electronic impulses are passed from a battery through a quartz crystal. This powers the movement of the watch at frequent intervals. When an electrical charge is applied to the quartz crystal, it vibrates and is charged by the battery, which in turn moves the clock hands.
It also drives the chimes and the pendulum. Movement specifically made by Hermle tends to last longer, regardless of the mechanical or electronic style. There are many stores available on the Web that can sell you movements. You may need to change the watch movement and weights if they are faulty. You can find both contemporary and antique wall clock movement quickly and safely online.