MY CLOCK SHOP

P. O. Box 942 - Sandwich, Massachusetts


	It's Time To Make - My Clock Shop - Your Clock Shop

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Oftentimes words and terms are used when talking about clocks that either no longer appear in everyday conversation or are used incorrectly. This can lead to miscommunication between the owner or prospective owner of a clock and the clockmaker, particularly when unfamiliar or incorrect terms are used. When engaged in conversation or communicating in writing about clocks, it’s important that all parties use the same terms. Listed below is a glossary of words, stated in layman’s terms, that are used on this website and that will be useful for anyone engaged in a conversation or written communication concerning the repair or purchase of antique, vintage and modern clocks.

Click on the term to see an image of the respective item or to hear an example of the sound associated with the term

Arbor — in clock movements, short rods of steel on which wheels and pinions are mounted for turning during operation of the clock

Balance — a wheel with rim coupled to a spiral or helical spring that rotates back and forth during operation of the clock

Barrel — a cylindrical housing that contains a mainspring within a clock movement

Beat — the ticking sound made by a clock during operation; a clock is said to be “in beat” when the sound produced is an even Tic-Tic rather than an uneven Tic-Tock

Beats per hour — the rate of a clock expressed in the number of beats that take place in one hour

Bezel — a part attached to the clock case which supports and contains glass positioned in front of the dial

Bushing — a cylindrical lining for pivot holes in a clock movement used to house pivots

Chime clock — a clock which plays a peal or series of notes on bells, rods, tubes or gongs at the hours and quarter hours

Dial — the part of a clock that in conjunction with the hands displays the time; sometimes referred to as the “face”

Escapement — the part of the clock that allows stored energy in the mainsprings or weights to be released in a controlled way

Gong — a coil of wire mounted within the clock case that is struck by a hammer to sound the time

Mainspring — a long flat ribbon of steel or other alloy which has been coiled into a cylindrical shape which provides power to operate a clock and operate its strike or chime mechanism

Movement — the mechanism of a clock without dial or case; sometimes referred to as “works”

Pendulum — the swinging part of a clock that oscillates back and forth to regulate the release of power in a controlled way; pendulums typically consist of a rod with a weight located near its lower end

Pinion — a small toothed wheel; sometimes incorrectly referred to as “gear”

Pivot — the end of an arbor that turns or rotates in a pivot hole or bushing during operation of a clock

Pivot hole — a cylindrical hole in a clock movement used to house pivots

Radial numerals — numerals that are placed around the perimeter of the dial so that the top of the numeral turns along the radius of the dial rather than remaining in an upright position; generally Roman numerals are placed radial on clock dials and Arabic numerals are placed upright

Reverse Painting — an image that has been painted on the inside or backside of a piece of glass in a clock so that when the image is viewed from the front it appears in proper orientation

Rods — long cylindrical lengths of metal that are struck by hammers to sound the time in striking and chiming clocks

Strike — a note that is not part of a peal or series of notes produced when a hammer strikes a bell, rod, tube or gong denoting the time

Westminster Chime — a series of notes derived from the fifth bar of Handel’s aria sounded on bells, rods, tubes or gongs at the hours and quarter hours

Works — the mechanism of a clock without dial or case; more commonly referred to as “movement”