Clocks

A grandfather clock — properly a longcase or floor clock — is a piece of furniture as much as a timepiece, typically 70 to 90 inches tall with a weight-driven or quartz movement behind a glazed door. StudioLX carries floor clocks from Hermle and Uttermost in traditional, transitional and modern cases.

Chimes. Triple-chime movements let you select Westminster, Whittington or St. Michael, and nearly all include an automatic night shut-off so the clock stays silent between roughly 10pm and 7am. Westminster is the familiar four-note sequence most people picture.

Mechanical or quartz. Mechanical movements need winding — usually every 8 days — and periodic servicing, but they hold value and sound better. Quartz movements run on batteries, keep more accurate time and need nothing from you.

Placement. Floor clocks want a level, solid floor against an interior wall. Thick carpet can throw the case out of plumb, which stops a pendulum. Leave a few inches behind the case for the pendulum to swing freely.

See also wall clocks and mantel and tabletop clocks.