The Art and Beauty of the Pendulum Clock
Pendulum clocks usually find a place of distinction in any home. Pendulum wall clocks or the grandfather long case clocks are invariably inherited down the generations and cared for as heirlooms. Pendulum clocks have evolved over the ages, from the time they were invented in the seventeenth century to a variety of designs, materials and features.
The credit for inventing the pendulum clock in 1656 is attributed to Christiaan Huygens who based it on Galileos design from the 1580s. Though Galileo invented the basic mechanism, it was Huygens who came up with a working pendulum clock with the necessary escapements. Pendulum clock became very popular as accurate time keepers. They need to be located in a fixed place to have the pendulum swinging properly. That is why we do not see portable pendulum clocks. Did you know that clocks did not count seconds until the seventeenth century? In fact, until the pendulum clocks came along, even minutes were not so accurately counted.
The original pendulum clocks had their pendulums swinging with a weight. A few years later, Huygens came up with spring driven clocks. The beginning of the 20 th century saw the first battery operated pendulum clock. There are now pendulum regulator clocks that are stationary and highly accurate. These show seconds beating, a compensated pendulum and special escapements.
Antique pendulum wall clocks and floor standing clocks used to be crafted by hand and quite expensive, which is why they are treasured as heirlooms. These antique pendulum wall clocks were intricately decorated and only afforded by the wealthy. So much so, they became status symbols. Gradually, with the birth of the nineteenth century, clock parts began to be mass produced and became more accessible to people. While home pendulum clocks were good enough to see the time, the pendulum regulator clocks were used in offices for their accuracy and precision.
One of the most popular brands in home décor makes the unique Southwest pendulum clocks in metal. There are beautiful steel cutout clocks that enhance the look of a room. These clocks have magnetic pendulums and are hand finished with lustrous copper wash. Southwest pendulum clocks come in a variety of outstanding designs like the Red Chile Pepper, cutouts, Kokopelli, Universal vortex and Petroglyphs. These metal pendulum clocks are finished in copper, blue green and sonoran dusk. There are clocks to fit any room in the home with special designs and colors for the kitchen, the den, the living room, etc.
Setting the pendulum
The pendulum of your pendulum clock must be manually set to swing by moving it to the left and the right and releasing it. The clock then ticks to indicate that it has started. Moving the pendulum too far while setting it can harm the mechanism, so you need to be careful about that. Usually about an inch on either side ought to be right.
Pendulum clocks are regulated by moving the pendulums bob up and down. There are mantel clocks that go above the fireplace that come with a key with which the pendulums length can be adjusted. There are also clocks where the pendulum has a rating nut for adjusting the clock, to make it run faster or slower. These adjustments must be performed very gently so as to not damage the mechanism.
Pendulum wall clocks and grandfather clocks, when well maintained, can be as accurate as any other modern clock. Today there are several pendulum clocks that look like original antique pendulum wall clocks that you can buy. If you have an antique clock, there are services that help you restore them to their original beauty.
Related Links:
Hickory Dickory Dock Pendulum Clock
Seth Thomas Heritage Pendulum Wall Clock
Infinity Instruments Ocean World Iron Wall Hanging
Pink Flamingo Pendulum Clock
Infinity Instruments Ltd. 12684 Wagging Cat Tail 14" Pendulum Wall Clock
Glass and Wood Round Pendulum Clock
Wrought Iron Pendulum Table clock,18 x 6
Modern Pendulum Clock
Infinity Instruments Majestic Palm Wall Hook
Infinity 12865AG The Classic Wrought Iron Pendulum Wall Clock
Magnolia Triple-Chime Pendulum Wall Clock by Seth Thomas
Deveraux Triple-Chime Wall Clock by Seth Thomas
Infinity Instruments Deco Retro Kitchen Clock Wall Clock
Infinity 12588 Wrought Iron Pendulum Wall Clock
Infinity Wrought Iron Pendulum Table Clock - 11733
G715B Frog Pendulum Clock 7in
Dachshund Dog Pendulum Wall Clock Tail Wags
Verdigris Iron Pendulum Table Clock
Howard Miller Avery Rustic Cherry Finish Pendulum Clock 625-385
Howard Miller Dennison Wall Clock
Pendulum Wall Clock - Goldtone
Seth Thomas Reginald Pendulum Wall Clock
Flat Glass and Wood Pendulum Clock
Metal Table Clock with Swinging Pendulum
Infinity Walnut Wood Pendulum Wall Clock
Fat Chef Pendulum Wall Clock DK-7667
Pink Flamingo Pendulum Clock
Howard Miller 28" Black & Cherry Alexi Pendulum Wall Clock 625-390
Wrought Iron Pendulum Table clock by unknown artist
Green & Gold Pendulum Clock
Pendulum Wall Clock-Walnut
Pineapple Pendulum Wall Clock DK-7659
Swinging Pendulum Table Clock
FTS Free Shipping Large Chester Pendulum Wall Clock - 124-300-53
elegant pendulum clock
Infinity Wrought Iron Pendulum Table Clock
Card Clock With Pendulum
Harding Pendulum Mantel Clock
Seth Thomas Trastavere Pendulum Mantel Clock
Seth Thomas Burns Pendulum Mantel Clock
Seth Thomas Kenton Pendulum Mantel Clock
Wrought Iron Pendulum Table clock
Seth Thomas Hamilton Pendulum Mantel Clock
Infinity Instruments Wagging Cat Tail Pendulum Clock
Seth Thomas Rosierre Pendulum Mantel Clock
Seville Crystal Ball Pendulum Mantle Clock
TABLE PENDULUM CLOCK
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES PENDULUM CLOCK
Seth Thomas Napolean Pendulum Mantel Clock
Infinity Instruments Classic Pocket Alarm Clock, Black
Square Nest Romantic Pendulum Clock
Seth Thomas Harding Pendulum Mantel Clock
Wrought Iron Pendulum Table Clock
Infinity Instruments 11733 Wrought Iron Pendulum Table Clock
Green And Gold Pendulum Table Clock
Table Pendulum Clock
Wood Pendulum Clock/Curio Cabinet
Seth Thomas Wentworth Pendulum Mantel Clock
Hand-Forged Pendulum Wall Clock
Black Americana Cook Chef 3D Pendulum Kitchen Wall Clock
Rottweiler Dog Pendulum Wall Clock Tail Wags
Howard Miller Carmen Pendulum Wall Clock 625-326
Wrought Iron Pendulum Wall Clock
Infinity Instruments 12684 14inch Cat Pendulum Wall Clock
Six Swinger Pendulum Wall Clock
Seth Thomas Bellafonte Pendulum Wall Clock
Kirch MSP-1901 Floral Iron Pendulum Wall Clock
Green Apple Pendulum Wall Clock DK-7668
Seth Thomas Lillian Pendulum Wall Clock
Wood Pendulum Wall Clock - Free Shipping
Infinity Instruments W12245-1662 Whitewash Pendulum Wall Clock
Olivia Pendulum Wall Clock
Pendulum Wall Clock
Infinity 13364-2546 The Anthony Pendulum Wall Clock
Howard Miller 31" Ornate Oak Wood Pendulum Wall Clock- 'Leeann' 625-336
Sesame Street Elmo and Zoe Pendulum Wall Clock
Pendulum Table Clock
Howard Miller Rowland Quartz Pendulum Wall Clock
Seth Thomas Grammercy Pendulum Wall Clock
Kirch MP-2402 Vintage Iron Pendulum Wall Clock
Infinity 9952NA/673 Illusion Wood Wall/Table Pendulum Clock (Natural)
Seth Thomas Winchester Pendulum Wall Clock
Howard Miller Contemporary Hudson Pendulum Wall Clock 625-403
Kirch 1147Dora Pendulum Wall Clock
Natural Miniature Pendulum Clock
Seth Thomas Whitley Pendulum Wall Clock
Infinity Instruments The Prague Wall Clock, Cream
Howard Miller 23" Wrought Iron Pendulum Wall Clock 625-296
Kirch MP-2102 Vintage Pendulum Wall Clock
Howard Miller 81st Anniversary Elaine Pendulum Wall Clock 625-408
Illusion Pendulum Clock - Walnut Finish (Walnut) (16.5"H x 6"W x 2.25"D)
Howard Miller 28" Arched Wrought Iron Pendulum Wall Clock 625-298
Howard Miller 25" Griffith Internal Pendulum Wall Clock 625-314
"Salvador" Pendulum Italian Wall Clock
Howard Miller Modern Gwyneth Pendulum Wall Clock 625-340
Howard Miller Nicole Aged Iron Pendulum Wall Clock 625-327
Pendulum Wall Clock by Loricron LOR-854-W
Kirch MP-2501 Vintage Wired Pendulum Wall Clock
Infinity 12245-1662 Whitewash Pendulum Clock
Seth Thomas Lexington Pendulum Wall Clock
