Hermle Grandfather Clocks and Hermle Grandmother Clocks

Demand for grandfather clocks is global and has held steady over the decades, especially at the higher end, no doubt owing to the incomparable beauty and enduring value of these handcrafted heirloom pieces. Recent home design trends, with an emphasis on traditional and retro-influenced decor, suggest that the grandfather clock will likely gain in popularity even further in the coming years.

The original Grandfather Clock referred to a floor clock in London’s George Hotel. As the story goes, the hotel was owned by two brothers. The death of one of them caused the clock to malfunction, resulting in the death of the second brother. The story inspired the song “My Grandfather’s Clock,” composed in 1875 by Henry Clay Work.

Grandfather clocks are also commonly known as longcase clocks, tall-case clocks or simply floor clocks. The name goes back to the shape and size of the grandfather clock with grandfather clocks typically standing 6 to 8 feet tall. Traditional Grandfather Clocks are usually elaborately carved, made out of precious wood, have beautifully enameled or engraved dials (otherwise known as clock faces) and are true family heirlooms.

There are also grandmother clocks, a smaller and more delicate version of the grandfather clock. If you compare the clocks from Hermle Alexandria Grandmother Clock Collection to other floor clocks such as Shelborne or Berlin Grandfather Clock, you will notice how much more slender and shorter these clocks are. That variety gives any grandfather clock buyer the opportunity to shop for a clock that fits not only the desired style but also the space available.

Grandfather Clocks first appeared in England and trace their origins back to the 17th century when due to their long pendulum and innovations in its swing, they were the most accurate timekeeping mechanisms available. Along with the regulator wall clocks, grandfather clocks remained the best way to know the precise time until early 20th Century. At that time, they became even more popular due to the addition of the quarter hour chimes and a variation of elaborate chime sequences. At the top of the hour, the grandfather clock plays a full chime sequence and then gong strike. The majority of grandfather clocks play Westminster Quarters Chimes but there are many other clocks, particularly in the Franz Hermle Floor Clocks Collection that play Whittington Chimes, St. Michael’s Chimes or Ave Maria.

As other, less domineering and more affordable clocks became more accurate (such as Vienna Style Regulator Clocks), the number of manufacturers producing grandfather clocks that required a lot more labor, exquisite woodwork and were more expensive, declined. Nowadays, the top manufacturers of grandfather clocks are Franz Hermle and Howard Miller (also owns Ridgeway).  Howard Miller is an American Clock Manufacturer located in Michigan. Franz Hermle is a Black Forest Bavaria (Germany) manufacturer with a 100 year old tradition of clock making and it’s clock movements are an example of true clock making art. In fact, the newcomer at the clock market, Bulova Clocks who bought many designs of the old grandfather clock companies that went out of business, have Franz Hermle movements. In addition to the factory in Germany, Hermle also has a North American Factory and many of the beautiful ornate cases for the Hermle Grandfather clocks we are proud to have in our catalog, are made in Virginia.

Home technologies become obsolete, and interior decorating trends come and go, but grandfather clocks are here to stay. You can shop for and order traditional grandfather and grandmother clocks at the convenience of your own home, online from Timely & Timeless and also benefit from the free shipping and complimentary engraving we offer, not to mention our white glove delivery. If you have any questions, want to check availability, delivery times and the latest price updates, please call us at 800 -390-4067