If you are in the market for a modern longcase grandfather clock , it
is best to focus your time on the type or style that best
fits your needs. People buy grandfather clocks for very
different reasons. Some buyers are looking for a clock that
will add the finishing touch to their carefully planned
dcor. Others are fond of the lasting memories from their
childhood -the sounds of a grandfather clock as it counted
the minutes with the steady rhythm of tick-tock and the
wonderful tones the chimes produced every hour of their
young lives. Still other buyers love the wonderful precision
of a mechanical timepiece that keeps working day after day
and love the solid steadiness only a grandfather clock
provides.

If the grandfather clock will be used to enhance your dcor,
you have a vast selection of clocks available. The internet
has a great selections to help you narrow down your type and
style. This should reduce your search down to a few
grandfather clocks.

If you cannot find the exact style you are looking for and
you have exhausted all possibilities, then you can have a
grandfather clock designed and build by a local artisan. If
you do a search on 'artisan of fine furniture' you should
find a few leads. Just make sure you contact someone who
builds fine furniture not a cabinet maker. Make sure to ask
if they have any experience working with precision
grandfather clock movements.

The majority of grandfather clocks today are made by Bulova,
Sligh, German Hermle, Ridgeway, Kieninger and Howard Miller.
Howard Miller is the most predominant and is considered the
"GM" of grandfather clocks.

When looking at grandfather clocks it is best to shop at a
store dedicated to clocks and not a local furniture store.
There, you can work with someone who is knowledgeable in
precision timepieces and will be able to provide service
after the sale.

As the buyer, you must examine the clock that you are going
to buy in the store for the highest quality, fit and finish
just like any fine piece of furniture. Do not compromise
cost for quality. Buy the grandfather clock with the highest
quality you can afford.

When looking for a clock that will keep precise time your
will have to look to the German manufacturers of grandfather
clock movements; Kieninger, Hermle, and Urgos. If this is
your first grandfather clock, I would suggest you look for a
clock with a Kieninger movement installed. A Kieninger
movement is easier to setup and will last a very long time
without requiring constant fiddling to maintain its
accuracy.

Make sure that the grandfather clock that you select in the
store is the one that is delivered to your home. A good
clock store will sell you the grandfather clock in the
showroom. Otherwise, your inspection process begins all over
again, and if it fails inspection, you have a grandfather
clock to return.

To sum it up, find the style you like (overall look, wood
and color), buy from a clock store that will provide great
service and select from a German clock movement when
possible. As a final note, plan to have the grandfather
clock movement re-oiled every 5 years, and have the whole
grandfather clock movement disassembled and cleaned every
10-15 years, this will keep it as fresh and new as the day
you bought it.

Michael's website is dedicated to antique clocks check it
out at (http://www.grandfatherclocksite.com) pendulum clock