Breathing New Life into History: A Custom Grandfather Clock Restoration
There is something irreplaceable about the weight and history of an antique timepiece. Recently, we had the pleasure of working on a unique commission: transforming the original brass dial and timber trunk of a vintage grandfather clock into a modern, timber-mounted quartz clock. This project wasn’t just about repair; it was about repurposing a family heirloom into a functional piece of art for a 21st-century home.
- Deep Cleaning: We soaked the brass chapter ring and spandrels in a specialised solution to remove years of grime without stripping the soul of the piece.
- Refining the Numerals: To ensure the time remains easy to read, we meticulously reapplied engraver's wax to the etched numerals and sanded it back to a flush, crisp finish.
- Lacquering: Finally, we applied several light coats of high-quality lacquer. This protects the brass from future oxidisation, ensuring that golden glow lasts for another generation.
This shows the back of the dial - there was a crack running right through which we silver-soldered to strengthen it before any cleaning took place
The four corner spandrels were removed - one was broken. We soldered the two pieces together
The dial in it's rough state. Tarnished and numerals barely distinguishable.
It was soaked in a chemical bath for a couple of hours
Cleaning, buffing and polishing
Filling and filing the wax numerals. A painstaking process!
Making the central dial collet
Making a new centre collet to fit the new quartz movement
The cleaned and polished spandrels ready to re-attach
The finished product. Completion January 2026
- The Best of Both Worlds: You get the historical soul of the brass dial with the reliable accuracy of a high-torque quartz motor. No winding required!