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400 Day Anniversary Clock (windup type) Repair: Schatz, Kundo and Others

Key wind 400 day anniversary clocks are no longer being made. The major German makers were Schatz (Aug. Schatz & Sohne or Jahresuhrenfabrik) and Kundo (Kieninger & Obergfell).

I have been repairing 400 day clocks for over 36 years and they are one of my favorite type of clock. They run silently and dependably, just needing to be set every one to two weeks, and wound whenever they run down (typically every 9 - 13 months).

Average repair prices for wind-up 400 day anniversary clocks: $145 - $195 to overhaul the movement. Two year warranty. (I give a price range to allow for parts or extensive repairs that may be needed. If the clock is in very bad condition and the price will be higher, I will notify you before starting the repair.) $70 to replace and adjust suspension spring. $35 shipping & insurance (continental US). $100 to polish and lacquer a plain polished round base and the pillars. (Polishing is available only as part of an overhaul - it is not available as a separate service.) Turnaround time: I can usually repair your Schatz or Kundo 400 day clock within 1 1/2 to 3 months. If you want to have one repaired, you may send it in now, following my packing instructions below. Please be sure it is a windup 400 day clock, not battery powered. Please e-mail me if you have any questions. After receiving your clock, I will examine it let you know if the repair cost will exceed the estimate given above. If you decide to have the clock returned unrepaired, the charge will be $45 for the estimate and return shipping.

Note: If the clock has been repaired by someone else and it still doesn't work, I will be happy to repair it, but the repair bill may be significantly higher than stated above. I recently received a clock that had unsightly blobs of solder and bent wheel teeth, requiring replacement of two major parts.

Note on base polishing: Sometimes a 400 day clock base will develop "stress cracks" caused by the working of the metal when the base was made. If there are only several small cracks, the base may be able to be polished successfully, but if there are many cracks, polishing is not recommended, as the base could literally fall apart.

Packing and Shipping Your 400 Day Clock for Repair:

Key: I will not need your key - please check the key and make sure it fits snugly. If it fits loosely, it should be replaced. Please enclose a note saying if you need a new key. The key will be $5.00, $8.00 or $13.00, depending on the model of clock.Dome: I will not need the clocks's dome or cover.

Pendulum: If there is a locking device, lock the pendulum into the clock. For Kundo clocks (if they have a lock), secure the locking arm with several paper clips through the hole to hold it firmly in the locked position, and tape it as well. For other clocks, tape the locking arm in the locked position (tape on the underside of the base to avoid damaging the finish). Put paper towel around the pendulum to help support it. If the pendulum does not lock, wrap it in bubble wrap and put it in the bottom of the box.

Wrapping: Wrap paper towel or tissue paper around the base to protect the finish. Wrap the entire clock in four to six layers of bubble wrap.

Packing: Use styrofoam packing peanuts for padding around the wrapped clock. There must be at least 2 inches of packing peanuts between the wrapped clock and the box on all sides. Pack firmly so the clock won't move around. Don't use styrofoam sheets, as it does not provide good padding and may disintegrate. There must be enough packing peanuts to hold the clock in position so it won't move around in the box. (Note: the center finial (decoration) at the top of most 400 day clocks is in a vulnerable position. It must have several layers of bubble wrap over it, then at least two inches of packing peanuts separating it from the box.)

Please include a note with your 400 day clock with your name, address, e-mail address and phone number. Please state if you would like the base polished. I'll email, call or write you to acknowledge the receipt of your clock when it arrives. If the repair will cost more than the above prices, I'll notify you.

Payment: No payment is due until the clock is repaired. You may pay by check, online, or call in a credit card number.

(Haller Clocks: Please do not send a Haller clock in for repair without checking with me first. Some of them use many plastic parts and I don't recommend repairing these.)

Note on Unpacking and starting the clock

Be very careful when unpacking the clock and removing the bubble wrap.

After following the instructions for unlocking or attaching the pendulum, and leveling the clock, start the pendulum as follows:

Rotate the pendulum gently one-half (1/2) turn only and release it. The clock will then start running.

The thin wire (suspension spring) that that the pendulum hangs from IS VERY DELICATE and must not be bent or twisted in any way. Damage of the suspension wire by the customer is NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY.

Why 400 Day Clocks Run So Long

Typical clocks run either one day or eight days on one winding. To make 400 day clocks run longer, a torsion pendulum is used. A torsion pendulum hangs from a thin wire and rotates in one direction and then the other, instead of swinging back and forth as a standard pendulum does.

Standard 400 Day Clock (about 12 inches tall)

A Standard or full sized 400 day clock has a torsion pendulum which makes a rotation in 7.5 seconds, or 8 rotations each minute (four rotations in each direction). The clock makes one “tick” near the end of each rotation. Preceding each tick, a gear with pointed teeth called the escape wheel has been giving an impulse to the pallet assembly. During impulse, a vertical pin in the pallet assembly pushes a fork to the left or right. The fork applies this energy to the suspension spring (the thin wire holding the pendulum), and the suspension spring transfers some of this energy to the pendulum.

The clock movement supplies one unit of energy to the pendulum for each oscillation. A torsion pendulum oscillates about 8 to 20 times more slowly than a swinging pendulum. This represents a major savings in energy, enough for an 8-day clock run 64 to 160 days. Further energy savings is obtained by using smaller pivots (load bearing areas on the ends of gear arbors or shafts) and by using small gears. By having more gears than an 8 day clock, the mainspring is made to unwind slowly enough for the clock to run about 400 days.

Miniature 400 Day Clock (about 8 - 9 inches tall)

Miniature 400 day clocks are built on the same principles as the standard models, but use smaller gears and pivots, making them even more energy efficient. The most popular models, those by Schatz and Kundo, have pendulums making 10 rotations per minute. Other makes have pendulum rotation rates of from 6 to 10 rotations per minute.

Schatz made clocks which would run for 1000 days on one winding (see Why 1000 Day Clocks Run So Long).

How To Tell When A Schatz Four Hundred Day Clock Was Made

Many Schatz clocks from the 1950s and 1960s have a date stamped on the back of the movement. There will be digits for the month and the year. For example, 12 57 means December 1957.

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