400-Day Anniversary Clock Repair - Schatz, Kundo, Kern Etc.

Key wind 400-day (anniversary) clocks were made from the 1880s through the 1980s. They were especially popular in the 1950s, and the two major German makers were Schatz (Aug. Schatz & Sohne or Jahresuhrenfabrik) and Kundo (Kieninger & Obergfell).

I've been repairing 400-day clocks for over 40 years and they are one of my favorite types of clock. They run silently, needing to be set every one to two weeks, and wound whenever they run down (typically every 9 - 13 months). Since they are mechanical, don't expect them to be as accurate as modern quartz clocks! You may wind a 400-day clock every three or four months for more consistent timekeeping.

Bill's Clockworks is in Flora, Indiana (about an hour north of Indianapolis). If you are too far away to visit us, we'll be happy for you to send your 400-day clock to us for repair. Packing and shipping instructions are below.

We take the time to repair your clock properly. We disassemble the movement and clean and examine it.. We burnish or polish rough pivots, replace the mainspring if necessary, repair or replace any damaged parts, and do a final cleaning. Then we assemble, lubricate, adjust and test it. We guarantee our work for two years.

Prices To Repair Wind-Up 400-Day Anniversary Clocks

$400 - $500 typical price to overhaul the movement and replace the suspension spring on Schatz and Kundo clocks (other makes typically cost more to repair).

Two year warranty. The suspension spring is the thin flat wire the pendulum hangs on. (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.) Add $26 if the lower suspension block is missing (the rectangular brass piece with a pin through it that the pendulum hooks on to). The clock will have a two-year warranty when finished.

Suspension Guards:

Most 400-day clocks from the 1950s on have a "suspension guard", typically a brass tube or cover, to protect the suspension spring. If the guard is missing, I will replace it, so that your clock may be returned to you without damaging the suspension spring. A typical guard costs $45. (Note: some suspension guards are no longer available).

Around $50 return shipping & insurance (continental US).

$250 to polish and lacquer a plain polished round base and the pillars, and the platform that the movement sits on.

(Polishing is available only as part of an overhaul - it is not available as a separate service.) (Note: don't polish the clock yourself unless you are prepared to disassemble the parts before polishing. If left assembled, polish will remain in the joints and crevices, possibly causing corrosion. At this time I am polishing plain round bases only.

$150 to replace and adjust the suspension spring only (plus return shipping).

The suspension spring is the thin flat wire the pendulum hangs on. Add $22 if the lower suspension block is missing (the rectangular brass piece with a pin through it that the pendulum hooks on to). There is no warranty if the suspension spring is replaced without the clock being overhauled.

After receiving your clock, I will examine it and let you know if the repair cost will exceed the estimate given above. If you decide to have the clock returned without repair, the charge will be $95 for the estimate and return shipping.

Below are photos of some of the 400-day clocks I have repaired. See my blog for more details.

Note: If your clock has been repaired by someone else and 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 manufactured. If there are only several short vertical cracks, the base may be polished successfully. Early Kundo bases with cracks running around the base may come apart if polished.

How to Pack and Ship Your 400-Day Clock for Repair

Please contact me before sending your 400-day for repair. I am attempting to repair 400-day clocks within two months of receiving them.

Please contact us about any 400-day clock other than Schatz or Kundo before sending it.

Our Address is:

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 $10 to $15, depending on the model of clock. (Note: the key will cost more if ordered separately.)

Dome:

Do not send the clock's dome or cover.

Pendulum:

If there is a locking device, lock the pendulum into the clock. For a Kundo clock (if it has a lock), raise the pendulum into the opening, then 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 (use blue masking tape on the underside of the base to avoid damaging the finish). Then fold some sheets of paper towel and gently press these between the bottom of the pendulum arms and the bottom of the case, to give assurance the pendulum will stay in place during shipping.

Note: On Schatz standard size 400-day clocks, please unscrew the three finials above the dial (if they are not on too tight) and do not send them, to reduce the chance of damage in shipping.

Note: If your clock has three finials (pointed decorations) above the dial (especially on Kundo clocks): These finials are fragile. They MUST NOT touch the box during shipping or they may break off. Put plenty of BUBBLE WRAP over the finials so they are well protected. The finials MUST NOT TOUCH THE BOX or they will break off during shipping.

Do not use Styrofoam sheets for packing - if the finials stab into them, they will break off.

Wrapping:

Wrap the entire clock in bubble wrap (2 to 3 inches thick). Then use a large, sturdy box for the clock. There must be at least at least 2 inches of packing peanuts between the bubble wrap and the box ON ALL SIDES OF THE WRAPPED CLOCK.

Packing:

Use 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. The flexible peanuts are better than the rigid type, as they don't break down into crumbs. 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.

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 e-mail, 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 finished. You may pay by check, online, or call in a credit card number.

(Haller Clocks:

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

How to Unpack and Start the Clock

Be very careful when unpacking the clock and removing the bubble wrap. When I return your repaired clock, I will include specific instructions to unpack and set up your clock.

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 suspension spring (thin flat wire) that the pendulum hangs from IS VERY DELICATE and must not be bent or twisted. 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 flat 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 from 6 to 10 rotations per minute.

Below are some movies showing 400-day clocks in operation (note - 400-day clocks do not strike or chime, the sounds you hear are in the background):

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

Many Schatz clocks from the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s 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.

400-Day Anniversary Clock Repair: Schatz, Kundo and Others