The Chess Clock Cabinet I

Chess clocks

Chess clocks are a creation of the 19th Century , when timing games via sandclocks was considered to be unpractical. The first chess clocks were made by watchmakers combining two mechanisms on a balance lever - fe Fattorini in London. Later standard designs came about that responded better to the needs of the game. The end of mechanical clocks is in sight, enforced by varied time rithms imposed by FIDE - in the near future, early digital timers will become collectors items as well.

King of Aires

And a really sweet one from Buenos Aires, the "King" clock - the most significant part of the entrails are the three massive lead slugs meant to stabilize this high and narrow clock ! In addition, we have an enlarged base! Chinese clockworks, with some plastic cogs in the middle. From when: the 70ies ?

Argentinian Roa

A fairly rough postwar Roa, crudely cobbled together from two alarm clocks via a bottom frame and a top lever

Meta clock

This clock was put together in Spain, using german clockworks, and sports a simple and effective system to alternate the clocks: the wooden bar at the bottom bears a curved spring, which either brakes the flywheel for one side, or for the other! As the mechanics therefore are mounted upside down, two patches cover the old seconds face on the top... and a new seconds face was placed at the bottom of the main clockface!

Old German

German clock from the 30ies? - similar to BHB, but no marks - very deep, rear wooden plate missing, in working order. On the delicate clockwork we read the the ciseled inscription: " H. Höpplein, Herne"

BHB

Very old BHB clock - in a marbled bakelite case, works fine. Ca. 1950.

Bohemia

Bohemia clock, between 1960 and 1980, looks fragile, noisy buttons, works fine. Later briefly sold as Torpedo clock.

Alpha

50ies version of the German Alpha clock - handmade in Western Germany till ca. 1990 - this one is late 50ies or early 60ies.

INSA

This plastic version of the INSA clock - still made today - is from the 70ies. Teh factory survived the NATO bombing of Belgrade, and still produces clocks and delicate mechanical components today.

Roa

Exotic clock from Argentina - made sensibly between 1950 and 1980? - extremely short button action - works well.

Koopmans

Often apostrophed as the best mechanical chess clock ever made , the Koopmans was produced in Dordrecht from the 40ies till the end of the 1990ies - when the maker died! Robust box, excellent clockwork, solid buttons, works fine. Koopmans can be dated exactly, as the maker used to stamp the date of warranty on them!

Ruhla Gardé

Absolute longseller, still made today - the Gardé clock from eastern Germany served as coin of change for east German chess players in many tournaments! Older ones like this one - marked Ruhla! - sport an inhouse clockwork - later versions are operated by less reliable mechanics.

Sutton Coldfield

One of the first Sutton Coldfield clocks - by the publisher of Chess Magazine, B.H.Wood - sports a push lever action, and is obviously composed of two alarm clocks.

Sutton Coldfield 2

Later version of the alarm clock gadget from Sutton Coldfield/B.H.Wood.

Sutton Coldfield 4

Last of the chess clocks made to order for editor and chess dealer B.H.Wood, in the 80ies. The plastic case is a b.... to open - no wonder the company based their warranty of one year on the clock not being fiddled around with!

Old German

Large German clock from the beginning of the 20th C - marked "Max Andres - Uhrenfabrik - Schwenningen, Württemberg"

AAA clock

One of the rarest clocks in the world - only four made by a local clockmaker for Portuguese chess club Associaçâo Academica da Amadora. Two alarm clocks by the venerable Reguladora clock company, connected by a lever on top which the players have to push back and forth! Unique.

Hungarian ARO

A well known clock, very solid, with a unique low lever action, made in Hungary and widely exported from the 50ies to the 70ies. Sweet mechanical action, clockworks mounted in solid wood blocks!

Jerger Olympia

For many years, the paradigmatic competiition clock in Germany, the Jerger had a superb clockwork, inclined wooden case, suave button action, and a large clockface. One of the best - went out of business with the owner's suicide in the 70ies...

Jerger Plastic

The cheaper plastic version of the Jerger never became quite as popular as the wooden one, despite the sizeable price difference.

Moscow Clock

Made by the Moscow clock Company No.2 (and the Jantar factory as well), these huge and very silent clocks were the tournament standard in the UdSSR from the 30ies till the 60ies. Typical features of these Soviet clocks are the action stoppers in the middle, long button action, and massive clockworks. These clocks have forerunners in old German chessclocks (see above) they are modelled on.

Czech Bakelite

Bakelite clock - - very dicey button action, rounded forms reminiscent of old 30ies radios. This clock probably was made by Chronotechna in Sternberg from the 50ies to the 60ies.

Jantar bakelite

Bakelite version of the large wooden russian clocks - in"Stalin baroque" style. Same action as wood version, same features, suave long button action.

Gambit

Successor to the bakelite clock from Czechia, this attractive clock is a blatant copy of the GDR Garde without the quality. Dicey buton action, constant problems with the changeover bar for the clock stoppers - by this time the former Chronotechna had changed names and figured under the name Prim!