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Grandfather Clock Features

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Quarter Chiming Clocks - These clocks chime at quarter past the hour, half past the hour, quarter to the hour, and then on the hour itself. The initial "on the hour" chimes are followed by the striking of the hour that it happens to be. The melodies that are usually played in these types of clocks are Westminster, Whittington, and St. Michael's chimes. There is also the occasional Cambridge Chimes and St. Mary's Chimes.
Key Wound Clocks - A key wound clock can be distinguished by the winding holes. There are usually three for a quarter striking clock. The hole on the left governs the staking train, the one in the middle makes the clock run and the hole on the right makes it chime. Keep in mind these instructions are given as though you were standing in front of the clock.
Weight driven Clocks - This option is usually found in the older clocks and they are wound by pulling a chain. It is pretty obvious when your clock is weight driven, because when you open the door you will see three weight trains staring back at you. You can usually think of the set up as the same as a key wound clock, but it is always a good idea to be on the safe side and do a little research on your specific clock.
The "Bulls Eye" Hole - This is basically a peep hole on the door of the tower so you can see the pendulum swinging to and fro. It is usually found on older models. If you find a case that has this feature, but the pendulum swings above or below the viewer this may indicate that the movements are not original and you should be careful in your purchase.

Moon Dial - Today there is no practical use for this feature, however it does add a certain quality to any grandfather clock. The moon dial in bygone years was very useful in showing the moon phases, which helped people in many ways.

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