QUARTZ SHIPSTRIKE REPAIR QUESTIONS

[hamlens1]

I bought a 4-1/2" Brass Quartz Ship strike clock in 1988 for $205. (Price now $800-$1000). In 34 years, it has been sent for factory repair 5 times, 3 times under warranty, for a total of around $600. Each time, the movement was replaced. About a year ago, I noticed that the clock does not strike the half hours correctly. Rarely, it correctly strikes the "1" bell and the "3" bells; most of the time, it repeats the hour bells (2, 4, 6, 8) on the following half hour. Movement was last replaced in 2019, so no longer covered by warranty; and this movement included a redesigned strike mechanism producing a "robust" bell, so there is no doubt about the strike count. The last (non warranty) repair was over $300, plus packaging and shipping. I'm wondering if there are any solutions under $350, such as:
- Is it possible for a clockmaker to repair this quartz movement?
- Is it possible to buy a replacement movement and have a clockmaker install it?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Dick Hamlen

 

[Toughtool]

Sounds like the problem I have with my Rolex Watch, given me by International Business Machines (IBM) for my 25th year of service. Cost me $400.00 plus shipping and handling, and six weeks of waiting for it to come back home. It required repairing when the stem fell off. Stem fell off again about a year later, and thats been about twenty years ago now. I just haven't wanted to spend another $400.00 (plus inflation,) to have the stem replaced again. Good money after bad? I don't know. $400.00 was a hell of a lot of money to me back then; still is. IBM typewriter repair men weren't all that well paid. I started wearing a Timex with a comfortable twist-o-flex band. It worked and kept very good time.

I agree, it's time you should consider a new movement. Problem is ,where can you find a movement that is reliable?

 

[hamlens1]

Sounds like the problem I have with my Rolex Watch, given me by International Business Machines (IBM) for my 25th year of service. Cost me $400.00 plus shipping and handling, and six weeks of waiting for it to come back home. It required repairing when the stem fell off. Stem fell off again about a year later, and thats been about twenty years ago now. I just haven't wanted to spend another $400.00 (plus inflation,) to have the stem replaced again. Good money after bad? I don't know. $400.00 was a hell of a lot of money to me back then; still is. IBM typewriter repair men weren't all that well paid. I started wearing a Timex with a comfortable twist-o-flex band. It worked and kept very good time.

I agree, it's time you should consider a new movement. Problem is ,where can you find a movement that is reliable?

Thanks for your thoughts. Looks like any other ship strike clock is going to cost well over $350, with unknown reliability, which may be how they justify the "repair" cost. And I get the suspense of wondering what it will strike "this" 30 minutes...

Regarding service awards, I got a wall clock (Howard Miller Sandringham) from GE in 1994. It came from Jostens with a notation to save the packaging because they provided free repairs. In 2009, it stopped, and forgetting the guarantee, I took it to a local clockmaker for cleaning for $225. In hindsight, much more convenient, and reasonable considering normal maintenance for a mechanical clock. And considering on-line prices for that clock are now over $1K.

 

[Ralph]

...my Rolex Watch, given me by International Business Machines (IBM) for my 25th year of service.

My is still new in the box..unworn, 1990

Ralph

 

[Toughtool]

I guess it still has the stem attached then. I'm left handed so I'm rough on watches anyway. I don't know how many times I whacked the watch against something, only to look at the crystal to see if it broke it. Never even scratched it, so that's something. Real though crystal, lousy stems. When IBM gave me the watch, I had to order an additional link because the band was too small for my wrist. That cost IBM $295.00. That should have been a clue.

So Ralph, why have you not worn the watch?

 

[Ralph]

So Ralph, why have you not worn the watch?

I’m rough on watches too. I forget to take them off, when doing something that could damage them. I had a Patek , that I broke 3 crystals on banging it on door jambs while walking through the doorways.

Maybe it has something to with left handers … and then there’s the collector gene in me.

I almost went for the Atmos. The Rolex was a better choice.

Ralph

 

[hamlens1]

I’m rough on watches too. I forget to take them off, when doing something that could damage them. I had a Patek , that I broke 3 crystals on banging it on door jambs while walking through the doorways.

Maybe it has something to with left handers … and then there’s the collector gene in me.

I almost went for the Atmos. The Rolex was a better choice.

Ralph

Update - at time change, as I have at every time change, I pulled the battery for an hour (in spring 11 hours), and put in a new battery. After a few days, I realized that it is now striking the half-hours correctly. Go figure.......