Timepieces to treasure, from the Black Forest to the moon.
By Steve Dinnen
Fancy a new clock for Christmas? Maybe something about 7 feet tall, with chimes to remind you and the entire household that it’s time for school or dinner or Santa?
For holiday gifts this year, we’re looking at timepieces large and small. You can go big or small at Windsor Clock & Watch Co. in Clive, with a grandfather clock, a mantle or wall clock, or a wristwatch or two. Watches are also a specialty at Josephs Jewelers in West Des Moines, where you can find an impressive lineup from Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer and others.
But back to grandfather clocks. The Howard Miller line is the star at Windsor Clock. This is the Michigan company that spun off decades ago from furniture maker Herman Miller. Howard was Herman’s son, and both of their companies are known for craftsmanship and top-notch woodwork. The Windsor Clock grandfather inventory ranges from around $3,000 to a little more than $7,000. They also carry some Slighs.
Or maybe you’d prefer a cuckoo clock? Windsor Clock offers some precision-made models from Germany’s Black Forest. There’s also an assortment of wall and mantle clocks, especially from Seiko, which can play up to 40 different tunes. (Take that, cuckoo.)
Windsor Clock sells wristwatches, too. Owner Jeff Goemann showed off some Swiss-made Balls, which he said compete with Omega. They also have a good range of Tissots, another respected Swiss brand.
For a true Omega experience you can venture to Josephs. They have a special kiosk in a corner of the store that showcases dozens of Omegas. President Jake Joseph said Omega regularly rolls out new designs, which keeps collectors coming back. Omega offers models inspired by James Bond, for example, and the Olympics. The classic Speedmaster Moonwatch replicates the original versions the astronauts wore when they landed on the moon in 1969. Prices run as high as $30,000 to $40,000; Joseph said the more popular models are in the $8,000-$10,000 range.
The next case is for Rolex. These are harder to come by, as the supply chain for Rolex parts got gummed up during Covid and has forced the company to put retailers on allocation. You can still try on some exhibition models and then place an order if you find one you like.
While clocks tend to be a couples buy, Joseph said most wristwatches are purchased by or for men.
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