Lovely. Thanks for posting and you have a good friend. I have a number of German analog clocks - nothing special and for posterity more than anything else. One of those clocks I would like to get serviced but the three different master watchmakers close to where I live all note the age and complexity and alas, the repair cost is much more than the clock is worth. ☹️
A Trio of Vintage Chess Clocks
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Powderdigit wrote:
Lovely. Thanks for posting and you have a good friend. I have a number of German analog clocks - nothing special and for posterity more than anything else. One of those clocks I would like to get serviced but the three different master watchmakers close to where I live all note the age and complexity and alas, the repair cost is much more than the clock is worth. ☹️
@Powderdigit - Totally understand. Good craftsmanship comes at a higher price these days, and if I hadn't gotten the Solora at a low-enough price, the repair cost wouldn't have justified the service if my plan was to eventually sell. But since I plan on keeping it, I convinced myself that the cost could be viewed as being amortized over future use.
DesperateKingWalk wrote:
Thanks for sharing. I love the old chess clocks. As analog chess chess clocks was the standard for chess play. When I first started playing chess tournaments.
Only one of my analog chess clocks have survived the test of time..... And was marketed as the tough one. Vintage 1980's
Thanks for sharing a pic of your clock! Is that a lucite housing? Nicely done!
Yes - i distinctly remember the comforting sound of analog chess clocks during the few tournaments i played in when i was a kid. 
Just thought I'd share, for like-minded members here, my trio of old chess clocks.
The first one is an early model of a Garde Ruhla. Based on the logo and the pinstripe on the housing (and from what the seller told me), this was made in the late '50s or early '60s. But as you can see, it's in excellent condition...i think barely used. The seller was the grandson of the person who owned the clock, and they live in a small town in Germany. And they were willing to part with it for not much more than the cost of a burger, a drink and fries. Runs beautifully, although I'm thinking of having it serviced in case the parts inside are drying out.
The second is an early model of a Jerger Olympia, with the heart fibrillator and guillotine flag. From what I could find, it seems to be one of the earliest models (mid to late '50s?) apart from the ones with the chess pieces built into the housing. The "foreign" label on the face of the clock is a bit of a head-scratcher though...so if anyone here knows what that may mean, I'd appreciate any feedback. Runs beautifully, and just had it serviced to get the parts inside oiled.
The third is a Solora (perhaps from the '40s?)...this one was a purchase from a popular online auction company...as you can tell from the housing, this was clearly used a lot...and it came to me with one clock not really working right, and with the glass covers on the watches missing. Was fortunate to get it at a more than reasonable price...so took it to a friend who is a master clock repairman, and got it serviced and he installed new glass covers. Now runs beautifully.
Thanks for reading this post!
Val