Analog Chess Clock!

I miss the days of analog clocks.  

"Back in the day" When we would be playing speed chess on an analog clock, we would hit the thing so hard trying to get that red flag to drop!

I used to love the sound of the ticking when the TD announced start white's clock. Was a soothing sound. Well, we all know it's ancient history and now a collector's item for the much older ones. 

Analog clocks are like LP's, while digital clocks are like CD's.  I miss the hissing, and popping of an LP, just like i miss that "tick...tick...tick" of an analog clock.

I have a large collection of analog chess clocks and appreciate them as collectible aesthetic objects, but I consider them functionally inferior to digital clocks - the ticking is annoying, you don't have precision that can be crucial in tight time controls, you don't have move counts or time control options like increments/delays, and analog clocks are overall not as reliable/robust as well-made digital clocks... I have a approx. 25 year old Chronos that still functions flawlessly, while old analog clocks break down and/or need expensive fixes to the clock mechanism very frequently in comparison.

All valid points, but i also think they are part of the problem with chess today.  Everyone wants everything done for them.  

"the ticking is annoying"  This i dont get?  I find it soothing.

 "you don't have precision that can be crucial in tight time controls"  Of course you have precison.  If that little red flag falls, you lose.  back in the day, we could manage a time scramble, and keep an eye on the flag.  I honestly dont think people could do it now.  They need the clock to tell them when the game is over.

"you don't have move counts..."  Again...part of what im saying.  This is why you have a score sheet, and why you need to keep accurate record of the game.  But now all we have to do is stare at the clock, and it lets me know.

I see this as an extension to modern technonolgy and an over dependence on it.  Its like the cell phone.  People expect it to do everything.  No one remembers anyones phone numbers anymore.  Too much technonlogy makes us lazy and stupid.

Just my opinion...

Sure. But when setting up Blitz time controls, I can probably give myself an extra 15 secs w/out you even noticing just by how I position the minute hand. And that's assuming both clocks are running at the same speed...

Probably not an issue when at a tournament and you're ranked high enough for a TD to be setting the clock, but if you're hustling at a public space, this matters...

Yea...but hitting a digital clock hard doesnt have the same effect :-)

I'll agree w/ that.

Ironically, just looked at my emails a moment ago and saw one from USCF announcing - Mechanical Chess Clock Flash Sale....not sure how long it will last...

https://www.uscfsales.com/regulation-wooden-mechanical-chess-clock.html?utm_source=USCF+sales&utm_campaign=f429da7ee3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_12_01_56_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_417a5eb136-f429da7ee3-237314325&mc_cid=f429da7ee3&mc_eid=31cfee45fb

I love my Chronos touch sensor clock, and maybe its the old guy in me talking, but i would take a good 'ole BHB, and i know there was German made clock whos name escapes me.  

Heh, heh.  I still have my old analog chess clock.  Made in Germany too.  Here's a picture.  And I still have the box too!

Now thats a chess clock!

A couple weeks ago, one of my chess buddies expensive digital chess clock stopped working. He had damaged it in some kind of way. Luckily for him, I went into the trunk of my car, and then gave him one of my OLD analog chess clocks.  I told him "Christmas came early this year for you!" We must respect the analog chess clock: inexpensive and reliable.

+1

I'm an older guy, and I just don't get the attraction of analog clocks (I do own one), or LPs (I still have some of those wretched things as well).

Sometimes progress really is progress. I know people are averse to change and that explains much of this.

I have an analog  chess clock that's about 34 years old. Since I was 15 years old, it has been my favorite chess clock. It has been my companion all over NYC, and all of my chess battles along the east coast of America. Many years ago, I wanted to "upgrade" to digital. I bought a black Game Timer from the U.S. chess museum. They both work beautifully but nothing makes me feel at home at the chess board like an analog chess clock. I guess it helps me summon Capablanca, Nimzowitsch, Tarrasch...

I understand nostalgia. Hey, I proposed to my wife while a particular LP was playing in the background. I have a soft spot for it.

Likewise I use to play chess against my kids using my analog clock, helping to explain why I don't toss the thing and save a certain amount of (granted small) space.

But it doesn't blind me to the advantages of a digital chess clock.

One real advantage I see with an analog clock is that they were drop dead simple to use. But digital clocks aren't that complicated, and they do have other advantages.