How often should I wind it?

Most domestic examples run for eight days on a full wind. You should aim to wind it once a week on the same day. Turn the key smoothly until you feel firm resistance. Don't force it once the spring feels tight.

Why does the pendulum stop swinging?

The mechanism is likely out of beat. The tick and tock need to be exactly even for the escapement to maintain momentum. Listen closely to the sound. If the rhythm sounds like a galloping horse rather than a steady march, the case needs levelling. You can adjust this by placing thin shims under one side of the base.

I inherited a heavy black mantel clock from my grandmother and it strikes the wrong number of times at the top of the hour, can I fix this myself?

This usually means the striking train isn't matching the hands. It happens frequently if they're moved backwards past the hour. You can often realign it by moving the minute hand to the hour and counting the strikes. Then gently remove the hour hand and push it back onto the central shaft pointing at the correct number. Don't force the hands if they resist. The brass components bend easily and replacing them requires a specialist cutter.

There is a small square dial above the main face on my wall clock that has numbers up to twelve on it, what is it actually supposed to do?

That is a regulation dial. It alters the speed of the mechanism without you needing to open the main case door. Turning the hand towards the higher numbers makes the clock run faster. It allows you to fine-tune the timekeeping to match seasonal changes.

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Victorian Victorian Clocks

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Victorian clocks encompass everything from large architectural mantel pieces to simple wall dials, designed both to keep industrial-era railway time and to signal a household's rising status.