My Philosophy

• Repair - When completing a repair project, the purpose is restore the operation, or structure to an operational state.
• Conserve - When completing a conservation project, the purpose is to stabilize the effects of age and wear. This helps prevent any further degradation.
• Restore - Restoration is the most intensive operation and is designed to both repair and conserve the clock.

There are various schools of thought on how much effort to apply when completing a clock project. Value is an important factor, but values can vary widely depending on whether the value is based on a reasonable expectation of a sale, or on sentimental value. The current condition is another factor. Many old clocks have not always received the best of care, and may have been operated regularly without proper servicing. Other clocks may have been stored carefully and only run on special occasions. Skill and abilities can also play a roll in how much can or should be done to a clock. It is often better to leave something priceless alone rather than risk making it worse.

When I work on a clock I take all of the above into account and decide what is right for that clock. As an example, see my Bailey & Company Belgium Black Marble Clock. The clock was suffering from severely faded and irregular finish. After refinishing the case, the question came up about what to do with the brass bezel. It had a nice patina and had aged gracefully. Should it be left alone or polished? In this situation, with the marble finish shining like new, it made sense to polish the brass to restore the entire clock to the state in which the original designer intended. On some other clocks, polishing brass parts may not look appropriate depending on the general state of the case, and in some cases making parts of the clock look like new while the rest show their age would detract from its aesthetics and possibly its value. I think it is important that all of a clock's parts look to be in harmony with each other.