Clock of the day (6)

This was a giant. I don't know where it is now, but I hope it's in a setting where it looks more appropriate than it did in my bathroom. Made in Germany, it is a product of Telefonbau & Normalzeit, otherwise known as TN. It is a solid metal clock with brass hands like canoe paddles. The clock was over 40cm in diameter, with a numberless dial on two levels with solid brass batons to mark the hours. The movement was a large self-winding unit with a jewelled lever escapement. Winding was done by a large electromagnet which would hit a barbell shaped winding lever in the centre which wound the spring. I think the reason why I got rid of it was the noise. Every four minutes or so there would be a loud clank as it wound itself up. Everything about this clock was big and impressive. I don't think this clock was meant for a home setting... it must have been designed for a hotel reception area or something.


Now that I cast my mind back, I remember what the sound reminded me of. You know these extremely heavy elaborate levers inside a Comtoise clock that release the striking? It's the exact same sound as one of those. A sort of "kerlankle".