Carriage clocks were originally made to be carried by travelers in carriages during the nineteenth century. They were more portable than ordinary clocks of the time. They’re also a bit larger than what we think of as a small clock, due to their spring driven mechanisms. From practical time piece, they’ve come to be considered an excellent home decor choice, and they’re getting a lot more popular.

Clocks of this sort are great in the home, and make a wonderful choice for desks and mantles, as well as being excellent gifts. Whether you choose an antique or a replica, carriage clocks are a fantastic choice. Replicas are often more ornate than a real antique, since many early clocks were simply a brass timepiece with a handle to carry it. Today’s replica carriage clocks are more ornamental, though there are some plainer ones that are a lttle more authentic.

The hands of this type of clocks were often placed on a porcelain background for easier visibility. The porcelain itself was then decorated, often with rich and detailed paintings. When you place carriage clocks in your home, you’ll need to be sure they’re located somewhere that they can be enjoyed by everyone.

It’s not just the outward beauty they’ll enjoy, however. These clocks also make beautiful noises. They may play tunes, or simply have an attractive chime to tell you the hour. Some carriage clocks have a top mounted bell that rings on the hour and on the half hour. A few antiques even have embellishments including scroll work and gems.

Carriage clocks work fantastically in homes where antiques are already being used for decoration. Place them on your mantel in the living room to go with your other antique furniture. Just remember that there are no springs in the majority of modern carriage clocks. To increase reliability and reduce cost, they’re made with newer quartz movements, rather than old fashioned spring driven ones.

In older carriage clocks, you may see cutouts in the housing that reveal the inner workings of the clock. These types of clocks are often used on night stands by the bed, and make a wonderful addition to an antique style bedroom. Just remember that unlike modern reproduction carriage clocks, you’ll need to wind these periodically. Most are eight day clocks, so they need to be wound once per week.

The carriage clock makes a handsome addition to any home and if you do have an original no doubt you will want it up to enjoy where it cannot accidentally be broken. With homes that have no mantels, often the clocks are put on a shelf hung specifically for this purpose. Or they may reside in a curio with a glass front to keep it from collecting dust as well as for safekeeping. No matter where you put your carriage clock it will certainly be a beautiful piece to add to your home.

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