Over the centuries the clock has radically changed the way we tell time. And since clocks first became an indispensable part of every home and business, the number of clock types has grown considerably. The many types of clocks include mantle clocks, chiming clocks, wall clocks, anniversary clocks and alarm clocks. The choice of clocks in a home or office is usually made due to the need that is being filled by the clock as well as the decorating taste of the purchaser.

Even within the many clock types there are different types. The mantle clock is a classic that has traditionally sat on the mantles of homes for hundreds of years. The mantle clock doesn’t have to sit on a mantle, however, often being placed on a shelf or desk. Seth Thomas began making mantel clocks in 1817 and has continued to improve on them over the last 200 years. The first Seth Thomas mantel clocks were made with wooden movements, eventually using the brass movements and beyond. The mantle clock can be divided into the quartz and keywound varieties. The quartz type is run by batteries and does not need to be wound. Some quartz mantle clocks have a chiming mechanism. The keywound variety usually needs winding every week as well as some maintenance.

Chiming clocks sound with chimes, usually at each quarter hour. There are different types of chiming clock, such as the popular Westminster chimes that most floor clocks use. Other chimes are the St. Michael’s and Whittington varieties. The anniversary clock is one that can run for about a year without needing to be wound. This type is often given as a birthday, wedding or anniversary gift with the recipient being reminded to wind it every year by the date it was given. Anniversary clocks are often styled like mantel clocks and sometimes have a chiming mechanism.

Most homes have a wall clock hanging on at least one wall in the house. In the past, most clocks were wall clocks- even the grandfather clock began as a wall clock. Today, wall clocks can be made in just about every type of clock. Seth Thomas, the oldest manufacturer of clocks in the U.S., makes analog, digital and chiming wall clocks. Seth Thomas also makes a wide variety of alarm clocks. Alarm clocks are used to help people wake up with an alarm. Alarm clocks can also be used to wake people up with the sound of music. Alarm clocks can be digital, mechanical, or they may have a radio attached as the source of music. An alarm clock will always have some mechanism for turning off the alarm, such as a handle or a button.