Clock repairer brings treasured chimes and family memories back to life

In an era defined by fast-paced digital screens and disposable technology, the intricate craft of repairing mechanical antique clocks is becoming a rare and delicate discipline. But for master horologist Ricky Weigand, it is a daily calling dedicated to keeping family histories alive, one tick at a time.

A horologist is a highly trained specialist, skilled in the science of measuring time and servicing complex mechanical movements. Weigand spends much of his time on house calls, reviving cherished heirlooms that have long fallen silent.

Recently, Weigand visited the home of Regina and Van to service a 40-year-old grandfather clock that had stopped chiming. Handcrafted by an artisan in South Carolina, the clock holds deep personal significance for the couple.

"The gentleman who built the clock, he built many, many clocks, but the first he built was for Van's parents, and the last one he built for us," Regina said.

Van considers the timepiece the centerpiece of their home. "We've love it, and for Regina, this is one of her prized possessions," he noted. "It just really sets the tone when we have people come over here, friends and people in our church. Nobody walks in this house without coming in and saying, 'Oh my gosh, what a beautiful clock.'"

When the clock's steady rhythm and chimes finally went quiet, Regina knew it was time to call for a specialist. "I couldn't wait to get them out here; I wanted Ricky out here as soon as possible."

Restoring a grandfather clock requires methodical focus. Every adjustment directly impacts whether the delicate internal melody can properly strike again.

To begin the overhaul, Weigand disassembled the clock on site, carefully detaching the heavy weights and unhooking the pendulum.

"The front and the back are where the oil is stored in the bushings," Weigand explained during the process. "Those are the pieces that need to be cleaned off and re-oiled."

Over the course of the repair, Weigand systematically fine-tuned every component, including:

• Cleaning and re-lubricating aged brass bushings
• Inspecting and aligning each brass gear tooth and barrel
• Balancing the tension springs
• Calibrating the moon dial, which features markings numbered 1 through 29½ to track the lunar cycle

For Weigand, the technical labor often yields an emotional reward. 

"I've had clocks that it's been 5, 10 years since the last time they heard a chime," Weigand said. "And you know, when it starts chiming, I'll get tears, or I'll get stories of where they were, when they were..."

About an hour into the repair, the work was complete. After reassembling the housing, the pendulum swung freely, and the familiar chimes echoed through the house once more.

"It just makes a home seem alive," said Regina.

While horology businesses often maintain dedicated storefronts, mobile technicians remain vital to the preservation of these instruments. Grandfather clocks are exceptionally fragile; even moving an assembled clock across a room can bend delicate escapements, knock movements out of alignment, or cause pendulums to damage fragile internal components without professional disassembly first.