# Anyone else like a nice travel clock?



## DilliTime (Jul 31, 2017)

Firstly, I think most of us would acknowledge that a phone and a Westclox Travelmate are probably the most practical horological companions on the road - other than your watch of course.

However, although monthly travel has been a routine part of my work for some years now I still enjoy the romance of it all. As a result I've found myself regularly eyeing up nice - though largely impractical - travel clocks a lot recently.

This is my current companion, a Cartier Santos. It's quartz and does have an (almost useless) alarm too. I could claim that makes it practical, but that really would be plumbing the depths of justifications.

I've got my eye on a couple of others too, particularly a JLC Memovox. Let's see.

Anyway, so how about the rest of you? In this madhouse I can't be the only one who likes an additional travel companion/excuse to buy another timepiece?









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## dantan (Dec 16, 2014)

Very nice!

I like it!


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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

Nice?:think: I like it. Made in Illinois it's a handwinder and a loud ticker.The $0,0000000 clock! Found in a skip barely alive.We can align the hands (okay just me, no we)we can wind it, we can make it tick. It is probably at least 40 years old. I could take it if I travel but, I don't want to lose it. You don't find handwind clocks for sale at Wal Mart anymore. You certainly don't find ones made in La Salle Illinois. I think I'll take a NAP now.:-d


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## DilliTime (Jul 31, 2017)

James Haury said:


> View attachment 12815835
> View attachment 12815837
> View attachment 12815839
> Nice?:think: I like it. Made in Illinois it's a handwinder and a loud ticker.The $0,0000000 clock! Found in a skip barely alive.We can align the hands (okay just me, no we)we can wind it, we can make it tick. It is probably at least 40 years old. I could take it if I travel but, I don't want to lose it. You don't find handwind clocks for sale at Wal Mart anymore. You certainly don't find ones made in La Salle Illinois. I think I'll take a NAP now.:-d


Very cool. I've looked at a lot of nice little handwinders like this to just scatter about the place.

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## Paulo 8135 (Mar 29, 2012)

How does a solar Casio which syncs with ur phone and ur gps satellite and ur atomic antennae sound?


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## DilliTime (Jul 31, 2017)

Paulo 8135 said:


> How does a solar Casio which syncs with ur phone and ur gps satellite and ur atomic antennae sound?


Like a Bear Grylls wet dream.

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## Paulo 8135 (Mar 29, 2012)

I think it exists.... check website?


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## OvrSteer (Feb 17, 2014)

As an aside, I wasn't aware of the modern Westclox travelmate. That's kind of slick, but I'm not really sure where it's applicable unless you're traveling well off the grid?

I've finally abandoned the idea of using a separate alarm clock distinct from my cell phone at home or on travel. The phone has excellent alarm capabilities, clock, syncs to local time, the usual... plus you know... surfs the web, plays podcasts, the usual. I don't think I've ever stayed at a hotel that didn't also supply an alarm clock as well, just in case that's your preference. That's from someone well beyond Millenial age-- I do remember hand winding travel clocks.

The old hand-cranking travel clocks are cool though. I don't see ever needing one or wanting the extra baggage when traveling, but as a collectible they might be interesting.


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## DilliTime (Jul 31, 2017)

OvrSteer said:


> As an aside, I wasn't aware of the modern Westclox travelmate. That's kind of slick, but I'm not really sure where it's applicable unless you're traveling well off the grid?
> 
> I've finally abandoned the idea of using a separate alarm clock distinct from my cell phone at home or on travel. The phone has excellent alarm capabilities, clock, syncs to local time, the usual... plus you know... surfs the web, plays podcasts, the usual. I don't think I've ever stayed at a hotel that didn't also supply an alarm clock as well, just in case that's your preference. That's from someone well beyond Millenial age-- I do remember hand winding travel clocks.
> 
> The old hand-cranking travel clocks are cool though. I don't see ever needing one or wanting the extra baggage when traveling, but as a collectible they might be interesting.


Well I do a lot of work in sort of remote parts of Myanmar, but in truth even here there are few places where you won't find a mobile signal and at least someone with a solar unit to charge a phone.

None of this is about practicality though, I'm the first to admit that. I use my phone as alarm etc. The alarm on the Cartier is hilarious. It plays a little melody about 4 times then shuts itself off. So polite.

For me a nice travel clock is like taking a bit of home with you, or probably more like turning wherever you are into a little home. I move around a lot so I've become a bit of a "wherever I lay my hat" type.

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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

Fun thread. These 1920's travel clocks use a case filling dual main spring movement that came in 7 and 15 jewel versions.


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## DilliTime (Jul 31, 2017)

John MS said:


> Fun thread. These 1920's travel clocks use a case filling dual main spring movement that came in 7 and 15 jewel versions.
> 
> View attachment 12817759


Thats lovely. Even the leather is in remarkable condition.


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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

Thanks. Many examples no longer have the case.


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## tanyabhatt (Jan 20, 2018)

Yes, I love it. These watches are always incredible!
Beautiful


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## pourmeone2 (Sep 6, 2017)

Am I too late? The brown was my mom's and still runs great . It went on many vacations with us , lot of memories. The black was my grandmas, it wants to run but may need cleaned.


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## pourmeone2 (Sep 6, 2017)

I take my mom's clock - the brown one, with me every time we travel. I guess it's for those warm fuzzy feelings of being on vacation, I remember a time alarm clocks were not in motel rooms. You called the front desk and asked for a wake up call, then you worried all night the desk would forget to call.


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## Patski (Feb 15, 2018)

Let me join the band! Here's my Westclox!


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## Sekondtime (Sep 19, 2010)

A neat compact option with its own carrying case is the Ruhla Sumatic or the Ruhla Midimatic

















Or a UMF Ruhla 5 Jewel travel clock in a leather case.


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## journeyforce (Apr 20, 2013)

I just donated a few Westclox alarm clocks (including a 1940's travel alarm) to the Westclox Museum last week

https://www.westcloxmuseum.com/

The Westclox museum is based in a part of the old Westclox factory in Peru Illinois


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## dannyking (Feb 9, 2013)

DilliTime said:


> Firstly, I think most of us would acknowledge that a phone and a Westclox Travelmate are probably the most practical horological companions on the road - other than your watch of course.
> 
> However, although monthly travel has been a routine part of my work for some years now I still enjoy the romance of it all. As a result I've found myself regularly eyeing up nice - though largely impractical - travel clocks a lot recently.
> 
> ...


Nice. Never knew that Cartier made quartz travel clocks.


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## DilliTime (Jul 31, 2017)

dannyking said:


> Nice. Never knew that Cartier made quartz travel clocks.


Indeed they do, and as with many clocks in general they can be picked up for astonishing prices on fleabay.

The only real drawback I've experienced was in attempting to replace the battery with Cartier themselves. I bought this in almost unused condition, though the battery was dead as it had been sitting in a drawer for a few years. Took it to Cartier in London (Bond Street) for a replacement. When I returned the next day they informed me that their master watchmaker deemed that it needed a service, and they quote GBP250 or so for this, including "replacement of worn parts", and . Since it's a) quartz, b) only a few years old, and c) has barely ever been touched, it seems quite an indictment on their own product to suggest it needs a comprehensive service, and the only "parts" that should need replacing are the effing battery. Their policy is that they can only do what their watchmaker recommends or nothing at all, so it was not an option to reject the service and just get a battery change. I therefore opted for nothing at all, and instead took it to my local watchmaker who changed the battery for something like GBP25, and it has performed spotlessly since. The one positive note to the experience with Cartier is that they returned it to me in a nice new Cartier pouch at no cost.


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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

Sounds like Cartier may have been replacing the entire movement. Glad to read it is running for a reasonable price.


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## dannyking (Feb 9, 2013)

Sounds true. At GBP250 they were probably looking to replace the whole movement?

It is sad to know that even storied companies line Cartier are now adopting the “fleece them at service” concept. Saddened to hear that  !


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## Rocket1991 (Mar 15, 2018)




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