North Coast Imports, Inc.

New Exciting Models Are On The Way!

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:42:50 PST

We're busy working on designing and building exciting new clockwork dreams! So much work done and so much still to do. I can hardly take a moment to put out this blog post, but you will be very pleased with the new horological pieces we will be introducing with our new 2012 collection. As usual, stay tuned, watch this space and check out our website, Twitter feed, and Facebook.

Comptoise and Morbier

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:24:36 PST

Don’t Mock the Artisanal-Pickle Makers

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:11:43 PST

Great article in The NY Times: When it comes to profit and satisfaction, craft business is showing how American manufacturing can compete in the global economy. Many of the manufacturers who are thriving in the United States (they exist, I swear!) have done so by avoiding direct competition with low-cost commodity producers in low-wage nations. Instead, they have scrutinized the market and

Time Crystals

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:13:31 PST

Physicists Frank Wilczek at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology and Al Shapere at the University of Kentucky, theorize on the existence of Time Crystals or a state at which time arranges itself in the same way matter does within a crystal. From the Technology Review Blog One of the most powerful ideas in modern physics is that the Universe is governed by symmetry. This is the idea that

Just For Fun...

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:14:45 PST

"Sassy Clock" [via Fail Blog]

My Clock is Chiming, Striking, Cuckooing, Whistling, Calling, or Speaking the Wrong Number!

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:32:40 PST

Probably the most common error made during the setting of a clock that makes noise is that of moving the hour hand independently of the minute hand. Remember: when you set a clock, just move the (longer) minute hand and let the hour hand follow along. Many modern clocks allow you to move the minute hand backwards (counter-clockwise) some allow you to shut off the sounds so that you don't have

How to Set Your Quartz Cuckoo Clock

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:24:52 PST

There have been some changes to the quartz cuckoo clock movements. The new models don't have the cumbersome "eye" or light sensor, but rather a more sophisticated night-off system. The newer clocks also have nicer music! In order to properly set up your new quartz cuckoo clock, there are a few things to take note of. The proper set-up procedure is already in your printed instructions, and

I Hope They Will Pay His Claim

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:03:21 PST

[via Laist]

A New Book!

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:38:43 PST

Schiffer LTD. has just released a new book on the subject of Black Forest Horology. It promises to be a lovely book with great pictures and information on very rare clocks. You'll probably recognize a few clocks that have been featured here on GermanClocks.org, as well as our online museum at www.NorthCoastImports.com/museum. Pre-order Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks, by Justin Miller at

Build Your Own Sidereal Clock

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:45:11 PST

From Wikipedia: Sidereal time /saɪˈdɪəriəl/ is a time-keeping system astronomers use to keep track of the direction to point their telescopes to view a given star in the night sky. Briefly, a sidereal day is a "time scale that is based on the Earth's rate of rotation measured relative to the fixed stars."[1] From a given observation point, a star found at one location in the sky will be found at

Hugo Movie's Automata the Real Thing!

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:36:59 PST

Now that's impressive... According to propmaker Dick George Creative's website, two of the models of the central-figure automaton actually worked! The automata actually drew Georges Melies's image without the use of CGI. The Automaton - Behind the Scenes from Sociates on Vimeo.

Hugo Cabret

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:11:47 PST

I finally had a chance to see the movie "Hugo" which is a film adaptation of Brian Selznick's book - which we've had on our reading list here for a long time. Best Movie Of All Time? Probably not, but definitely worth the watch (pun intended) for any clock nuts (and Clockworkpunks)! I loved the shots of Hugo's dad working on the two Orrerys. Did you see our NEW Orrery by the way?

Introducing Sasa!

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:24:22 PST

We're pleased to introduce a new type of clock. As always, North Coast Imports is exploring new ideas in artistic horology. At the nexus between home design, horology, sculpture, and fashion you’ll find Sasa, a fresh expression of passing time. Rather than letting time control your life with schedules and limits, Sasa allows a more peaceful reminder of the flow of time. Each five minutes

A Gingerbread Cuckoo Clock How-To!

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:30:40 PST

Crafter Mezcraft did a great Instructable on building this edible delight. Here's what she has to say: Over the past year I have been brainstorming about what I would do this year and what I am came up with was a Gingerbread Cuckoo clock with working gears. I couldn't get this idea out of my head and so I went forward and began planning and figuring this out! I have never actually made

Troubleshoot Your Cuckoo Clock Music Mechanism

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:17:19 PST

Here's a great video from the VdS (Black Forest Clock Association) These are advance techniques for adjusting and fine-tuning your music box mechanism. Please be sure to pay careful attention to the video when making any adjustments, and remember that ALL of these adjustments should be VERY VERY small. All wire-bending and tweaking should be done a hair's width at a time. Be careful not

Very Cute Halloween Costume: A Cuckoo Clock of course!

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:24:34 PST

From playdrmom: "Honor has been quite interested in cuckoo clocks. Also, one of her favorite songs is “Tick tock tick tock. I’m a little cuckoo clock. Tick tock tick tock. Now I’m striking one o’clock.” So, when asked what she wanted to be for Halloween … she said “a cuckoo clock”." Click through to the website for instructions! I know what my son will dress up as next year!

More Great Automata!

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:18:49 PST

As always, we're scouring the internets to find you the most interesting postings of fascinating automata! [via Kugelbahn] [via io9]

Hugo Cabret

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:12:36 PST

The book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick has been on our reading list for quite some time (Take a look at the other titles while you're at it... just on the side bar of the blog) So, it's great to see that Martin Scorsese has made a movie! This is Steampunk and Clockworkpunk gone mainstream!

New super-accurate atomic clocks

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:54:15 PST

From New Scientist: "Clocks that gain or lose no more than a fraction of a second over the lifetime of the universe could be on the way, thanks to a technique for cutting through the "heat haze" that compromises the accuracy of today's instruments. The most accurate atomic clock we have now is regulated by the electrons of a single aluminium ion as they move between two different orbits with

Catch up on news from the world of clocks

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:51:01 PST

We've been silent for a while, so here's a bunch of news from the world of clocks to catch up a bit... [from AdaFruit] [from Automata Blog] [from Makezine] [from Automata Blog]

Another Automaton Worth Posting

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:23:28 PDT

From the Blackbird journal: Driven by a key-wound spring, the monk walks in a square, striking his chest with his right arm, raising and lowering a small wooden cross and rosary in his left hand, turning and nodding his head, rolling his eyes, and mouthing silent obsequies. From time to time, he brings the cross to his lips and kisses it. After over 400 years, he remains in good working order.

Ferguson's Orrery

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:31:51 PDT

“This machine is so much of an ORRERY, as is sufficient to shew [sic] the different lengths of days and nights, the vicissitudes of the seasons, the retrograde motion of the nodes of the Moon’s orbit, the direct motion of the apogeal point of her orbit, and the months in which the Sun and Moon must be eclipsed.” - James Ferguson, 1764 This is an interpretation of an orrery built by the

New Pour Le Merites from Lange u. Sohn

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:17:43 PDT

From Watching Horology: The Hour Glass Atelier at ION is showcasing from the 13th to the 19th of July a complete set of four white gold Pour Le Merites. The PLMs are the jewel in Lange's crown but the fourth iteration is larger and seemingly different in its DNA from its previous three - shown here.

More Automata to Fascinate You

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:29:29 PDT

Civil War Cuckoo Gets Appreciated in Atlanta

clocks@northcoastimports.com — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:54:06 PDT

Mike Simpson shows off his Civil War-era cuckoo clock at the National Archives at Atlanta in Morrow. He plans to bring the clock to "Civil War Treasures in Your Nation's Attic, " an "Antiques Roadshow"-like event that will be filmed April 16 at the National Archives at Atlanta. From Access Atlanta: Michael Simpson has a clock. It was made by the American Cuckoo Clock Co. of Philadelphia. With