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You've just inherited your grandmother's beautiful Seth Thomas clock, but the case finish looks terrible—all cracked and rough like alligator skin. Should you leave it alone or fix it?
This question starts arguments at every clock collector meeting I attend. ***Purists insist you should never touch original finish, no matter how bad it looks.*** Meanwhile, others say life's too short to display ugly clocks just to please collectors you'll never meet.
Here's the truth: **Both sides have valid points, and the right answer depends entirely on YOUR situation.**
Let me walk you through the decision factors so you can make the choice that's right for your clock and your circumstances. I've been doing this for over 20 years, and I've seen every possible scenario.
The Collector Argument: ***"Original Finish is Sacred"***
Serious clock collectors will tell you—often quite emphatically—that **alligatored finish should absolutely never be touched.** Here's why they feel so strongly:
***Original finish proves authenticity.*** That cracked, aged surface documents the clock's genuine age and history. It's like a passport stamp showing where the clock has been for the past 100+ years. Strip that finish and you've destroyed irreplaceable evidence that the clock is really what it claims to be.
**Collector value drops dramatically when you refinish.** I'm not exaggerating—we're talking about 30-50% value loss in many cases. An all-original Seth Thomas shelf clock in mediocre condition with alligatored finish will sell for MORE at auction than an identical clock that's been beautifully refinished. The market has spoken clearly on this.
***Patina and age characteristics have value themselves.*** What looks like "damage" to casual observers actually represents desirable authenticity to knowledgeable collectors. That alligatoring happened naturally over decades—you can't fake that convincingly, and trying just makes the clock look like a restored piece rather than an original survivor.
**You can't undo refinishing.** This is the clincher for preservation advocates. Leave the finish alone and future owners can make their own choices. Refinish it and you've made a permanent decision affecting everyone who'll ever own that clock. It's a one-way street.
When the "Leave It Alone" Argument Makes Perfect Sense
The collectors have an especially strong case when we're talking about:
***Rare or valuable clocks.*** If your clock is worth $2,000+, has historical significance, or comes from a prestigious maker like Tiffany or E. Howard, then yes—**leave that finish completely alone.** The original surface is part of what makes it valuable.
**Clocks you might sell eventually.** Planning to pass it to kids who might not want it? Thinking you might downsize someday? Keep it original. You'll get more money and have an easier sale.
***Family heirlooms with documented history.*** When that clock has been in your family since 1875 and there's a story attached to it, that alligatored finish is part of the family history. Don't erase it.
The User Argument: ***"I Have to Look at This Clock Every Day"***
Now here's the other side, and honestly? I get this perspective too.
**You're not running a museum.** You live in your house. If that alligatored finish makes the clock look neglected and ugly sitting on your mantel, why should you live with that just to please theoretical future collectors?
***Most clocks aren't worth enough to worry about collector value.*** Be honest—if your clock is a common American shelf clock worth $200-400, losing 40% of value means losing maybe $100-150. Is preserving an ugly finish worth that to you? Maybe not.
**Original doesn't always mean better.** Sometimes that alligatored finish is so severe it's actually catching dust, harboring dirt, and making the clock harder to keep clean. At some point, practical considerations matter.
***You're allowed to enjoy your own property.*** This is YOUR clock in YOUR house. If refinishing it means you'll actually display it with pride instead of hiding it in a closet, then maybe that serves the clock better than preservation for its own sake.
When Restoration Makes More Sense Than Preservation
I generally support restoration when:
**The clock is common and modest value.** Sessions kitchen clock? Standard Waterbury shelf clock? Common New Haven? These were mass-produced by the thousands. ***Refinishing won't destroy anything irreplaceable.***
***The alligatoring is so severe it's actually causing damage.*** When finish is flaking off, exposing raw wood to moisture and dirt, you're actually harming the clock by leaving it alone. Sometimes intervention prevents worse deterioration.
**You'll actually use and enjoy it if it looks nice.** A clock that runs and looks beautiful serving your household beats an untouched original sitting in storage because you can't stand looking at it.
***The finish is already compromised by previous bad repairs.*** If someone already stripped part of it, refinished sections badly, or otherwise messed it up, you're not destroying an all-original finish—you're dealing with an already-damaged piece.
The Middle Ground: ***Conservative Cleaning Without Refinishing***
Here's what I actually recommend to most people who ask me: **try cleaning first, leave refinishing as a last resort.**
You'd be amazed how much better alligatored finish can look with nothing more than:
***Gentle cleaning with Murphy's Oil Soap.*** Decades of dirt and grime make alligatoring look worse than it actually is. Clean that off properly and suddenly the finish looks 50% better.
**Paste wax application.*** Quality furniture paste wax fills those tiny cracks slightly, smooths the rough texture, and brings back some sheen. It's completely reversible if future owners want to remove it.
***Careful touch-up of the worst areas only.*** Maybe that one section near the bottom where the finish is completely gone gets touched up, while you leave the rest alone. Selective intervention rather than complete refinishing.
This middle path often satisfies both camps. **You improve appearance significantly without destroying originality.** The clock looks cared-for rather than neglected, but it remains authentically aged rather than obviously restored.
What "Conservative Cleaning" Actually Involves
Start with the gentlest approach and only get more aggressive if needed:
**Step 1:** Dry dusting with soft cloths. Sometimes that's all it takes.
**Step 2:** Damp cloth with plain water for stuck-on grime.
**Step 3:** Murphy's Oil Soap diluted properly for more stubborn dirt.
**Step 4:** Paste wax (Renaissance Wax or quality furniture wax) buffed to a soft sheen.
***Stop at whatever level gives you acceptable results.*** Don't automatically go through all four steps if step two already made you happy with how it looks.
Ask Yourself These Honest Questions
Here's how to actually make this decision for YOUR specific clock:
**What's it really worth?** Not what you wish it was worth—what would it actually sell for today? Check completed eBay auctions for identical clocks. ***If it's under $300-400, collector value concerns matter less.***
***What will you do with this clock?*** Keep it forever? Pass it to kids who love it? Might sell it? Your answer should guide whether originality or appearance matters more.
**How bad is the alligatoring really?** Light crazing you only notice up close? Or severe cracking visible from across the room? ***Severity matters when deciding if intervention is justified.***
***Can you live with it as-is after good cleaning?*** Try the cleaning approach first. If that makes it acceptable, you've solved the problem without the irreversible step of refinishing.
**What would you regret more?** Leaving it ugly when you could have fixed it? Or refinishing it and later learning you destroyed significant value? Be honest with yourself.
Special Cases Where the Answer Gets Complicated
Some situations don't fit the simple framework:
***Clocks in completely wrong finishes from bad previous refinishing.*** If someone already refinished it badly in the 1970s using totally inappropriate materials, you're not destroying anything original by re-doing it properly. ***In this case, good refinishing actually improves things.***
**Severely damaged cases with structural problems.** When veneer is missing, wood is cracked, or the case barely holds together, finish preservation becomes secondary to structural survival. Fix the damage, deal with finish as needed.
***Clocks where the movement is already replaced.*** If the original movement is long gone and it's running on a replacement, the "all-original" ship has sailed. Finish originality matters less when mechanical originality is already compromised.
The Grandfather Clock Exception
Tall case clocks deserve special mention because **they're almost always worth preserving original finish.** Even common grandfather clocks have enough value that refinishing them hurts resale significantly. Plus, their size makes them dominant furniture pieces—if the finish bothers you, maybe you shouldn't own that particular grandfather clock rather than refinishing it.
What I Actually Tell People When They Ask Me
After 20+ years in this business, here's my honest advice:
***For valuable clocks ($1,000+): Leave it alone.*** Clean gently, wax it, live with the alligatoring. The value preservation justifies accepting cosmetic imperfection.
**For mid-range clocks ($300-1,000): Try conservative cleaning first.** If that makes it acceptable, you're done. If you still hate it after proper cleaning and waxing, then you have a genuine decision to make based on personal priorities.
***For common clocks (under $300): Do what makes you happy.*** Seriously. The value loss from refinishing barely matters, and you're the one living with it. If refinishing means you'll enjoy it instead of resenting it, go ahead.
**But whatever you decide:** Document it with before/after photos, save a written description of what you did, and be honest with any future buyers about the restoration history. Transparency matters.
Find Quality Clock Components and Restoration Guidance at VintageClockParts.com
Whether you decide to preserve original finish or pursue restoration, ***the mechanical movement inside deserves proper attention regardless.*** At VintageClockParts.com, we've spent 20+ years helping clock owners make these exact decisions, and we've learned that there's rarely one "right" answer that applies to everyone.
**We support both preservation and restoration approaches**—because different clocks and different situations call for different solutions. A rare museum-quality piece demands maximum originality preservation. A common kitchen clock that makes you smile when it looks nice? That's a different calculation entirely.
Our inventory focuses on the mechanical components that keep clocks running properly—***mainsprings, suspension springs, gears, and countless other parts*** that enable reliable operation regardless of what you decide about case finish. Because here's the thing: **a clock with perfect original finish sitting silent in a closet serves nobody.** Get that movement running properly first, then make thoughtful decisions about case presentation.
***We can connect you with professional case restorers*** when projects exceed DIY capabilities or when valuable clocks demand expert conservation work. We can also provide honest assessment about whether specific clocks warrant preservation-quality restoration or whether simpler approaches serve your purposes adequately. Sometimes what you need is permission to take the practical approach rather than the purist approach—and we're happy to provide that reality check when appropriate.
Visit VintageClockParts.com today for quality movement components, honest guidance on restoration decisions, and comprehensive support for complete clock care. ***Whether you're a serious collector preserving investment pieces or a casual owner wanting attractive functional timepieces, our resources serve all approaches*** to this wonderful hobby we call clock collecting.
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