The first step in the restoration is to remove the front bezel and dial. They are rusty and discolored and the slots are burred, but not badly stripped. The front and rear screws show signs of having been removed and replaced several times. The collet and hand are rattling around loose under the glass and the tip of the center wheel arbor is distorted. Someone had attempted to tighten the minute hand by smashing the arbor down, and had in the process separated the hand collet. The center picture also shows that the hand is loose. Further, a leg is missing and the bottom of the case is fairly distorted, probably caused by the same force that dislodged the leg. The rear bell cover has a substantial amount of rust pitting which doesn’t polish very well. Attempts to polish it were futile, offering marginal improvement and wearing the nickel through. It’s evident from the pictures (and even more so in real life) that the case on this clock is distressed. Fortunately, this clock has a dial that is in at least good condition, so the restoration promises to result in a very attractive clock.

We’ll be going into detail on the restoration of the movement and case, as well as the hands. This article focuses on the restoration of a 1927 Style 1 Baby Ben. We’ve had several customers ask us to restore or maintain their early Westclox models as the clock ofĬhoice that they use on their bed stands because of their reliability, robustness, loud alarms, and decorative charm. These clocks were wellengineered and very rugged, and many have withstood the test of almost 100 years in service. Many fine models could be purchased new in the early 1900’s for around $1.00 (probably close to $15 in today’s currency). Collectors enjoy the early Westclox models as examples of American ingenuity and creativity. In particular, early Westclox models are a very common favorite with them. The number of alarm clock collectors seems to have increased over the last decade or so.

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