Ashland / Virginia / United States
The Clock Maker at Gwathmey is a business owned and operated by Mark Pellmann, known by many in the Central Virginia area who have had one or more clocks repaired or restored by him since he began working as a Master Clock maker in November of 1982. Prior to coming to Virginia, Mark had his own repair shop in a small town in western Pennsylvania. The Clock Maker at Gwathmey in Ashland, Virginia (approximately 15 miles north of Richmond) is Marks personalized clock repair and restoration shop. Mark graduated from Bowman Technical School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1980 with diplomas for Watch making and Repair, Hand Engraving, and Clock making and Repair. In May 1982 he earned the title of Certified Master Clock maker (CMC) from the American Watchmakers-clock makers Institute (AWCI). In order to qualify for the title of CMC, a clock maker must pass both written and practical exams, as well as prove his ability through a series of practical tests involving the restoration of a Westminster chime clock and making a working replacement escapement for a clock. While at Bowman Technical School, Mark spent months making a precision regulator clock mechanism. This involved making the plates, pillars, and screws; cutting gears and pinions to fit; making the barrel, ratchets, springs, hands, bracket, and invar temperature compensated pendulum; and drawing and then making the escapement. In short, we are making an entire clock using steel stock, brass stock and rough brass castings. All this went into making a mechanical clock accurate to better than two seconds a month. Over the past 20 years Mark has been working to perfect his craft as a clock maker. He works on carriage clocks, ships clocks and other clocks with hairsprings and balance escapements; French and Viennese clocks with their fine pivots and gearings; antique English spring driven clocks with fuses and complicated designs that sometimes include automation; and all forms of the modern Grandfather clocks. His favorite is the repair and restoration of the weight driven antique long case (circa 1600-1850) and the complicated tubular bell clocks of the late 1800s and early 1900s, all of which are commonly referred to as "grandfather" clocks. Related services that are provided by The Clock Maker at Gwathmey include case work, dial repair and restoration, and music box and mercury barometer repair. Other services include service calls in your home, pickup and delivery of repairs and restorations of large clocks, and moving of large or delicate clocks from one location to another. Mark is actively involved in several major horologic institutions. He is a member of the Horologic Association of Virginia and served as its president from 1997 to 1999. He is a member of The American Watchmakers-clock makers Institute and has represented Virginias clock and watch makers at its national meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is an associate member of the British Horologic Institute and a member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and the Antiquarian Horological Association. The Clock Maker at Gwathmey is pleased to offer his professional services to those in need of fine clock repairs, restoration work and parts fabrication. From the smallest of French mechanisms to large tower clocks, his experience will serve you well. If youre searching for quality, integrity, and craftsmanship, he will be able to assist you with the appropriate professionally done service. Inquiries about professional services can be made at (804)752-6633 between the hours of 8:00a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.
