I need a SILENT wall clock

October 31, 2009 3:40 AM

I need a good, classy SILENT clock.

I live with my boyfriend, and he has like 10 clocks in every room. Ticking clocks drive me up the wall, I cannot stand them, and yet he has an obsession with clocks. We have agreed that I can replace the ones that are loud with silent clocks. So far I have found one: The Htawi Quartz silent sweep. It really is silent and I love it. This is the first step, I still have a bunch more to replace. I know we sound nuts.

I need to buy a few more silent clocks, but when I search google, ebay, amazon, I get the same 5 models.

Do you know of any good looking clocks that are totally silent? No flowery old-lady models. Just a fine looking clock that has no ticky sound.

Thanks,
B

posted by Bazoo to technology (6 answers total)

I think what you want to look for is a sweep or continuous second hand. I think that these don't really tick, or rather they tick multiple times per second and appear to have a no-noise smooth motion.
posted by floam at 4:10 AM on October 31, 2009

You are not alone: I feel precisely the same way about ticky clocks.

Battery-operated clocks are definitely the way to go, and the major brands (e.g., Bulova) are generally better than off-brands. Clocks with pendula are usually pretty ticky. Other than that, you really have to listen to them to make the ultimate determination. Even if you eventually buy a clock online, nothing replaces putting your ear to a model in a brick-and-mortar store.
posted by DrGail at 4:48 AM on October 31, 2009

Pretty much any digital clock will be silent, too, obviously.
posted by CharlesV42 at 5:49 AM on October 31, 2009

How about setting all the clocks for different times and then turning them all off (pulling the batteries out, or whatever)?

That way your boyfriend keeps his clock collection, you are released from auditory torture, and each clock will tell the correct time twice a day (if your boyfriend has twelve analogue clocks, you've got a full day covered in hourly increments).

Then you can add a few silent clocks (with batteries IN) to help you get to work on time and whatnot.
posted by SebastianKnight at 5:52 AM on October 31, 2009 [1 favorite]

I love sweep-hand clocks - they're very very quiet, and they look great! Note: Sweep-hand aren't *completely* silent, but you have to listen pretty hard to hear them (and they're more of a constant thrum rather than the annoying tick, tick of a normal clock). I'm not a huge fan of digital clocks because they're not aesthetically pleasing, I personally don't like the tick of a normal wall clock at all, but the sweep-hand is nice compromise. Bonus, you can get radio-controlled ones that set themselves!!
posted by BigCalm at 5:25 PM on October 31, 2009

I guess what I'm really looking for: Does someone own a nice silent clock, and if so, can you tell me the make and model?
posted by Bazoo at 9:16 PM on October 31, 2009