I recently inherited an old pendulum wall clock from my grandmother, and it's been a charming addition to my living room. The clock runs fine and keeps decent time, but every hour, it chimes one extra time beyond the expected count. For example, at 3 o'clock it chimes 4 times, at 6 it chimes 7, and so on. I've tried gently adjusting the minute hand and resetting the chime mechanism as per the manual, but the issue persists. I want to fix it without risking damage to the delicate internal gears. Has anyone dealt with a similar problem in mechanical clocks? Would it be better to attempt a DIY fix, or should I take it to a specialist right away? Also, are there any signs I should watch for that indicate the clock needs professional maintenance beyond just fixing the chime?

On 03/12/2026 at 5:45 AM, lv500 said:

I recently inherited an old pendulum wall clock from my grandmother, and it's been a charming addition to my living room. The clock runs fine and keeps decent time, but every hour, it chimes one extra time beyond the expected count. For example, at 3 o'clock it chimes 4 times, at 6 it chimes 7, and so on. I've tried gently adjusting the minute hand and resetting the chime mechanism as per the manual, but the issue persists. I want to fix it without risking damage to the delicate internal gears. Has anyone dealt with a similar problem in mechanical clocks? Would it be better to attempt a DIY fix, or should I take it to a specialist right away? Also, are there any signs I should watch for that indicate the clock needs professional maintenance beyond just fixing the chime?

That extra chime definitely sounds like the hour strike wheel is misaligned by one tooth, which is pretty common in older pendulum clocks. Since you’ve already tried adjusting the minute hand and the usual reset, I’d be cautious about poking around inside the movement without proper tools or experience. Those internal gears can be delicate and tricky to realign.

If you’re comfortable with a bit of tinkering, sometimes gently moving the hour hand backward and forward slowly while the clock is stopped can help it “catch” the right position. Otherwise, a clockmaker or specialist can usually fix this quickly and also check for any wear that might cause bigger problems down the line. If the clock starts losing time, stops randomly, or the chime sounds off in tone, those are good signs it’s due for a professional tune-up.