Hello,

I'm not usually over here in the clock area but there is something I want to share. We just spent a short weekend in Santa Barbara and on the way home we stopped off in the town of Solvang where I discovered the most amazing collective of clocks and watches ever! They also stocked a good variety of other really expensive stuff too such as paintings, music boxes, pianos, estate jewelry, candelabras & chandeliers, toys, antique scales and even an antique meat slicer! Anyway I was quite amazed and the nice staff invited me to take as many photographs as I liked so here a few are. Also, here is a link to their website with the entire inventory cataloged: Solvang Antique Center

William

Exterior view.

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This french regulator clock made by Paul Garnier has a thermometer in the pendulum and features the equation of time complication! It is on sale for only $185,000.

Here's a closeup of the dials used to calculate the difference between solar time and mean time.

I'm not even a clock person but I can always spot one of these!

Dial closeup.

A very nice collection of carriage and travel clocks too.

GREETINGS WILLIAM, NICE PICTURES NICE CLOCKS, SOLVANGS IS A GOOD PLACE TO SHOP AND DREAM. I REMEMBER READING ONE OF YOUR POSTS AND YOU SAID YOU WERE FROM MUNCIE,IND I TOO AM FROM MUNCIE I DON'T GET BACK THERE OFTEN SO I AM SURE THINGS HAVE CHANGED A LOT. TAKE CARE AND DID YOU PICK UP ANY BARGAINS AT SOLVANGS? EDDIE

Thanks Eddie,

No bargains at the Solvang antique center...it's pretty much full blown retail as you would expect but the finest inventory anywhere I think.

All of my immediate relatives live in or around Muncie so I do get back there from time to time. It really hasn't changed much but it is always a good spot to shop for clocks and watches...as well as visit the family! I bought my son Oliver, who is now almost 4, a Westclox Pocket Ben there but he doesn't like it much because even at his age, he knows it's cheap. I always carry a "good" pocket watch and he knows the difference just by the weight, just like us I guess! He won't wear it and will have nothing to do with it but understands that a proper Bunn Special is down the road a ways. So for now he just doesn't wear a watch and is dismayed at the realization of this: Anything we're willing to give him at his age is indestructible junk...smart boy I guess.

The antique collective in Solvang, which is close to Santa Barbara, CA, is worth a visit sometime if you're ever that way.

William