Scotty Dean is in love. And he's not the only one.
A steady stream of timepiece travelers joined Dean and his friends Sunday at the annual evaluation session of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Southern Arizona Chapter No. 113.
Dean is vice president of the chapter, whose members gathered in the park at the Lew Sorensen Community Center, 11100 E. Tanque Verde Road, to share their passion for all things that keep time - stopwatches, wristwatches, antique wall clocks and shelf clocks.
"I'm one who loves the tick and tock of a clock," Dean said.
For some people, the beauty is in the precision work. Others are simply interested in the fine patina and ornate wooden cases that house the works.
Dawn Bendixen took her Ingraham Calais eight-day clock - a 1910 shelf clock - to be evaluated.
People are also reading…
"That burled wood, birds eye, we don't see this very often at all," said club member Don Davies.
While the members pored through catalogs and books of thousands of clocks, they offered advice solely as guidance.
"We are doing evaluation, not appraisals," said club president Darrel Frazer.
Just as intriguing as the value of the clocks were the stories behind them.
Ray Villalobos showed a German wall clock he won in a poker game in Germany in the 1960s. And Jim Stehling had his Seikosha wall clock, which he said was an 1890s precursor to Seiko watches.
Some items were simply unique. Bruce Ehrens took his grandfather's 1920s-era Swiss travel clock used by families on elegant vacations or short-term apartment stays.
"That's a gorgeous, gorgeous piece," Frazer said of the clock, which had a painted ivory face. "That will take some additional research and study because they weren't common enough to even make it into the books."
The group holds meetings at 2:30 p.m. the third Sunday of every month at 5199 E. Farness St.
"I invite people to come by our meetings and if they have a clock they're curious about, we're like pigs on slop," Dean said. "We'll look at it. If it's a bent wire, we can adjust on the fly."
Fellow member Jim Martin said, "If I can't fix it, I've got 20 guys who can help me. It's the challenge and the joy of making it work."
Continued from previous page
Continued on the next page
IF YOU GO
• What: National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors meetings, Southern Arizona Chapter No. 113.
• When: 2:30 p.m. the third Sunday of the month.
• Where: 5199 E. Farness St.
• Information: Contact club president Darrel Frazer at 742-3011 or vice president Scotty Dean at 322-6024.
Contact Ron Medvescek at ronmed@azstarnet.com or 573-4155.
