What to Buy at Klockit: Choosing Clock Movements, Hands, and Kits

Updated

Start with the job, not the product. If you are repairing an existing clock, buy a replacement movement that matches the old one's shaft length and hand mounting, then reuse the dial and hands if they still fit. If you are building a new clock, choose a movement first, then match hands and a dial to it—or buy a complete clock kit that already bundles compatible parts. Klockit organizes its catalog around these building blocks (quartz and mechanical movements, clock inserts, hands, dials, kits, and finished clocks), so the main risk is ordering parts that don't fit together. Measure before you order, and confirm shaft length and hand mounting type against the movement you pick.

Map the catalog to your task

Klockit's homepage lists its main product lines: quartz clock movements, mechanical movements, clock inserts, clock hands, clock dials, accessories, finished clocks, and clock kits. Use the task to narrow the list:

Your task Start with Then add
Repair a quartz clock that stopped Quartz movement Reuse existing hands and dial if they fit the new shaft
Replace a mechanical movement Mechanical movement Hands and dial that match the new movement's mounting
Build a clock into a wood blank or panel Clock insert or movement + dial Hands sized to the insert or dial
Build a full clock from scratch Clock kit Tools and finish supplies as needed
Buy a ready-made clock Finished clocks —

The homepage also promotes a sitewide discount code (SAVE50, excluding Q-80 movements) and a 10% first-order offer for email sign-ups. Treat those as checkout-time savings, not as a reason to skip compatibility checks.

Match a movement to your clock

The movement is the mechanism that drives the hands, and it is the part most likely to cause a return if you get it wrong. Two decisions come first:

  • Quartz vs. mechanical. Quartz movements are battery-driven and are the common choice for repairs and simple builds. Mechanical movements are spring- or weight-driven and suit heirloom-style builds. Klockit carries both, so pick based on the clock you are repairing or the style you want.
  • Shaft length and hand mounting. The shaft is the post the hands mount on; it must be long enough to pass through your dial or insert and still leave room for the hands. Hand mounting type (how the hour, minute, and second hands attach) must match the movement. These are the two specs to verify before ordering.

A practical check: measure the thickness of your dial or insert, note the old movement's shaft length, and confirm the new movement's hand-mounting style matches the hands you plan to use. If you are replacing a movement, the safest path is to match the old part as closely as possible rather than "upgrading" to a different shaft or mounting.

Choose hands and dials that fit

Hands and dials are where mismatches show up. Before buying:

  1. Measure the mounting hole in your dial or insert and confirm the movement's shaft passes through it.
  2. Confirm hand mounting type matches the movement—hour, minute, and second hands each attach in a specific way.
  3. Check hand length against the dial radius so the hands don't overhang the dial edge or fall short of the numerals.
  4. Decide on style last. Hour, minute, and second hand styles are a visual choice, but only among hands that already fit the movement.

If you are building new rather than repairing, buying a movement, dial, and hands as a matched set—or a kit—removes most of this guesswork.

Kit vs. individual parts

  • Choose a clock kit if you want a complete project with compatible parts bundled, are newer to clock building, or want an heirloom-quality result without sourcing each component. Kits suit the "build a beautiful heirloom quality clock" goal Klockit describes.
  • Choose individual parts if you are repairing an existing clock, already own some components, or need a specific movement, dial size, or hand style that a kit doesn't include.

Kits reduce compatibility risk; individual parts give you control but put the measurement work on you.

Before checkout

  • Re-check part numbers and quantities against your measurement notes—shaft length, hand mounting, dial hole size, and hand length.
  • Confirm the movement type (quartz or mechanical) matches your clock and power source.
  • If anything is ambiguous, use Klockit's US-based customer support before ordering rather than after.
  • Apply any current discount code at checkout, and note exclusions (the homepage lists Q-80 movements as excluded from the sitewide code).

The single habit that prevents most problems: measure the old part or the opening you are building into, write the numbers down, and match every new component to those numbers before you add it to the cart.