Westclox 1950 Big Ben Moonbeam Yellow Alarm Clock

Sure, it's just a clock. A reproduction of a 1930's clock. Jeez, it's analog in a digital world. It isn't uber-cool matte black or made of titanium. Besides accurately telling the time and having an effective alarm, its only other features are a flashing light and a battery back-up. Most would think "nothing special here." But, unexpectedly, there is something kind of special about this. There is some subtle set of elements that combine to please me whenever I look at this clock. Nothing spectacular or even all that explicable....the feeling evoked is just pleasant...like seeing a girl's ponytail jauntily bouncing, like your favorite coffee cup with filled with just the right temperature coffee, like a puppy rolling on its back to look at you. Kind of corny? Sure...but nice nevertheless.

These clocks are very nice looking, but their function leaves a lot to be desired. I purchased two of these. One in blue and one in yellow. So far the blue clock is still working. The yellow clock has to be returned. Quality control is abysmal.

The dial light in the yellow clock randomly stops working. I bought this clock to use at night for an easy way to check the time in the dark. When the dial illumination fails, the only way to restore it is to unplug the clock then plug it back in again. This restores the dial light until the next time it fails. Turning the dial light switch off and on again does not restore the light.

The problem got progressively worse. After the dial light was restored by pulling the plug, it would take several days before it failed again. Now it can fail again in a matter of minutes.

Very poor quality.

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This was a replacement for the same clock that broke. This one is lighter

in its construction. The light alarm is not nearly as bright in its flash

and the buzz alarm is an electric buzz instead of a bell. Liked the one

I bought 5 years ago much better.

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Updated 8/30/11. So I recieved my refund. Less $8.31. Restocking fee? For a broken item that was owned less than a month? What a disappointment.

I liked this clock, but the alarm stopped working after 4 weeks. Now I am waiting for my refund. :(

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My wife has wanted one of these for years and finally got one for Christmas.

Within a day it had lost 5 minutes. The alarm time (as noted in other reviews) is only an approximation. Carefully set for 7:00, it buzzes somewhere between 6:45 and 7:15, and not consistantly. The alarm light does not work. Who performed quality control on this thing? We'll be sending this one back for replacement in hopes this example was a lemon.

My BIGGEST complaint is the clock comes with a big warning sticker telling you the setting knobs (both time and alarm) must only be turned one way, as indicated by the arrows on the back, to avoid damaging the mechanism. I don't know about you, but none of my old analog clocks required you to turn the hands one way only. In addition, I'm just lazy enough to want to reach around the clock and turn the adjustment knobs without looking at them. Gosh, I sure hope I don't inadvertantly spin them the wrong way and wreck the clock...especially at this price.

I note this clock is made in China and feels cheaply made.

Dave

UPDATE: We've had the replacement clock for about 2 months now, and it is acceptably accurate. I have upgraded this review to 2 stars as the clock still retains the cheap feel and restrictive alarm setting requirements; but more important, this has a most annoying alarm. For a clock designed to sooth you awake, this one makes you grind your teeth. My wife uses another clock as her alarm, but keeps this one on the nightstand because she likes the "retro" look.

Still only two stars, but that's a 100% improvement over my initial assessment.

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