Welcome to my website

My name is Thomas Smith and for as long as I can remember I have had a penchant for artifacts crafted in various hardwoods, particularly oak. Because of this, as well as enjoying a long-standing career in Financial Services, I found immense satisfaction and reward in the past in building timber objects for my home.

I am also an avid collector of modern and antique timepieces.

Now, in retirement I am in a fortunate position to be able to spend much more of my time pursuing my interests and combining them by building high quality hand-crafted clock cases in my home-based workshop in Stockport, Cheshire.

This example of my work in oak houses a German Hermle 8 day pendulum movement with a Westminster chime.

Over the past year or so I have also been focussing on building my cases around mechanical clock movements and have taught myself how to strip down, repair and service these to the extent that they are now beginning to feature more and more in the clocks that I make.

An image of a restored antique French clock movement undergoing tests in my workshop.

Most of the timber that I use is recycled from hardwood furniture or other wooden household items that might otherwise have been disposed of. On the occasions when I find it necessary to buy timber from a woodyard I ensure that it comes from a sustainable source.

This example, again crafted in oak, houses a quartz movement and frames a 4″ x 4″ Art Nouveau style ceramic tile.

Generally the clocks that I build contain good quality quartz movements. Also, if I am fortunate to find them, I will salvage high quality clockwork movements from tired, worn out wooden cases and give them a new lease of life with new cabinets and faces. The clock movements themselves will of course be serviced and fully tested and will come with a written guarantee of quality and reliability.

Whilst I have a good stock of finished pieces in various woods, colours and styles I am happy to take commissions for something more personalised, bespoke and unique.

This example in oak contains a fully restored antique clock movement manufactured at the famous JAPY FRERES factory in France around 1900.

Contact

If you you wish to discuss purchasing an item seen on my gallery, talk about commissioning a piece of work or just to chat about what you may expect to see on my Smith & Co stall at a forthcoming craft fair in and around Stockport, Cheshire, please complete the enquiry form below. I will respond, if not the same day, as quickly as I can.