Clock brands explained: Howard Miller, Hermle, Ridgeway, Sligh, Tempus Fugit, Seiko and more

Several big names in American floor clocks have closed. Howard Miller (Zeeland, Michigan, 1926) announced in July 2025 that it would wind down, and closed its manufacturing by early 2026; its Ridgeway brand also shut down in 2025. Sligh stopped making clocks at the end of 2005. Hermle (Germany, 1922) is still making clocks and movements. Tempus Fugit is not a brand: it's Latin for "time flies", a motto painted on many clock dials. This page is factual only: onlineclock.app is not affiliated with any clock maker or seller.

About this page

onlineclock.app is not affiliated with, sponsored by or paid by any brand on this page, and there are no affiliate links. We don't rank brands. Each entry gives when and where the company started, what it is known for and its current status, with sources at the bottom. Company status can change quickly; where we couldn't confirm something, we say so. Information is as of November 6, 2026.

Clock brands at a glance

Brand	Founded	Known for	Status (Nov 2026)
Howard Miller	1926, Zeeland, Michigan, USA	Grandfather, wall and mantel clocks; curio cabinets	Announced wind-down July 2025; manufacturing closed by early 2026
Ridgeway	1926 (as Gravely Furniture), USA	Grandfather clocks; NASCAR Martinsville trophy clocks	Owned by Howard Miller from 2004; reported shut down in 2025
Sligh	1880, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA (clocks from 1968)	Grandfather and mantel clocks	Clock line discontinued end of 2005; designs sold to Bulova
Hermle	1922, Gosheim, Germany	Mechanical and quartz movements and finished clocks	Active; family-owned; US arm in Amherst, Virginia
Seiko	1881, Japan (wall clocks from 1892)	Quartz wall, alarm and melody clocks	Active (clock arm now Seiko Time Creation)
Bulova	1875, New York, USA	Watches and clocks	Owned by Citizen since 2008
Rhythm	1950, Japan	Musical and motion clocks (Small World)	US subsidiary closed in 2025

Howard Miller

Howard Miller was founded in 1926 in Zeeland, Michigan, by Howard C. Miller, son of the furniture maker Herman Miller. The company's own history says it began with chiming wall and mantel clocks, produced avant-garde designs in the 1940s and George Nelson's futuristic clocks in the 1950s, and moved into grandfather clocks in the 1960s, when it became known as the world's largest grandfather clock brand. It later added curio cabinets and furniture, buying Hekman Furniture in 1983 and the German movement maker Kieninger in 1993.

On July 10, 2025, Furniture Today reported that Howard Miller would wind down operations and close its manufacturing plants by early 2026, citing the housing market, inflation, interest rates and tariffs; about 195 jobs were affected. A later report in early 2026 said the company had "officially closed its manufacturing operations" and was auctioning the Zeeland plant's equipment, while selling remaining finished stock into 2026. We could not find a public statement on long-term parts or service, so owners should use independent clock repairers. We also could not confirm the current status of the Kieninger movement business, so we have not listed it separately.

Ridgeway

Ridgeway grandfather clocks trace back to the Gravely Furniture Company, founded in 1926. Pulaski Furniture bought Gravely in 1985 and renamed it Ridgeway Clocks, and Howard Miller bought Ridgeway in November 2004. Ridgeway is best known in sport: since 1964, winners at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia have been handed a grandfather clock as a trophy, and Ridgeway made them for 61 years. In October 2025, Forbes reported that Ridgeway had announced earlier that year that it was shutting down, and that Hermle North America would make the Martinsville trophy clocks from 2026.

Sligh

Sligh Furniture was founded in 1880 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Charles R. Sligh. It entered clocks in 1968 by buying the Trend Clock Company of Zeeland, Michigan, and renamed the line "Sligh Clocks" in 1984. In July 2005 Furniture Today reported that Sligh would discontinue its floor and mantel clock line at the end of 2005 and that Bulova had bought the rights to Sligh's clock designs and customer information; new clocks would not carry the Sligh name. Sligh grandfather clocks are therefore found today on the used and antique market. The 2005 report said Sligh would continue to service Sligh clocks; we could not confirm whether that still applies.

Hermle

Hermle was founded in 1922 by Franz Hermle in Gosheim, in southern Germany. It makes mechanical and quartz clock movements as well as finished clocks, and its movements are found in clocks sold under many other names. Its US company, Hermle North America, is based in Amherst, Virginia. Hermle describes itself as family-owned, and is the maker named to supply Martinsville Speedway's trophy clocks from 2026. Hermle's North American site publishes owner FAQs and instructions; we cite them in our troubleshooting and repair guides.

Seiko (including Melodies in Motion)

Seiko's own chronology dates the company to 1881, when Kintaro Hattori opened a watch and clock shop in Japan. In 1892 he founded Seikosha, which began by making wall clocks. Seiko was an early quartz pioneer, supplying a quartz clock for broadcasting in 1959 and launching the first quartz wristwatch, the Astron, in 1969. Its clock business is now part of Seiko Time Creation, formed in 2021. In the US, Seiko is well known for its musical Melodies in Motion wall clocks: on the hour, the dial opens and rotates while one of 18 melodies plays, and a light sensor silences the music and motion when the room goes dark.

Bulova

Bulova was founded in 1875 in New York City by Joseph Bulova, and began making table clocks around 1911 alongside pocket watches. It is known for the tuning-fork Accutron watch (1960) and for early broadcast advertising: the first national radio time signal ad in 1926 and the first television commercial in 1941. Citizen bought Bulova in 2008. In 2005 Bulova bought the rights to Sligh's clock designs. We could not confirm from Bulova itself which clock lines it sells today.

Rhythm

Rhythm was founded in 1950 in Japan as a clock company. It launched musical clocks in 1987, and its Small World series (1988) of musical motion clocks became widely known. In 2025 it was reported that Rhythm was ending its American services, and its US subsidiary, Rhythm USA, closed. Rhythm remains a listed Japanese company, but we could not confirm how its clocks are sold in the US now.

Tempus Fugit: a motto, not a maker

Many people search for a "Tempus Fugit grandfather clock" as if it were a brand. Tempus fugit is Latin for "time flees" or "time flies", derived from a line in Virgil's Georgics. The Linda Hall Library notes that it was a favourite motto on sundials, along with other reminders of how quickly time passes, and clockmakers carried it over to clock dials. Many makers, including several on this page, have painted it on the arch of grandfather and wall clock dials. If your clock says "Tempus Fugit", look elsewhere for the maker's name.

How to identify your clock's maker

The dial: look for a name below the 12 or above the 6, or on the arch.
The movement: open the back or side door and look at the back plate of the movement. Movement makers stamp their name or logo and a model number there; it may be a different company from the brand on the dial.
Labels: look inside the case, on the back and underneath for a paper label or model number.
Ask an expert: NAWCC chapters and clock repairers can often identify a clock from photos.

If the maker has closed, the clock can still be serviced: independent repairers work on all brands. For more about clocks generally, see types of clocks, and for wristwatch makers see watch brands.

Questions people ask

Is Howard Miller still in business?

Howard Miller announced in July 2025 that it would wind down, and reports from early 2026 say it has closed its manufacturing operations and is selling remaining stock. Independent clock repairers can service existing clocks.

Who made Ridgeway grandfather clocks?

Ridgeway began as the Gravely Furniture Company in 1926, was renamed Ridgeway Clocks after Pulaski Furniture bought it in 1985, and was owned by Howard Miller from 2004. It was reported to have shut down in 2025.

What does Tempus Fugit mean on a clock?

It is Latin for "time flies" (literally "time flees"), a traditional motto from sundials. It is not the name of a clock maker.

Are Sligh grandfather clocks still made?

No. Sligh discontinued its floor and mantel clocks at the end of 2005 and sold the rights to its clock designs to Bulova.

What are Seiko Melodies in Motion clocks?

Musical quartz wall clocks from Seiko. On the hour, the dial opens and rotates while a melody plays; a light sensor silences them in the dark.

Sources

Last updated November 6, 2026. Found an error? Tell us.