Restoring a Kieninger & Obergfell (Kundo) Anniversary Clock
When this Kieninger & Obergfell, or Kundo, anniversary clock arrived in our
workshop, it was in a very neglected state, corroded, dusty, mishandled, with a
broken suspension spring and its glass dome missing.
Many repairers choose not to work on these clocks, and it is not hard to see
why, they can take considerable time and patience to set up correctly, and their
suspension springs are delicate and costly to replace. Despite this, they are
clocks we are always happy to work with, as a well restored anniversary clock
can become a beautiful and quietly impressive piece.
A Careful and Fully Reversible Restoration
This clock was booked in for a complete restoration. The movement received a
full service, the dial was refinished due to corrosion and past mistreatment, and
we sourced a replacement glass dome. The dome differs slightly in shape from
the original, authentic domes are difficult to find, so we made a new mahogany
base to suit it.
All changes were deliberately kept reversible, so the clock can be returned to
its original specification if an authentic dome becomes available.
Servicing the Movement
We began with the movement. It was completely disassembled, cleaned, and
inspected. The arbors themselves had corrosion present, and this was removed
by careful hand polishing. Each pivot was then polished to a high standard.
No excessive wear was found. Aside from cleaning, lubrication, and fitting a
new suspension spring, the movement required no invasive work, which is
always our preferred outcome.
Once reassembled, the movement was tested for around three weeks to
confirm steady, reliable performance.
Restoring the Dial
While the movement was on test, we attended to the dial. It had arrived spray
painted black, and once the paint was stripped away, it became clear that the
original Kundo logo had also been lost.
Although remnants of the original silvering were still present beneath the paint,
surface corrosion was too severe to preserve, so a complete refinish was
necessary. The brass hour markers, each secured from behind with small
screws, were removed.
The dial was then mounted in the lathe and taken back to bare brass before
receiving a brushed finish. After decontamination, we applied a traditional
silvering solution that deposits real silver onto the brass, the same method
originally used on many quality dials.
Once rinsed and dried, the dial regained a clean, authentic appearance.
The hour markers and hands were polished by hand, and the screws were
cleaned, de-corroded, and re-blued. The Kundo logo was hand painted with a
steady hand, and the dial was then fully reassembled.
Final Assembly and Regulation
Before final assembly, every decorative component was polished to a shine by
hand.
One missing decorative screw was remade to match the existing ones
exactly.
With the clock rebuilt, it was placed on a level surface for testing and
regulation. The suspension fork needed fine adjustment due to low impulse,
and after a few precise refinements, the clock achieved an amplitude slightly
above 360 degrees, which is comfortably above the acceptable minimum of
270 degrees.
The clock now runs with excellent accuracy, and will not require winding for an
entire year. This restoration reflects our approach, conservative, precise, and
always mindful of preserving originality wherever possible.
