3 Antique Tide Clocks You Can Buy New, $142 to $795

If you want antique tide clocks that show high and low tide at a glance, the practical choice is a new clock in a vintage style. Look for a brass bezel, a wooden or steel case and a single hand that circles the dial every 12 hours and 25 minutes. Of the three below, the Fischer ASH ($620) suits a mahogany-and-brass look. The Fischer COLT ($795) suits buyers who want the time as well as the tide. The TFA Germany steel model ($142) suits anyone who wants a larger dial on a modest budget.

Searching for an old tide clock is confusing. You get pre-owned listings of unknown condition, handmade pieces of varying quality, and nautical clocks that look the part but do not track tides at all. A ship's clock or porthole clock tells the hour and nothing else. This article sorts that out. It covers the three tide clocks worth considering, how a genuine antique differs from a vintage-style new clock, and how to set one up so it reads correctly on your stretch of coast.

All three clocks come from the Clocks Central range. We are a Melbourne retailer that focuses on clocks and weather instruments, and we stock tide clocks and barometers from TFA Germany and Fischer. We describe each one here by what its product page states, and where a detail is not listed we say so and point you to the page.

1. Fischer ASH Tide Clock, 17cm

The Fischer ASH tide clock is the most traditional-looking of the three. It is a tide clock in a wooden case with a polished brass flange lunette, which is the brass ring around the dial. That ring is what gives it the old ship's instrument look.

What you get

The ASH is a tide-only clock rather than a time and tide model, so expect it to show tide and nothing else. The case is mahogany-coloured wood. The brass ring catches the light against a dark finish, which is the main reason it reads as antique rather than merely nautical.

• Case diameter: 170 mm (17cm)
• Polished brass flange lunette
• Wooden case in mahogany
• Clear tide display
• Price: $620

The ASH gives you the brass-and-mahogany look of an old ship's instrument without the risks of buying second-hand.

Who it suits and what it costs

The ASH suits beachside homes, boat owners and anyone who wants a nautical wall piece that also works. Fischer designs it to sit comfortably in both modern and traditional rooms. At $620 it sits in the middle of this list.

Because it shows tide only, you will want a separate wall clock nearby. Orders over $100 ship free within Australia, so the ticket price is what you pay.

2. Fischer COLT Time & Tide Clock, 17cm

The Fischer COLT time and tide clock is the premium pick at $795. It shares the ASH's 17cm size, polished brass flange lunette and wooden case, and adds the time to the tide reading.

What you get

The name says it shows both time and tide. Check the product page for the exact dial layout before you buy. The COLT comes in two colours, mahogany and chrome black, which gives you a choice between the classic look and a darker one.

• Case diameter: 17cm
• Polished brass flange lunette
• Wooden case
• Colours: mahogany or chrome black
• Price: $795

If one clock has to do two jobs on a single wall, the COLT is the one to buy.

Who it suits and what it costs

The COLT suits buyers with limited wall space who want a tide reading and the hour from one object. It also suits those who prefer a darker finish, since the chrome black option looks more modern than the mahogany.

The price gap to the ASH is $175. For that you get the time function and the colour choice. If you already own a good wall clock nearby, the ASH is the better value.

3. TFA Germany Analogue Tide Clock, 22cm

The TFA Germany clock is the practical choice at $142. It is not a brass antique-style piece. It has a stainless steel frame, a glass cover and a blue dial, and it is a much larger 22cm.

What you get

This clock covers the basic job well. Its hand circles the dial every 12 hours and 25 minutes, which matches the length of a tide, the gap between two high waters. Per TFA, high tide reads at 12 and low tide at 6, with the hours between counting down to the ebb or flood.

• Diameter: 22cm
• Stainless steel frame with glass cover
• Blue dial
• Hand completes a circuit every 12 hours 25 minutes
• Price: $142

At less than a quarter of the ASH's price, the TFA is the sensible entry point if you value function over polished brass.

Who it suits and what it costs

The TFA suits anglers, sailors, surfers and swimmers who care more about reading the tide than about the finish. It also suits caravan owners and holiday-house owners, because you can set it for a favourite spot on the coast. At $142 it is also the easiest to give as a gift.

Be honest with yourself about the look. Steel and glass read as modern maritime rather than antique. If brass and wood matter, step up to a Fischer.

Antique, vintage-style or second-hand: what to buy

A genuine antique tide clock is a collector's item, and most buyers are better served by a new vintage-style clock. You pay for age and condition, and an old movement may need servicing. A new clock gives you the look with a known return policy.

What buying a genuine antique involves

Many marketplace listings labelled antique or vintage are reproductions or pre-owned modern clocks. If you do shop second-hand, ask four things: whether it keeps time, whether the movement has been serviced, whether the dial and hand are original, and what the return terms are.

Be careful with look-alikes. A ship's clock, a porthole clock or a pocket sundial may be sold under the same search terms but will not tell you the tide.

How the three compare

Here is how the three clocks sit side by side. Check each product page for anything not listed here.

If you like the look, you can build a pair. The ASH ($620) and the Fischer OAKLEY barometer ($690), which has the same 170 mm wooden case, come to $1,310 together. Both are mahogany, so they hang well as a set.

Choose on finish first, because the tide-reading job is the same on all three.

How to set and read a tide clock

A tide clock does not know where you are, so you set it once for your coast and check it now and then. The hand makes a full circuit in 12 hours and 25 minutes, which is two high tides per lunar day of about 24 hours and 50 minutes.

Setting it to your coast

The steps take a few minutes:

1. Look up the next high tide time for your nearest port or beach in an official tide table or a tide app.
2. Turn the hand to 12 at that moment, since high tide reads at the top of the dial.
3. Read the hand as hours until the next change: it sits at 6 at low tide and counts the hours between.
4. Hang the clock where you will see it, and compare it with the tide table every few weeks.

The tide shifts about 50 minutes later each day, and the clock's hand follows that rhythm. Local geography still causes drift, so a periodic check keeps it accurate.

When a tide clock will not suit your coast

Tide clocks suit places with two high and two low tides a day. Some coasts, including parts of northern Australia, have a single high tide a day or a mixed pattern. There a tide clock will mislead you.

Check your local tide table first. If it shows two highs and two lows, a tide clock will work. The result is a clock that is both useful and decorative.

Set the hand to the next high tide from a tide table, then check it every few weeks.

Choosing your tide clock

For the antique look, the Fischer ASH at $620 or the Fischer COLT at $795 gives you brass and wood. Pick the COLT if you want time and tide together. For function on a budget, the TFA Germany clock at $142 does the same tide job with a larger dial. Whichever you choose, check your local tide pattern first and set the clock to a tide table.

You can see all three, along with matching barometers, in the Clocks Central tide clocks and weather stations range. Orders over $100 ship free Australia-wide, and returns are easy if the clock is not right for your wall.