I never intended upon starting a collection of clocks. For the most part, they are all generally similar enough to each other that it's not worth the bother of finding storage or display space for a great number of them.
Naturally, they are both of very cheap and very plentiful at thrift stores. You can be guaranteed to walk out with something if you go for a clock or clock radio.
And so it is that I've started a little collection of them. And, really, there are more interesting units with interesting differences than you would first think! Below is a (somewhat complete) list of what I have (and have had, but returned), not in any particular order, and some basic information. Information and photos will be filled-in as time goes on, and new ones will hopefully be added on a basis consistent with their arrival. I make no promises.
At last count, there were 90 units listed here, 78 of which I still have in my possession.
Photo |
Manufacturer/Model |
Radio? |
Display |
Demo video |
Notes |
 |
"Equity Industries Corporation"? |
No |
Multi-colored LED |
Here |
Cheap thing bought new at WalMart many years ago. No longer works without having a 9V battery in place. |
 |
Sony Dream Machine ICF-C414 |
Yes |
Green LED |
Here |
Another brand new purchase. Haven't been pleased with it, alarm couldn't wake a flea and the display is dimming sharply. |
 |
Pulser 44-2000-4 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Cheap piece of junk, but I didn't pay much for it. Radio reception sucks, and it doesn't have a buzzer, so it is useless as an alarm clock. But, it does keep good time, and looks neat anyways. |
 |
General Electric 7-4624B |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Speaker does not have much bass. Tuner sticks quite a bit, which is unfortunate as reception is really great otherwise. Standard classic alarm "beep", although a bit hoarse sounding and is volume controllable. |
 |
Simpsons-Sears 10652 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Radio is completely non-functional due to a dirty (broken?) volume potentiometer. Alarm tone sounds like a bird chirping, which is unique in my collection. |
 |
JIL/Candle JCR-869 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Also has a cassette deck, which needs to have the belts examined. Works great otherwise. Alarm tone is a 60hz buzz. |
 |
Cosmo E517M |
No |
Red LED |
Here |
Base model is reportedly 1022. Features "melody" wake option: just Fur Elise over the piezo speaker. Also has standard alarm. |
 |
Spartus "Sonic" 1104 |
No |
Red LED |
Here |
Very quiet alarm. Not very interesting otherwise, but it was VERY cheap, so why not? :-) |
 |
Cosmo E701 |
No |
Red LED |
Here |
Features a seconds display that can be permanently displayed through a toggle switch. Dirty controls. Haven't been able to get the alarm to sound. Also has a bad LED segment. |
 |
bedol water clock |
No |
LCD |
Here |
Bought brand new. Keeps decent time. Has the "watch alarm" alarm sound. |
 |
"Marvin the Martian" wall clock |
No |
Analog |
|
The glass cover broke in an unfortunate accident, as it doesn't sit very nicely on the wall. Works great otherwise, and a replacement cover may be sought at a later time (likely plastic!) |
 |
Cheapo WalMart "Atomic Clock" |
No |
LCD |
Here |
Scrap rescue from work. Dunno why it was pitched as it works perfectly fine, although it takes several minutes to synchronize with an atomic time source. |
 |
General Electric 7-4628B |
Yes |
Green LED |
Here |
Features thin LED segments. Alarm is the "standard GE" slow beep tone, volume controllable |
 |
Xonex DC209 |
Yes |
Flip clock |
Here |
My only "real" flip clock (the other is a cheap knockoff), undoubtedly very cheap when new but still keeping excellent time. Only has wake to radio. |
 |
Carillon SR670 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Dirty controls, but serviceable. Alarm is a rather obnoxiously loud and high pitched (past 1000khz) continuous beep. Unknown if volume controllable. |
 |
Realistic KitchenMate-101 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Intended to be an over-counter clock radio, but is missing the cabinet mounts. Very good radio. |
 |
Casio PQ-15 |
No |
Backlit LCD |
Here |
Backlight only on when snooze button pushed. Features a "thermo meter". Cheap thing from WalMart, with a watch-style alarm. |
 |
Cosmo MC638 |
No |
LCD |
Here |
Unknown model. Watch-style alarm sound. |
 |
Nexxtech 6311971 |
No |
Blue LED |
Here |
Fits squarely in the "silver plastic crap" category, and the blue display is very obnoxiously bright. But it was cheap, so I can't argue with that. Standard alarm clock sound. |
 |
Sony ICF-C1 (Dream Machine?) |
Yes |
Yellow? LED |
|
Unknown if it has actual yellow LEDs, or white LEDs with a filter. Radio sucks, as does the alarm, which is a standard modern Sony Dream Machine alarm that wouldn't wake a sleeping flea. |
 |
General Electric "P'Jammer" 7-4607WHA |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Straight outta the 1980s! Works decently, albeit with a dirty mode switch. Did not get the included "bed buds" (thank god). Alarm sounds like a classic alarm clock. |
 |
General Electric 7-4636D |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Alarm sound is the "standard GE" that is volume controllable. Very tinny radio with poor reception; easily the worst GE radio I have come into contact with. |
 |
JIL/Citizen JCR-867 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Features FM stereo capability, with two independently controlled speakers. Band switch is dirty enough to prevent FM stereo reception, however. Alarm sound is a 60hz buzz, and is volume controllable. |
 |
JIL/Candle JCR-355 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Dirty controls. Haven't really tested. Alarm is a 60hz buzz that is volume controllable. |
 |
Cardinal wall clock |
No |
Analog |
Here |
Has a homemade pendulum, despite such a thing not doing much. Currently non-functional and in need of a new mechanism as the old one was destroyed by battery corrosion. |
 |
Billiards wall clock |
No |
Analog |
|
Unknown who made it. Mechanism is dirty but works. |
 |
iHome iH6 |
Yes |
Backlit LCD |
Here |
Seems to have non-functional controls, and the remote is completely useless. |
 |
TempMinder |
No |
Backlit LCD |
|
Backlit only lights when snooze button is pushed. Missing external temperature sending unit. Have not tested the alarm (to my knowledge). |
 |
Meade Instruments WeatherStation |
No |
LCD |
Here |
Alarm is a beep. Number of beeps and speed changes as time without silencing it goes on. |
 |
Bird chirp wall clock |
No |
Analog |
Here |
Unknown who makes it. Chirping noises are volume controlled by way of a photo sensor. |
 |
Digitron multifunction clock |
No |
Backlit LCD |
Here |
Backlight has multiple colors, and comes on when modes are switched or a button is pushed. Alarm is a double-beep. |
 |
Westclox travel clock |
No |
Analog |
Here |
Nearly identical to a unit I had and lost as a youngster. Only wind-up clock I presently own, and the only clock with a real ringing alarm. |
 |
Mantle clock |
No |
Analog |
Here |
This was an expensive piece I got talked into buying by my mother. Unknown who makes it. No alarm or hourly chime. |
 |
Random cheap thing |
No |
Analog |
Here |
Bought it only so I could say I have one. Plus, most of them in this design I see are silver with blue printing, this one is the only black one I have ever seen. |
 |
General Electric 7-4649D |
Yes |
Vacuum-Fluorescent |
Here |
Features a blue filter over the display. My primary alarm clock, as the alarm tone is a VERY loud 500hz continuous beep. It is volume controllable, but loud at all volumes except the very low ones. |
 |
"Flip-O-Matic" |
No |
Flip clock |
Here |
Some cheap piece of junk I bought on clearance at some bath store. Nearly impossible to set. Alarm is the standard "cheap clock" sound, and is very inaccurate. |
 |
Spring clock |
No |
Analog |
Here |
Another piece of junk, this time from a dollar store. See notes above for my opinion. |
 |
Realistic Chronodate 229 |
Yes |
Vacuum-Fluorescent |
Here |
Features a calendar (as indicated by "Chronodate"). Alarm is the classic alarm sound, and it also sounds the radio. |
 |
Realistic Chronomatic 232 |
Yes |
Vacuum-Fluorescent |
Here |
VFD has clearly-visible filament heater lines, and has an auto dimmer. Alarm is the classic alarm sound, and it also sounds the radio. |
 |
National Panasonic RC-65B |
Yes |
Vacuum-Fluorescent |
Here |
VFD is in decent shape. Alarm is the classic alarm sound, but at a higher pitch. |
 |
Pulser 3658 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Has thinner segments. Cheap thing with poor reception, even with the external antenna. Alarm is the "standard GE" but is not volume controllable. |
 |
Neon wall clock |
No |
Analog |
|
Requires a new black light tube. |
 |
Homer Simpson Clock |
No |
Analog |
|
Msde of ceramic. Alarm is the standard cheap clock sound. |
 |
Las Vegas Dice clock |
No |
Analog |
Here |
Mechanism appears to be a battery-operated spring type. Takes C-cells, making it unique. |
 |
Spartus "Neptune" 1104 |
No |
Red LED |
Here |
Another cheap piece of junk. Quiet alarm, but louder than the Spartus Sonic. |
 |
Sonic CR100B |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Not really all that interesting, but the radio is very good for something of such a cheap nature. Features classic alarm clock sound. |
 |
Spartus 0105 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
My current "hallway clock". Crappy radio reception, and only supports wake to radio, however the styling is what attracted me to it. |
 |
General Electric 7-4640B |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Display had no colon, and the band switch was broken. Unfortunately, it stopped keeping time and I returned it to the thrift store (part of the exchange for the Cosmo E517M). |
 |
Simpsons-Sears 10877 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
This was also part of the exchange for the Cosmo E517M. Display was VERY dim, despite having an auto dimmer it never got appreciably bright. Also had insanely dirty controls, and a broken right speaker. However, I returned it only because of the signs of abuse, such as the broken transformer mounts. |
 |
Pulser ECR13 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
The only truly "expensive crap" clock radio I've picked up at the thrift store. I do not like it, even though the styling is cool and most of the controls work. I can't sound the alarm effectively due to a dirty switch, and the alarm tone is the classic boring type. There's also signs of bad capacitors. By the time you read this, I will have taken it back. |
 |
General Electric 7-4634B (#1) |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
There were three of these at the thrift store when I picked this one up, and it was the cleanest of the bunch. Unfortunately, the band and tuning knobs are dirty enough to preclude decent radio operations (and more recently the dial actually stuck, making tuning harder), and it also needed "percussive maintenance" to get it to work after it didn't survive the trip home. It will end up being exchanged as well. |
 |
General Electric 7-4634B (#2) |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
I went back and bought this one, along with the 4634A that was also there. Of the three, this one was in the worst condition; the radio doesn't work at all, and it is fairly dirty. The alarm sounded similar to the first, but at a slightly lower tone. |
 |
General Electric 7-4634A |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
The final of the three units. I can't tell what all the differences are between the A and B revisions; they seem the same to me, apart from the cord design and the alarm tone (the A revision is less "hoarse" sounding at higher volumes). Maybe a better quality speaker as well. It is the unit I ended up keeping, as the tuner worked great and none of the buttons were dirty. |
 |
Birks |
No |
Analog |
|
High-quality metal, and claims to be made in West Germany, placing it as likely the oldest timekeeping piece in my collection. |
 |
China Pride |
No |
Analog |
|
Paid more than I would have liked, but not too much. It's similar in style to the Birks, but much cheaper in construction and also features a seconds hand. |
 |
Mastercraft |
No |
Analog |
Here |
This is a real saw blade. It's hanging in my workshop/internet room right now. |
 |
General Electric 7-4651A |
Yes |
Vacuum-Fluorescent |
|
What can I say, I have a fixation. None of the controls work appreciably well, but outside of that it is really nice, and unique looking. Alarm tone is a steady 500hz beep. |
 |
Onn ONMAAC301 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Yet another item that will be going back. The display was neat, but after thoroughly testing it I am yet again disgusted with what has become of the clock radio market. Crappy digital/analog hybrid tuner, an alarm that couldn't even wake a flea, uneven brightness after four years of use, and the temperature sensor doesn't even work at all. Not to mention that the speaker did not have any appreciable loudness or fidelity. I did swipe the CR2032 that it had, but that was it. |
 |
Bird Clock #2 |
No |
Analog |
|
Has a different surround and a slightly different array of birds. All the calls are different from the first unit. Has a light sensor, but it doesn't work so I bypassed it and put tape over the speaker to quiet it a bit. |
 |
Cat Clock |
No |
Analog |
|
Required a replacement mechanism, which I supplied. This resulted in the loss of the cat meow functionality, but considering how ungodly irritating it was, no one will ever miss it. |
 |
General Electric 7-4712B |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
Also features a built-in telephone. Seemed to work nicely when I had it hooked up. Alarm tone is the standard beep noise. |
 |
General Electric 7-4737A |
Yes |
Vacuum-Fluorescent |
Here |
Another phone clock! I liked the styling, so it took the place of the 4712B mentioned above. Alarm sound is the "classic alarm clock" sound. |
 |
General Electric 7-4612B |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
One of the more modern GEs I have picked up. Radio has good reception and audio quality. Alarm is a standard beep sound. |
 |
JIL/Strauss JCR-381 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Not in very good functional condition. Radio selectivity is very poor, and is AM only. Alarm buzzer is supposed to be a 60hz pulsating buzz, but the switch is bad and it doesn't work right. |
 |
Sony "Dream Machine" ICF-C120 |
Yes |
Green LED |
Here |
Picked this up purely because it had green LEDs. The alarm is surprisingly loud for a Dream Machine. |
 |
Cheapo Blue Clock |
No |
Analog |
|
For 49 cents, I can't ask for more, but it is just another cheap piece of crap I didn't need. |
 |
General Electric 7-4655A |
Yes |
Green LED |
Here |
I'm guessing at the model as the tag that had this information fell off. Alarm is a rather high pitched annoying continuous tone. |
 |
Telefunken EC 1000 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Considering what the name Telefunken stands for it is a disappointment. It is, however, neat looking and works. It also appears to be very hard to find if you happen to want one, and information about it is practically non-existant. |
 |
Pulser 44-2192-6 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Nothing special. Good quality radio, dual alarms, no buzzer functionality. |
 |
Pulser 800/44-2158-0 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Features "air-checker" functionality whose purpose I have yet to figure out. Tuner has got major problems. Alarm is a 60hz buzz. |
 |
Sony Dream Machine ICF-C160 |
Yes |
Green LED |
Here |
Picked up for the cool pattern it has on the face. Really just another silver plastic crap clock with a mediocre radio and alarm. |
 |
Realistic Chronomatic 259 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Looks like a command console, has large red LEDs. Alarm is a very loud "GE-style" beep. IIRC it also sounds the radio in "buzzer" mode. |
 |
Simpsons-Sears 10865 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
This unit is large enough that it could easily have been a stereo unit, but alas it is not. Alarm is a 60hz buzz. |
 |
Simpsons-Sears 10877 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
This is the second one of these that I have had. It actually works, unlike the first one, although the dial lighting doesn't work. Alarm is a 60hz buzz. |
 |
Simpsons-Sears 10863 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Another woodgrain clock radio from the 1980s, bought solely to be a video subject. It didn't end up working very well. The radio was acceptable, but there was something wrong with the speaker. I never could get the alarm to sound, but it was likely radio-only. |
 |
General Electric 7-4610B |
Yes |
Mechanical-digital |
Here |
Likely my oldest clock radio at present, having been made sometime in the mid 1970s. Alarm is a mid-pitched tone. |
 |
Soundesign 3636A |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
Every bit as bad as you think it is. Horrible frequency response on the speaker, impossible to tune, low quality feel to it. Alarm is a 60hz foghorn. I only got it because I needed to return something that day, and it was the only working item that seemed interesting enough for a video. |
 |
JIL/Candle JCR-340 |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
A really nice looking unit that has the unique distinction of having German printing on the underside controls. I would have kept it if it were not for the fact that the radio is completely dead on both AM and FM. |
 |
Pulser CR-2009 |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
Another FM stereo capable unit, not much else interesting about it. Alarm sounds like the classic alarm clock, but at a faster pace. |
 |
Pulser ECR-89R |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Picked it up as it has that "shower radio" look to it (although I doubt it is a shower radio). Has "Pulser II" markings, no idea what that means. Has a really aggressive auto dimmer. Alarm is a 1000hz tone. |
 |
Simpsons-Sears 10654 |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
Has a really nice 1970s/early 1980s look to it, as well as a very interesting rotating tuning "dial" that is rather hard to tune in practice. Alarm is a 60hz buzz as far as I can remember. |
 |
Lloyd's J202B |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Bought for no other reason than "I bought the other Lloyd's clock that was there, so why not?". Nothing terribly special, although the radio is surprisingly good for something as cheap as this is. Alarm is a 60hz buzz. |
 |
Lloyd's J215 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Bought simply for a video subject, but it stuck around due to its rather cool looking design. Alarm is a "GE-style" beep. |
 |
Panasonic RC-6064 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Bought for being cheap. Alarm is a standard alarm beep, IIRC. |
! |
Panasonic RC-6130D |
Yes |
Vacuum-fluorescent |
Here |
Returned this one because the VFD was massively weak, the radio didn't work very well, and the alarm never sounded. |
 |
Panasonic RC-6288 |
Yes |
Red LED |
Here |
Cheap junk, but it has thin red LED segments, something I don't have much of in my collection. The alarm is a quiet beep noise similar to the classic alarm clock. |
 |
BSR System X-10 |
No |
Vacuum-fluorescent |
Here |
Not technically a clock, or a clock radio, but it has a clock built-in to it. No alarm functionality, except by way of attaching some noisemaker to a home automation outlet and setting this thing up to sound it off. |
 |
"American Innovative" "Neverlate" |
Yes |
Backlit LCD |
Here |
Undoubtedly this thing is cheap junk, and the transformer seems to be failing in this unit, but it is neat looking and massively full-featured (and as a side effect of the latter, very confusing). I don't remember what the alarm sounded like, without watching the video again. |
 |
Sony Dream Machine ICF-C305 |
Yes |
Backlit LCD |
Here |
Really futuristic looking alarm clock that is also very full-featured (but not as confusing as the above unit). Alarm is unique, sounds like a sort of chirping noise that gets faster the longer you let it run. |
 |
Sony Dream Machine ICF-C25W |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
A much newer looking unit than it actually is, having been made in 1988. Alarm is the classic alarm clock sound. |
 |
General Electric 7-4545C |
Yes |
Analog |
Here |
So far, my only analog-faced clock radio. Alarm is a [real!] 60hz buzzer. |
 |
General Electric 7296 |
No |
Analog |
Here |
A nice vintage stove-top timer...with a hot chassis, that I discovered quite by accident! That is how it sounds its alarm. I dunno if it is supposed to be hot, but it is on my unit. |
 |
General Electric 7-4615A |
Yes |
Green LED |
Here |
Second unit with thin green LEDs, also much larger and "stylized" than the 4628B. Alarm is the classic alarm clock sound. |
 |
General Electric 7-4646A |
Yes |
Vacuum-fluorescent |
Here |
Not much else to say other than the alarm is the classic alarm clock sound. |
 |
Cheap Thermometer Thingy |
No |
LCD |
Here |
Bought solely because it was cheap in price. Has a timer as well. Alarm is the standard cheap modern clock sound. |
 |
LaCrosse Technology Thermometer Clock |
No |
LCD |
Here |
New in the packaging, but bought at a thrift store. Has no alarm. |
 |
Panasonic RC-95 |
Yes |
Vacuum-fluorescent |
|
Bought this only because I needed to get rid of some stuff, but it turns out that it is actually very good. Has a unique alarm sound. |
 |
General Electric 7-4625F |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
See above for the story. It is in nearly perfect condition, with only a few small dents. Alarm is also unique. Of note is that I was always under the impression an 'F' suffix implied a flip clock mechanism. Obviously that is not the case! |
Coming soon |
General Electric 7-4640 |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
This is the second example of a 7-4640 I have had. Unlike the first, this one works. Unfortunately the information sticker fell off the bottom, so I don't know much about it. Has a dirty volume control, and AM doesn't work. |
Coming soon |
General Electric "Nite Jammer" 7-4607BKA |
Yes |
Red LED |
|
Identical in almost every way to the P'Jammer I also have, however it is in much less "fruity" colors. |