About 15 years ago I had taken my 19th century pendulum-bell striking kitchen clock to Mr. Claire's for a movement cleaning and check up. I remembered his corner shop at 26th and Sanchez to be cheek-to-jowel with ticking stock-it still is. We spent a pleasant 30 minutes yesterday when I brought it back in for Mr. Clair to give it a look and see if he could find out why she kept stopping after 20 minutes of ticking. He was up front about costs and possibilities so I left it with him. Imagine my surprise when he emailed me this morning to tell me my clock was ready. He explained he had nowhere to keep it so he just fixed it. The price was his exact quote from yesterday. I am gleefully listening to the steady, warm ticking of my clock and am thankful that I remembered this skilled craftsman and renewed a friendship. read more

Stepping into Dorian Clair feels like entering somewhere special where time has stood still, as you're surrounded by clocks of every shape, size, and sound-- with a chorus of ticking, tocking and chimes at various parts of the house. The store is packed with clocks, lovingly collected over the decades they've been in business. It's hardly surprising the shop been around so long: they're honest, take the time to explain how things work (and don't), and will likely get your timepiece ticking again if it's stuck so it's accurate more than 2x a day. It's not sleek, generic, curated type of place but the work they do here is certainly bespoke. Nestled on the corner of one of the City's most beloved Slow Streets at 26th and Sanchez, this charming, one-person-at-a-time shop (where the clocks--and the shop cat-- are given more room than people) is the place to go if your clock needs repair or if you're in the market for a vintage timepiece and need some advice on old-timey timepieces (they don't sell the items in the store). When I went, Max helped me and eagerly chatted with me about escapements, pendulums, and balance bars (yes, still talking about clocks here) leaving no doubt that he and his owner-boss are among the most knowledgeable out there. read more

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I have the highest recommendation for Dorian Clair's expertise and service...if you speak, if you feel for clocks and antiquity, get there for your antiquarian needs to preserve your precious possessions. read more

What a joy to have true professionals allow me to watch them at work. Max machined a spring that must have somehow gotten lost by an earlier repair effort. After all, in its one-hundred-sixty years, it had to have some maintenance. Now the minute hand has the proper tension. Listening to Max and Dorian evaluate the best refinements for my great-grandfather's clock was like being allowed in an operating room with doctors who love their work and know just what to do for their patient. Their mutual respect--and expertise--made my day. And my clock work! read more

Dorian Clair Antique Clock Repair - My heirloom E. Howard & Company banjo clock circa 1865. Note the Tiffany lampshade in reflection... - Clock Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very knowledgeable and helpful. Diagnosed my clock as being too ordinary to be worthy of repair, recommend replacing works with battery mechanism, or find used replacement mechanism on EBay. Hard to take for sentimental reasons but he was right. Not decided what to do yet. No charge for insight. Also very suspect of previous clock repair, showed me how it had been modified. read more

I wanted to try to get my parents' old clock repaired. They received as a wedding gift over 60 years ago so it is older than I am. I called the shop to make sure Dorian would be there. Even before going in he had semi-diagnosed it saying it may not be worth repairing but I decided to bring it in anyway to get his professional opinion. Sure enough, once he looked at is he knew it would be costly to repair but due to the types of metals used, it would end up needing repairs later anyway so suggested it is not worth fixing over and over again. I appreciated his honesty in letting me know. I'm sure it would have been a lot of work to repair it then I would be unhappy later about having to bring it back in again when it wasn't working properly. Besides that, we chatted for a little longer about his shop cat and the other cats and dogs he's had over the years. Nice guy. If I ever have another old clock to repair I will be sure to bring it here. read more

Max struck me as unequivocally transparent and Boy Scout honest. Plus, he seems to live and breathe clocks. What more can you ask from a guy? I will be distraught and disillusioned if he doesn't get my clock looking and acting like it's 1925 and not 2025 before the fat lady sings. The 5 stars is a provisional prognostication. If Max is not what he seems, then he is indeed a silky one!- Dr. GJ read more

I received incredible kindness and care when I called to ask about fixing my family heirloom cuckoo clock that had suddenly stopped cuckooing! I was so thrilled when the gentleman who answered the phone "Max" walked me through a few steps to figure out how to get it working again. Though we found the problem within a few minutes, I can't say thank you enough for the time and patience he shared with me. I am so pleased to know about this repair shop and would recommend them in a heartbeat! Thank you Max and to Dorian the owner for giving such wonderful customer service. Grateful! Deborah W read more

A TRUE SAN FRANCISCO TREASURE I recently took possession of a badly neglected grandfather clock that had not worked in many years. This family heirloom holds many pressures memories for me. I was determined to do a complete restoration. Finding the right person that would have the experience and skill level along with the honesty to do it right was daunting. After many months of research, I decided that Dorian was the only person that I could and would trust with this task. I Explained the history of the clock and what it meant to me. Dorian said he could do it. The end result was remarkable. Dorian surpassed my expectations. Not only are all internal parts repaired, cleaned and functioning properly, he refurbished the badly damaged face plate, and polished the pendulum, weights and chains without recoding them. This kept everything original and looking good. Every day, I listen to the beautiful chimes and gaze at this fine piece of art. I'm so grateful for the loving care that went into this restoration. Thank you Dorian, Max and Mike the cat. read more

Mr Clair gave me the small part I needed for my E. Howard wall clock. It runs perfect, many thanks for the part.

If you have a valued or expensive antique clock, this is the place for it. Mr. Clark is a clockmaker from the old school. He has twice tuned up a 1904 Sessions mantel clock that has great sentimental value to me, and those tuneups last ten years or more. He can make his own repair parts, if necessary. And...he has a friendly and loving shop cat named Mike--worth stopping by for. read more

I LOVE Dorian and Mike! I had an old and unique vintage watch that needed work and, according to the internets, this was the best place to bring my precious timekeeper. The watch was telling me time again, and I wrote a check for it because I had no cash. That's how the story started.. After a few months and a couple of visits, I officially declare myself a fan. Dorian is a living encyclopedia on clocks/watches and what seems like life in general! He tells amazing stories, and I never want to leave when I'm here! Sometimes I look around to see what time it is, but with hundreds of clocks, my eyes get confused and I go back to telling Dorian about my day. Then comes Mike. Mike is the shop keeper.. He's black, fluffy, has amazing green eyes and is very very sweet. The first time I came, he was at the window, and when I walked inside, he had already jumped on the counter to greet me at eye level. He's a bit quiet, but never turns down a belly rub. I hear he's quite popular and can be bad with names. He's the king of the cardboard castle. Oh.. right.. this is a review.. I bring my broken stuff here, and it gets fixed... but did I tell you about Dorian and Mike? read more

Dorian Clair Antique Clock Repair - Mike running the shop - Clock Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great business! Extremely helpful and friendly. I will come here whenever I need help with an antique clock. Wonderful shop!

I called them about a problem with an antique pocket watch and they helped me solve it over the phone (!!). The fact they took out the time to do that (when they have a lot of work waiting) was really amazing. read more

I bought a new wall clock and hung it up. Three days later it fell off that wall and I was just sick about it! Max took a look at it and said he could fix it and I was so relieved. This shop is just what a clock shop should look like - it is jam packed with clocks of every kind. A person could tell that Dorian and Max love their craft. The shop also has a resident cat, Mike, so what's not to like. A quaint corner shop on a tree-lined street - couldn't be better. read more

Excellent! Very competent and professional service. The suspension spring of our antique Vienna wall clock broke. Owner Dorian Clair looked at emailed photos, said he could find or make a replacement, and quoted a very reasonable price. We made an appointment to bring it a couple of weeks later. Dorian wasn't there when I went in but his technician Max replaced the spring as promised. Then Max volunteered to replace a pin holding the minute hand that had been missing, replace a couple of retaining screws and even fix a problem with the chime striker. All at NO addition charge! The clock now keeps time better, and sounds better, than it has since I brought it during a 1960's military tour in Europe. Very highly recommended. read more

These guys are the click whisperers. Super cool longtime Noe Valley business. Dorian is the guy who fixed the Ferry Building clocks after the Loma Prieta earthquake in '89 & saved the 100 year old brass clockworks. Can't recommend them highly enough. But, they repair timepieces. No retail sales. read more

It may seem incongruous to start a 5-star review of a merchant with the declaration that he will not give you an accurate date for the return of your item, and that it in the best of circumstances it will take him anywhere from two to six months or more to complete his work. But for those seeking repair and restoration of mechanical timepieces, one might rightly ask what's the hurry? Over the past decade, Dorian Clair has overhauled five clocks for me, including a 200-year old mantle clock with wooden gears. All are in near perfect working order, running better than they ever did when they belonged to my grandfather, who also repaired clocks. There's a 6th clock currently sitting somewhere in his shop, and I'll likely not see it for many months, which is a good thing. Dorian tends to keep the clocks he likes around a while longer before repairing them. If you need any further endorsement for Dorian's work, you need look no further than the Ferry Building, for it was he who restored the clock several years ago during the renovation (he still personally adjusts the clock during the switch to and from Daylight Savings). His shop is a throwback to an earlier era (call to make sure he's open, as hours can sometimes be erratic), with dark woods, vacuum tube radios (his hobby), and a distinctly unhurried pace. If you can afford the time, this is an artist who will return your timepiece in the best shape possible, rewarding you with quality work lasting many years. read more

I recently inherited a cuckoo clock that my German Grandfather purchased in West Germany sometime in the 1970s. It is only a 24 hour clock (which he didn't realize at the time) and it always annoyed him that he had to reset the weights every day...so eventually he bought a new clock that is 7 days. Up into the attic the 24 hour clock went! My Grandfather passed away two years ago at Christmas time and we recently found the 24 hour cuckoo clock in the artist had my name on it because I was so enchanted by the Cuckoo bird as a child. One of the chains that holds the weights somehow was removed from the clock, so after seeing all the wonderful reviews here on Yelp, I entrusted my invaluable treasure to Dorian. Turns out, I really didn't need to entrust it to him for very long! He reattached the chain right there on the spot...under the careful scrutiny of Mike the Cat. He commented on how many interesting things came out of the Black Forest in Germany and showed us another clock that he is working on that was made around 1894...so many treasures to be discovered, admired, and observed in his shop! My mom has a New England clock that she and dad received as a wedding gift years ago and I will be bringing it in for repair one day soon. Any excuse to give Dorian my repeat business, see more of the wonderful clocks he has in his shop, and visit with Mike the Cat. read more

I called Dorian clock repair to ask about repairing an atmos clock. They told me a guy in SoCal who specializes in these clocks. He said that a lot of people will take them, but then just send them to this guy and put a couple of hundred dollars on top of whatever he charges. He suggested I just cut out the middle-man and save some money. So while I didn't get a clock repaired at his shop, I respect his integrity for giving me good information. That's why I gave them 5 stars. read more

This is the shop that other clock shops go to if the repair is beyond their capability. He can repair broken teeth on wheels, custom design and repair one-off clocks, and fix clocks that by their design ... never worked in the first place. When he repairs a clock, it's completely new, from the inside out. Be warned... If you go there with a digital clock, or some cheap Korean replica, you may have your clock insulted... or even worse. This guy is a craftsman of the highest order... well respected in the clock world, and well-known all over America. You don't bring in a battery powered or electric clock to be repaired... unless there's something special about it. You don't go to an artist to have a sign painted! You might find the owner rebuilding a player piano, or a weather station, or anything extremely mechanically complex... because that's what he does. read more

Holy 1.21 Gigawatts, I think I found Doc Brown's shop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I fear going into there on the hour) Aside from all of that, this man is fantastic. Friendly, knowledgeable, and to say the least, impressive. I took an inherited Grandfather clock in there for an overhaul. Sentimental at best, I thought is wasn't worth much but Dorian informed me of quite the contrary. I felt like I was on that Antiques Roadshow commercial or something. He is a one man operation though so don't expect your stuff back anytime soon. read more

WOW! First of all, entering the shop is a trip back into a Charles Dickens novel, which is worth the visit alone... but the point I need to get across is the honesty & frankness you'll get from Dorain Clair. I brought in an old Seth Thomas Ships Clock & received an: 1. honest appraisal of the clock's time-keeping-capability (not great); 2. inspection of the clock's 'innards'; and finally, 3. a strong recommendation that the restoration/cleaning effort wouldn't be worth the cost. I took their guidance and was very impressed at their honesty, even at the expense of a service fee. Thanks, Rick Hess read more

I had a great experience here. An elderly friend left me 67 clocks to sell, and I am clueless about clocks. Everyone said I should stop in to see Dorian, which I did one rainy afternoon. I also met Mike, his very friendly cat. I explained my situation, and Dorian said I could come back later that afternoon with pictures of the clocks. I came back with my laptop a few hours later, and he spent at least an hour (if not more) looking at each picture, explaining things, noting dates and price ranges as we went. He knew details about each clock, and when he wasn't sure of something by looking at it, he told me where I could look on the clock itself to find out. It was really fun, and I got to see him interact with other customers while I was there. If I end up keeping any of the clocks, I will definitely bring them here for repair. Friendly people (and feline), great service, generosity and a nice neighborhood vibe. This store has a great feel. And the man knows clocks. read more

I brought in a 1960s Jaeger Lecoultre alarm clock for Dorian to check out today. Dorian and his assistant were absolutely fabulous...just fabulous. If you have a clock that needs some attention - go here. Period. Of course as an extra added treat (that totally made my day) Mike supervised the repair. read more

I won't trust anyone else with my clocks. When I first walked in and said I'd had trouble with another service shop who couldn't seem to get my clock working, he named them straight away - I guess it happens a lot. Entrust your old clocks to Dorian; he won't be quick but he will do the job right. read more

There's nobody like Dorian. He's a legend in this business (if it has legends). There's nothing he doesn't know about clocks, no one he doesn't know in the business. read more

Dorian Clair Antique Clock Repair - Dorian in the SF Ferry clocktower. - Clock Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

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If you are looking for the best antique clock repair in the Bay Area, this is it! Dorian will tell you up front if a clock is worth fixing, give you a brief history and valuation of your clock followed by estimate for repair. After his repair, your clock will be as close to "like new condition" as humanly possible. Dorian is a wonder (he can fabricate missing or broken parts) and his knowledge of clocks knows no bounds. The 128 year old clock I brought in, while visually attractive, was not working. Parts were missing, parts were loose, pendulum and key were missing, sound board loose etc. etc. It was a mess, but three months later, thanks to Dorian, it is in my home, running like new. Thank you Dorian!! read more

This is really old school. Clocks are like a religion here and they do it right. They do not do it fast. If you have a good clock that you care about this is the place to go. It is like a trip back in time, especially if you are there on the hour when everything rings. read more

It s so refreshing to deal with a knowledgeable person who freely gives advice from his long experience with clocks Thank you Dorian

This is the absolute best place to take your clock for repair. During my first visit, Dorian did a complete analysis of what could be wrong with beautiful 1865 Seith-Thomas clock and gave me a repair estimate. Bear in mind this clock has been with friends and family since 1865. The clock traveled from Tennessee and Ohio to California. This clock is very important to our family. On March 13, 2009, I picked up this clock and could not be any happier. Not only did Dorian meet his original estimate, he installed a few extra pieces at his cost because it was simply the right thing to do. Needless to say the clock is running perfect and it is cleaner than I could ever imagine. I had to cut my visit short as Dorian had been contacted to work on the Ghiradelli clock in Fisherman's Wharf. In closing, do not hesitate to take your clock to Dorian Clair as you will be very, very pleased at this wonderful professionals work! read more

I brought in my grandpa's mid century modern alarm clock, and I received excellent service! These guys are so knowledgeable and approachable, and suggested an ongoing maintenance routine. Will definitely be back! read more

Wow... get this. I inherited a very old clock from my mother, that I painstakingly packed and drove to my house.. only to find that it stopped once an hour once I got it set back up and installed on the wall. I tried and tried, but could not get it to run. I finally called Dorian. He asked me to hold the phone up the clock and he listened to the ticks. Within a few seconds, he told me that the clock was not level. I leveled it and now it works like a charm! What an amazing ear! read more

Dorian is a nice man and probably the best clock repair person in the Bay Area. I brought my old German Black Forest cuckoo clock in because I really didn't know how to get it going again. It's sentimental and cheap. Instead of judging, he fixed it up for me. He's not snobby at all. Thanks, Dorian! read more

If quality workmanship is important to you then Dorian Clair is your man!! We brought him a clock that hadn't worked in probably 50 years and he fixed it. And it has been ticking away for almost 2 years now!!! Be aware that speed is not his thing, but it will be worth the wait I guarantee it!! read more

Ever since I met him 5 years ago, my husband's been talking about getting his grandfathers old clock fixed. It's a mid-century clock and it's ridiculous how hard it is to find a good clock repair! I finally called Dorian and when I asked him if we could fix it he said "no." He only fixes antiques and I guess mid- 1900's doesn't qualify. He came across kind of elitist about his clocks, which I think rubs some people the wrong way, but he does have a guy who comes in every week to work on modern clocks. What's also great about Dorian's is it's exactly what you'd hope a clock repair to be. His storefront is oozing old clocks, mechanical parts, photos and who knows what else. It feels like what businesses used to be like when people took pride in their craft and in talking with their customers. It took about a month and the clock is now working like a charm. read more

There were able to fix a mantle clock that I had been told could not be fixed!! They are so nice in there and knowledgeable, and even a bit excentric!! read more

I like Mike. Actually I love Mike!! He's the coolest and the chilliest. But yea the guys who work here are really good though. That younger guy really knows his clocks read more

Dorian Clair is absolutely awesome. He's a mechanical genius, and he's exceptionally friendly and generous. Even if you don't want your clock fixed, he'll stop what he's doing to chat with you, and tell you all about it. I met him as a neighborhood kid who wanted to know how clocks worked- he immediately gave me a couple old ones, and encouraged me to take them apart! His shop is a time machine (no pun intended), with floors and walls that are crammed solid with hundreds of old clocks, radios and machine tools. Oftentimes people stop by just to hear all the ticking. read more

He's a really nice guy, but he just can't seem to say no. He said he could fix my mother's anniversary clock, but it would cost more than the clock was worth. I asked if he could just replace the balance spring, and he said he would do that for about $20. Six months and 4 visits later I finally picked up my clock, still in the bag, still in the same place on the floor, still untouched! read more