Astronomical Desk Clock with Westminster Chime — the Cosmos Turns, and Chimes

A clock shows the time. An orrery shows the cosmos. This one does both — and chimes.

Beneath its frame the earth travels its yearly orbit of the sun while turning on its own axis every 24 hours, and the moon circles the earth every 29.5 days, showing its phases as they appear from our planet. Across the year, a flat disc tracks the earth's passage through all twelve zodiac signs, the months and the individual days.

And on every quarter hour it strikes the Westminster chime — the melody of Big Ben — on four polished bells.

A polished blue base with a brass mechanism. Made in Germany.

You Decide When to Hear It

• Full chime shut-off lever — silence the melody entirely whenever you wish, while the clock keeps running
• Automatic night-time shut-off — it quiets itself through sleeping hours without you touching it

What Sets It Apart

• A true orrery — earth, moon and zodiac in mechanical motion
• Westminster chime on four bells — the Big Ben melody rung from metal that resonates, not an electronic speaker
• Complete control of the sound — a manual lever and an automatic night shut-off together
• 8-day mechanical movement — brass spring-wound, no electricity and no battery
• Polished blue base — an uncommon colour in fine clockmaking
• Made in Germany — by Hermle of Gosheim, since 1922

Specifications

• Product type: Mechanical astronomical desk clock with chime
• Model: Tellurium 1
• Movement: 8-day brass spring-wound mechanical movement
• Astronomical display: The earth's yearly orbit and its 24-hour rotation; the moon circling every 29.5 days with its phases; the twelve zodiac signs, months and days on a flat disc
• Chime: 4/4 Westminster chime on four polished bells
• Sound control: Full chime shut-off lever plus automatic night shut-off
• Dimensions: 35 cm high, 29 cm wide
• Finish: Polished blue base with brass mechanism
• Origin: Made in Germany

Care Instructions

• Wind the movement at the interval stated for the model, always at the same time of day.
• Move the hands forward only, pausing at every chime or strike until it completes.
• Dust the case with a soft, dry cloth; use a wood-appropriate polish on wooden cases only.
• Clean the glass with a cloth lightly dampened with glass cleaner — never spray directly onto the clock.
• Keep away from radiators, direct sunlight, and humidity, and have the movement serviced by a specialist every few years.

Perfect Gift For

A gift that marks time itself — fitting for weddings, retirements, corporate anniversaries, and the handing over of an office or a home.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Tellurium?
A mechanical model of the solar system — an orrery. It shows the earth orbiting the sun over a year while rotating on its axis every 24 hours, and the moon circling the earth every 29.5 days with its changing phase. A flat disc tracks the zodiac, the months and the days.

What is the Westminster chime?
A sequence of four musical phrases played on the quarter hour, best known as the melody of Big Ben in London. This clock plays it on four polished bells.

Can the chime be switched off completely?
Yes — in two ways. A full shut-off lever silences the melody entirely at any time while the clock continues to keep time, and an automatic night-time shut-off quiets it through sleeping hours on its own.

Does it run on electricity or a battery?
No. The movement is a fully mechanical 8-day brass spring-wound mechanism.

How often does it need winding?
Every 8 days — a full week of running on a single winding.

Does it need servicing?
Yes, like any precision mechanical movement — a specialist clockmaker should inspect and oil it every few years.

How does it differ from the green and cherrywood versions?
They are the same model in three finishes — the same movement, the same Westminster chime on four bells and the same 35 × 29 cm format. The difference is the base: blue is a polished finish with classic depth, green a polished finish in an exceptionally rare colour, and cherrywood natural wood that deepens in colour over the years.

How does it differ from the Tellurium IV?
Both are astronomical chiming clocks, but they are different models. This is the Tellurium 1, at 35 × 29 cm with a polished base, and it offers both a manual full chime shut-off lever and an automatic night shut-off. The Tellurium IV is larger, suspended in a glass cube, and carries a Swiss jewelled escapement.

About Hermle

Franz Hermle & Sohn was founded in 1922 in Gosheim, in Germany's clockmaking heartland near the Black Forest. Within a decade it had become one of the most advanced makers of clock movements in Europe, and it remains among the world's largest manufacturers of mechanical movements. Now in its third generation, Hermle builds every movement in Germany and supplies clockmakers across the globe.