Managing timepieces and interacting with clock vendors
For a dedicated clock hobbyist in Canada, the quest for the perfect clock parts often involves a global search. While ground shipping within Canada is relatively inexpensive, out-of-country suppliers tend to ship by air, which can significantly increase costs.
Our hobbyist, with over a decade of experience in clock repair and restoration, prefers to buy Canadian when possible. However, they source parts from various suppliers, including Perrin in Toronto, Ontario, Merritts, Timesavers, Ronell from the USA, and Meadows and Passmore in England.
When building a list of parts, the hobbyist uses an Excel spreadsheet and orders when they feel there is enough to justify the costs associated with international sourcing. These costs include the base price of the clock movements, shipping fees, administrative costs, exchange rate effects, and import duties (tariffs).
The base price for clock movements is competitive, with Alibaba listing various clock movements at low single-digit dollars per unit. Shipping costs vary widely, but they typically add several dollars per unit or weight/volume-based fees. Administrative costs are generally a small percentage of the item and shipping costs, while currency exchange rates can affect the effective cost. Import duties, or tariffs, depend on the product classification and country trade policies, with rates varying based on the country of origin and destination.
For instance, the U.S. imposes a base minimum tariff of 10% on most imports, with higher tariffs for goods from China. The hobbyist recently sourced the correct hands for a restoration project from Timesavers, incurring a total cost of $36US, which equates to $82CDN after factoring in the exchange rate.
The hobbyist is mindful of additional fees such as minimum orders, credit card fees for international transactions, processing fees, and import duty. They also source pendulums, clock keys, and other sundry items from flea markets and antique shops if the price is less than what they would pay from a supplier.
Despite the costs, the hobbyist finds that most suppliers are excellent to deal with, and the service is usually speedy and professional. However, they acknowledge that sourcing parts from various suppliers, especially outside Canada, can be expensive due to administrative costs, shipping fees, exchange rates, and import duty.
In conclusion, for the dedicated clock hobbyist, the international sourcing of clock parts can be a complex and costly endeavour. It's crucial to factor in not only the base price of the parts but also the additional costs associated with shipping, administrative fees, exchange rates, and import duties. Nonetheless, the satisfaction of restoring a clock to its former glory often outweighs these costs.
Incorporating vintage clocks into their lifestyle, the hobbyist sources these items not only from Canadian vendors like Perrin in Toronto, Ontario, but also from international suppliers such as Meadows and Passmore in England, knowing the costs include base prices, shipping fees, administrative costs, exchange rate effects, and import duties. On the other hand, when engrossed in a home-and-garden project, they may find lesser-priced pendulums, clock keys, and other sundry items at flea markets and antique shops.
