Jefferson Golden Minute

By Roger Russell

These pages are copyrighted.
No portion of this site may be reproduced in whole or in part
without written permission of the author.

Catalog number 580-121. The base and ring are plated with 24kt gold in a brushed satin finish. See my Gold Reference Page for information about gold and karat ratings. The inner dial ring has been found in either satin chrome or a gold color. It is engraved at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock as well as radial lines at the other hours. The glass is 3/32" thick. The clock measures 7-3/8" high and the outside diameter of the dial is 6". Depth is 4-5/8". It has a UL approval indicated on the base plate. Weight is 2.1 lbs. First date of manufacture was 1955 and it sold for $24.95.

Luminescent paint has been used in the numerals and lines of the inner dial. A luminescent line is also painted on the hour and minute hand. The luminescent material is actually radium paint. See my page about Radium Dials for more information about this radioactive paint.

The date of manufacture for most Golden Minutes is stamped on the inside of the base. The clock at the left is dated 4-6-55. This can be found by removing the two screws that hold the base plate. Sometimes the numbers are a little smeared. The base and ring are very likely made of the same material as the Golden Hour. See my page showing a cross section and a metal analysis.

The clock is often powered with an International Register synchronous motor located in the base. The output gear from the motor gearbox has 36 teeth and rotates at 1/12 rpm. This mates with the rim gear that has 180 teeth. This 5:1 reduction results in the clock face turning at the required 1/60 rpm, or one revolution per hour.

The picture shows the rear of the hands and the pear shaped counterweight assembly. The minute hand is located at front of the glass and is attached to it by friction so that it can be easily turned to set to the desired minutes. The hour hand and gear assembly is located behind the glass and can turn freely. A shaft attached to the center of the glass has a gear on it that's in the counterweight gear assembly. The counterweight always stays in a vertical position. It provides a fixed location needed to drive other gears that advance the hour hand as the glass turns.

A small counterweight of metal is attached to the rear portion of the hour hand. It's the same shape as the hand and can be seen in upper left portion of the picture. It serves to hold the hour hand in proper position relative to the minute hand.

The normal bottom plate for the Golden Minute has catalog number is 580-121. This plate also has the common Jefferson patent number2,642,713. The date inside the base of this clock is 4-26-55 and the date in another Golden Minute like this one is 3-30-55

 

 

A second less common plate says both Golden Minute as well as catalog number 580-111. This number is normally found on the Golden Helm bottom plate. It has the common Jefferson patent number 2,642,713 but in addition, this plate also has the Golden Helm design patent number DES. 172,405 that normally appears on the Golden Helm. The date inside the base of this clock is 6-23-59

A mold line not visible in this image is between the lines Jefferson Electric and 115V A.C. 60CY. It's possible this was a separate piece of the mold that could have been mistakenly used by the plate manufacturer. We may never know why it was not noticed or whether it was used despite the error being known.

The patent, 2,642,713, is actually for a different clock made by the Etalage Reclame Corporation of New York. Jefferson bought the patent rights and restyled it to become the Golden Hour, Golden Minute, Golden View and Golden Helm. See my Etalage page for more information.

Literature found in a 1956 jeweler's catalog has the following description:

All Jefferson clocks are fully guaranteed...operate on 110-125 volt, 60 cycle AC current.