3 minute read
Invest in quality time
Tick Tock Shop’s fine clocks and watches make great gifts
By Lisa Lowdermilk
From the moment you step inside the Tick Tock Shop at 7 N. Circle Drive, a cacophony of sounds, from the regal chime of grandfather clocks to the gentle cooing of cuckoo clocks and percussive ticking, envelops you.
Visually, clocks (and watches) are equally striking. Cats with swinging tails, golden eggs and pirate ships are just a few of the imaginative forms craftsmen have employed to tell time. It’s a feast for the senses.
The Tick Tock Shop is a quintessential example of everything that makes clock shops magical. It’s the largest store specializing in timekeeping devices in Colorado, offering both retail and repair.
EXPERTS IN TIME
Like their father, the Mattson brothers remain committed to providing the best value in quality timekeeping products and services as the shop approaches 50 years of satisfied customers.
A PLACE IN HISTORY
If it has an hour and a minute hand, the Tick Tock Shop can fix it.
The shop has repaired family heirlooms to treasured artifacts, including a clock that once belonged to Civil War veteran General William Jackson Palmer. Staff has even repaired the Pioneers Museum’s famous clock overlooking downtown Colorado Springs. The clock, which dates back to 1915, also needs a tune-up from time to time.
“There’s a lot of variety in the work we do. It’s something new every day,” said Jonathan, 49.
Equally varied are the timepieces themselves. Although most of the items are brand new, the business also carries antique and vintage items. Three generations of Mattsons have worked at the Tick Tock Shop, including current owners Jonathan and Carl Mattson (right).
Despite its long-running success, the Tick Tock Shop has a humble origin story.
The original owner, David Mattson, began honing his craft in watch-making school in the 1950s. Soon he became a master watchmaker. A retired Air Force veteran born in Finland, he opened a small storefront on Circle Drive in 1974, where he began offering watch repair services to local jewelry stores. His reputation as a quality craftsman spread throughout the community, and he soon outgrew his space and moved to a larger storefront up the street, then once more to the store’s current location.
Although Mattson has since passed away, his memory lives on in the store now run by his two sons, Carl and Jonathan.
Three generations of Mattsons have worked at the Tick Tock Shop, including nieces and nephews and all three of Jonathan’s daughters.
GIFTS GALORE
There are options to meet almost every timekeeping need imaginable.
For those with visual disabilities, the Tick Tock Shop has watches that verbally tell time, as well as those for braille users. For the hearing impaired, they have alarm clocks with flashing lights instead of sound.
If you’re interested in the most accurate timekeeping, atomic timepieces fit the bill nicely. These devices come in a variety of forms, such as grandfather clocks, wall clocks and watches. They use radio signals to maintain their accuracy. They’re so precise, in fact, that NASA uses them when performing countdowns because they’re only off by a single second every 100 million years.
One case contains colorfully themed clocks—like LEGOS, Star
Wars and robots. There’s even a clock that appears to be melting, inspired by Salvador Dali’s painting, “The Persistence of Memory.” Equally appealing are delicate and decorative music boxes, including some reminiscent of bejeweled Fabergé eggs.
In addition to brands like Bulova, Citizen, Luminox and Seiko, the Tick Tock Shop also carries lesser-known gems, like Tense Watches, a unique style handcrafted from wood.
You’ll find watches that are analog or digital; wrist, pocket or pendant; battery, solar or quartz powered; with manual and/or automatic winding capabilities. Bands come in thin to thick widths of leather or metal, in every color of the rainbow.
The Tick Tock Shop also handles battery replacements and offers free delivery. Stop by from 9 a.m.5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. For details, visit www.ticktockshop online.com or call 719-475-8585. ■
LIMITED EDITION Lunar Pilot Chronograph
from the Archive Series celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15 and the lunar landing.
