Did you know Grand Central’s clock is worth $20M?
Grand Central’s Main Concourse Clock, via Wikimedia Commons
For more than a century, millions of New Yorkers have been meeting “under the clock,” that great rendezvous point – and focal point – of Grand Central Terminal. The clock, which has presided over Grand Central’s Main Concourse since the Terminal opened in 1913, has stood out amidst the swirl of commuters and the flow of time, witnessing reunions of friends and lovers, beginning countless adventures, and playing a priceless role in the life of the city. Or, nearly-priceless. It turns out that appraisers from Sotheby’s and Christie’s have valued the four-sided brass masterpiece at between $10 and 20 million!
The brass beauty might be one of the most iconic timepieces in Manhattan, but it was made in Brooklyn, by the Self Winding Clock Company, at 205 Willoughby Avenue. Accordingly, the clock stands as a graceful and gorgeous reminder that Brooklyn was once the industrial center of the five boroughs, and “the grocery and hardware store” of the nation.
That provenance and fine workmanship contribute to the clock’s monetary value, but from an appraiser’s point of view, the clock benefits markedly from having a pretty face. Or four. Each of the 24-inch wide clock faces is made out of rare opal glass that certainly adds up.
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