Company History

In 1976, on summer break after his third year at Southern Illinois University, Darrell Jordan began a part-time job at Craft Clocks & Gifts in Elmhurst Illinois that would eventually change his life.

Craft Clocks & Gifts was one of the largest retail clock stores in the Midwest, and it also housed a growing repair shop headed by a Certified Master Clockmaker. Within months of beginning his job as janitor, Darrell discovered his love of horology. Rather than return to the university, he decided to pursue the study of horology and began his apprenticeship under a Master Clockmaker.

Studying in this environment Darrell flourished, working on every aspect of clock repair, from replacing battery movements to eventually complete antique restoration. Learning in this environment had other advantages. Where many repairmen might see one or two clocks each day, Darrell was exposed to 30-40 clocks a day. By the early eighties Craft Clocks was staffed by five full-time clock repairmen, becoming one of the largest and most prestigious repair facilities in the nation. The unique store and repair shop were also a popular destination for clock lovers from all around the Midwest.

By 1979 Darrell had achieved the designations of Certified Clockmaker from the American Clock and Watchmaker’s Institute as well as Craftsmember of the British Horological Institute. By 1983 he was managing both the repair facility and the retail store at Craft Clocks & Gifts. In 1986 he decided to move off on his own and created Jordan Clocks, Inc.

Over the years he has seen literally thousands of clocks, spent thousands of hours burnishing pivots, rebushing movements and mastering the often-challenging problem-solving of clock repair. He has established himself as one of the foremost repairmen in the field of horology and Jordan Clocks has become one of the most recognized names for clock service in the Chicagoland area.

And now the family business has added another Jordan. Darrell’s eldest son Graham has worked beside his father for many years, learning all aspect of the business. After completing his BA at Columbia College he decided to pursue his designation as Certified Clockmaker. He is currently apprenticing under his father and will be receiving his certification within the next year.