Contrary to popular belief, grandfather clocks aren’t clocks that had to move into the downstairs bedroom of your house because they have a bad hip and can’t get around so well these days. They’re actually beautiful and masterfully crafted timekeepers. Get the scoop on big clocks with this guide:

• Grandfather clocks have a tall base so that they can be seen over the heads of houseguests lingering late into the night and household residents who aren’t supposed to be out of bed at that hour.
  

• The ticking sound a grandfather clock emits each second reminds its owner of how swiftly time passes, time that could have been spent getting a sound night’s sleep.
  

• The only person to ever successfully open a grandfather clock didn’t find any gears inside, just a list of men who were too busy wasting their time to be successful.
  

• The White House has a famous grandfather clock called The Honorability. Little-known, single-term president Franklin Pierce once said of it, “I know that clocks can’t actually form opinions or frown disapprovingly, but that overgrown wristwatch is judging me and I’m going to kill it.”