Are chess clocks overpriced?

 I know with the VTEK300,  we had 2 years of in house testing plus another 1.5-2 years of beta testing. 

Well, there's your problem.

In an age of 3D modeling (Solidworks, et al) and rapid prototyping development cost around the physical case and mechanical issues would seem to be straight-forward, unless you were going for a paradigm-shifting chess clock.

As for the user interface and its easy of programming,  that would seem to be the key.  Your review of the VTEK-3000 gives it high marks in that regard.    

(I bought which ever chess clock Anand put his name to back when my sons were first learning chess.  Used it a couple of times out of the box.  I ended up throwing it against the wall after trying to program it to use as a 'game timer' for playing Scrabble.  Didn't replace it, just used kitchen timers.  The therapeutic value of smashing the damn thing was greater than the cost, by the way.)

That said, I'll probably end up buying a chess clock in the next couple of months.  The ones that are shown in Garry Kasparov's commercials, the tick-tick-tick gold-toned ones that look cool and, if Garry uses that clock, my use of the same clock must make me a better chess player ... I'll probably end up with that.

Because if I end up throwing a VTEK-3000 against the wall because the damn thing won't hold a setting, I might damage the wall.

ps.   I am available to beta-test stuff or do an honest review, et cetera.    I gave my chess set and a giant chess set to my son, for his school classroom's use as he's completed his elementary ed degree and is now teaching 4th grade

Shelby, I still can't get that royal blue VTEK out of my mind I say at the US Senior Open.  Was a great looking clock both frame and display.  Will see what is cooking on your next batch.  Life is too short not to own one of these beauties.  

Chess clocks are indeed overpriced, it's a niche market.

I will wait and see all the new colors coming out if there are.  I have a good working clock this is something I have on the back burner to buy myself one day.  Will more than likely pick it up at one of the tournaments you will be doing next year. Hope to make it to the NAtional Open and for sure the US OPEN since that is in my backyard for 2018.

nice work shelby.  I like the lcd old school style, very sharp for a digital (and I'm an analog guy most times, but own a casio as well!)

Nice Shelby, Would have to see one in person to compare it with the royal blue.   Glad to see you are going to make another run of the clocks. 

The vtek looks nice and all and if they are selling at $150 then cool, but right now it looks like the only warranty it comes with is 1 firmware upgrade, at that price point it doesn't compete with the Chronos, at $100 and with a generous warranty it would take the high end market. Right now it's the clock we deserve but not the one we need.

Reason why the Internet is Awesome #3,219,989

Modern Hour Glass Sand Timer Chess Clocks

Just for fun I wanted to see if there were any hour glasses that could be used for Chess.  Lo and Behold - an industrial design student came up with this as a class project.

People are awesome.

I hope this kid got an 'A'.

Call me a Luddite, but this less accurate/non-tournament quality chess timer is gorgeous.

Damn, that's pretty.

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two more pictures:

In its natural habitat:


and the design schematic for the engineering-minded:

~ sigh ~ 

Though, I suppose with uniform crystal size and some additional engineering you could add a lab-quality weight or flow sensor, a digital display, and get 1/10th of a second accuracy.  Toss in an RS-232 connection or Bluetooth connectivity and you've got yourself a high-end niche chess clock/sculpture.  

The ad copy writes itself:

You're bad at Chess but you bought an expense chess set for display on the table
Now buy the clock.  Which looks awesome.  Doesn't it?  

C'mon ... You blew $600 on the chessboard, what's another $500 for the clock.  That clock looks awesome, doesn't it?  Guests will be impressed.  And that's what matters.

If you or your spouse need some practical reason to spend $500 on a chess clock remember:  you could use this as an egg timer.  But you won't.  

It's a Chess clock.

We take Visa, PayPal, BitCoin ... 

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I hope this helps.......If he can't fix it I would not think taking it to a "professional" would be economical.  That is why no one fixes radio alarm clocks et.c small appliances.  The cost to look at and find the problem and fix would be more than the product.   In fact I do not know any more "handy man" shops that fix small items like this anymore.  None in my area for sure. Also parts would not be readily available if needed.  A Chronos can be had on sale for in the 80's to low 90's .  

No, I should have told you about another option. You can send it back to its maker with $$ (the amount escapes me) and they will ship it back fixed but it may take a couple months or longer and it will be probably about 1/2 the price of a new one.  I wish you good luck.  The address should be in the manual that came with the clock. Many threads on here you can search also. 

If you do not have the current address, and I have no idea if it has changed over the years, just call anyone of the fine chess vendors who carry it and I do think they will look it up in the manual and give it to you and tell you how much it says to include with the clock and what the terms are.  But be prepared to wait 2-3 months according to many people. Some of the chess vendors you can also contact via message during hours.  Try Wholesale Chess they are usually most helpful and they carry the Chronos.

I sincerely hope the VTEK catches on and is a big success.  It looks like the ultimate chess timer and I want one!  I haven't ordered one because the cost (for me) is high.  It's a fair price, I'm sure, but $150 for a timer is a little steep for this pensioner.  I'd like to see that price drop to around $120 or so. 

I may ask my wife to buy me one for Xmas - if any are still available, that is.

Whatever happened to the Gametime?  It was sold as "the official chess clock of the USCF" but production ceased and a promised new model never materialized.

just for this troll comment, I am buying one of them now

Realize that the troll is still in grade school...

btw - i'm still available for an unbiased review in exchange for a nice chess clock.

Just sayin' ....

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Economies of scale is the answer to your questin.