Specialization is the name of the game in every consumer industry from storage to personal care products, and the clock category is no exception.

Because the holidays are such an important time for clock sales, increased attention is paid to them at retail and in promotional material. A quick look at these circulars shows there are almost as many ways to merchandise and promote clocks as there are clocks themselves.

Carson Pirie Scott placed the item squarely in the gift category with a millennium-themed clock and a crystal clock displayed among holiday-themed items, such as champagne flutes and Christmas tree ornaments. Service Merchandise, meanwhile, cleverly placed wall clocks on a gift page, facing a housewares page, with a banner proclaiming 50 percent off holiday gifts. JC Penney packaged them with lighting and tabletop items, while Stern's promoted them specifically with the furniture section. In fact, Stern's was offering a Howard Miller wall clock free with every purchase of a grandfather clock and a bonus mantle carriage clock with every curio cabinet purchase.

Service Merchandise, JC Penney and Stern's were all promoting the clocks as part of their holiday sales.

This specialization taking place in clocks is evident not only in the holiday sales promotions, but in clock manufacturers' introductions being made at the International Housewares Show this week. In recent years, Mark Feldstein and Associates has thrown itself into the niche market, beginning with the Singing Bird Clock and continuing with subsequent train and gamefish clocks. At this show, they are unveiling a golf clock to take advantage of the numerous consumers who are golf enthusiasts, as well as those looking to give the clocks to golfers as gifts.

Cutting-edge technology is the focus for Chaney Instruments' latest clock. The company's Atomix atomic clock is highly accurate because it is set by a radio signal from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Many in the clock industry believe that someday soon the majority of clocks will be using this technology.

Aside from taking into consideration new home fashion trends in its clock introductions with silver accents, Infinity Instruments is also recognizing the shrinking of the global village with a new clock that offers the time in three time zones.

Bulova is also making a number of introductions that cater to many different aesthetic trends, including additions to its miniature collectibles line and its Old Country Roses licensed line with Royal Doulton.

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