Streamlined round case, rectangular base with polished brass or nickel plated steel plate. Looks like a Honeywell "round" thermostat mounted on a base.
Style Information:
Black (gunmetal) case with white dial or black luminous dial
Ivory case with white dial or brown-banded luminous dial (solid brown final year)
Note: Production of consumer clocks was suspended on July 31, 1942 for World War II and resumed in 1945
A small number of electric style 5 Baby Bens were made.
There are 10 Models of Westclox Baby Ben Style 5 Alarm Clock in the database
The style 5 case design was first used in 1938 for the electric Big Ben Chime Alarm. In 1939 the wind-up style 5 Bens were introduced. Henry Dreyfuss designed this case and General Time applied for the patent on November 19, 1938. The patent was issued on April 11, 1939. Other well known designs by Dreyfuss are the Honeywell round thermostat, the Princess phone, and the Hudson J-3 streamlined locomotive for New York Central Railroad. Dreyfuss also designed the box for the style 5 Bens.
Baby Ben style 5 was made in two colors, black (gunmetal) with nickel trim and ivory with brass trim. Black cases have a white dial with black numerals, or a black dial with luminous numerals. Ivory cases have a white dial with brown numerals, or two different types of luminous dial (brown-banded from 1939 – 1948 and solid brown in 1948 and 1949).
Hands on non-luminous gunmetal clocks are “simplified skeleton style” blued steel. Hands on non-luminous ivory clocks are brown and of the same shape. Hands on luminous gunmetal clocks are solid (not skeleton) nickeled blanks with luminous paint applied to the front. Hands on ivory luminous clocks are lacquered brass blanks with luminous paint on the front.
Westclox switched over to production of war material during World War II. Consumer clock production ceased July 31, 1942 and resumed in 1945.
A Baby Ben “Waralarm” was made during WWII. Movements made during this time were not nickel plated as they usually were. Case colors of army green and ivory have been seen.
Style 5 Baby Ben Electric
Introduced 1940, last shipped 7/42, discontinued 1945. Ivory case, white dial with brown numerals or brown-banded luminous dial. Labeled “S-6” on base and “S 6” on back. Height 4 3/16”. This clock is larger than the keywind Baby Ben style 5.
The style 5 Baby Ben was made through 1949.
Differentiating Style 4 Dials from Style 5 Dials
Style 4 Dial:
Has curved tails on the numerals 6 and 9;
The word "WESTCLOX" is narrower than "BABY BEN"
Style 5 Dial:
Straight tails on the numerals 6 and 9;
The word "WESTCLOX" is approximately the same width as "BABY BEN'.
Style 5 reproductions
A miniature of the style 5 was made in 1997, with only 5,000 made. It has a quartz movement.
