Starting in 1932, Telechron and G.E. clocks began giving initial model numbers to their clocks to match their function.
1 Series - commercial clocks
5 Series - mantel clocks
2 Series - kitchen clocks
6 Series - strike clocks (hour and half hour--no chimes)
3 Series - small desk clocks
7 Series - alarm clocks
4 Series - occasional clocks
8 Series - novelty clocks, timers and radios
The model number also included what type of rotor powered the clock. (ie. the 3F03 was a small desk clock with an F rotor.) Mechanically, the Telechon F rotor was just the tail end of a B rotor minus the final 36-tooth gear. The result was a much thinner rotor that allowed for considerably smaller clocks. The rotor was housed in a thick, cast case and because the second hand was now mounted to a shaft instead of the rotor, you could change it without taking the clock apart. In fact all the F rotor clocks were redesigned to be easier to build and contained far fewer parts than earlier clocks.
The G.E. and Telechron models diverge at this point. While in the past, most designs were sold by both companies (with or without a different model number), G.E. now sold unique clocks but using the same numbering scheme. Odd-numbered models were Telechrons. Evens, General Electric.
The company introduced more, strikingly different models during this time than before or after. They spent huge amounts on magazine and newspaper ads and brochures. They had a lot to brag about. The art deco designs of the pre-War period are still the most collected and prized of all. I'm just going to shut up now and let the clocks speak for themselves.
For something to listen to click HERE. It's an episode of the Jell-O Program from 1938. Jack Benny and friends hosted the Jell-O program from 1934 to 1942 (when they started hosting the Grape Nuts Flakes program--yum!). Jack's was probably the most famous and beloved radio show of all time.
NOTE ON FINDING YOUR MODEL: If you have a model whose leading two characters are "AB", just leave them off when looking in the table below. The meaning of this GE prefix isn't known (to me anyway), it was used for a couple of years on General Electric models then dropped.