It is difficult to write anything very interesting about lacquering the clock parts. I use Watco Semi-Gloss aerosol lacquer that I spray on most of the parts laid out on paper. The wheels are held on a “shaft” so that I can rotate / spin them one at a time as I spray them trying to get an even covering on the rims, spokes and hubs. The spraying process is very inefficient, most of the lacquer misses the part, so I will go through several spray cans before I am happy with the finish. However, I have found that I get a better finish by spraying multiple thin layers than trying to apply lacquer using a brush.
Today, I sprayed one side of each part, waited for them to dry, turned them over and sprayed the other side. I will leave the parts to dry over night and tomorrow I will sand as many of the surfaces as I can with 400 grit sandpaper, clean them with tack clock and then apply a second coat of lacquer. My experience is that this will result in a good finish on some of the parts, but depending on the wood grain size and orientation, some parts will require a third, fourth, or even a fifth coat. About as interesting as watching lacquer dry. 😊