The loud ticking on battery operated wall clocks make me crazy too.
What I 'finally' figured out is you need to buy the one WITH OUT the hand that counts the seconds.
THAT is where the ticking is coming from not the actual clock.
Believe it or not Dollar Store has a great array of real nice different style clocks that do NOT have the second hand. Some Walmart's do also.
Buy one without the second hand and you will have a quiet clock!. :C