The cuckoo clock is an interesting and somewhat unique object you may consider for a home arcade or game room. It’s an uncommon addition that can offer both a visual and audio component that most of your friends probably won’t have since it’s a niche product at best especially outside Europe where it originates.
What is a cuckoo clock and why consider one to mount to the wall of your home game room?
An authentic cuckoo clock comes from the Black Forest region of Germany and carries a certificate of authenticity from the Black Forest Cuckoo Clock Association or Verein die Schwarzwalduhr (VdS) in German. An authentic clock is handmade completely of wood with no plastic and the moving parts are made of hard brass. Mechanical movements are made by gravity and weights from the chains.
While some manufacturers may refer to themselves as offering a Black Forest cuckoo clock, only ones that come with the certificate from the VdS are legitimate. While a smaller 1-day (wound daily) cuckoo clock may start at $150, more expensive 8-day (wound weekly) clocks can cost anywhere from $700 to $8,000 with many options and price points in between.
History
The cuckoo clock is widely believed to a German invention that has its roots in the Black Forest region dating back to the 1850s and possibly earlier. It has since become a product that is synonymous with Germany although they are popular in Austria and Switzerland too.
If you see a list of popular German souvenirs, you’ll see cuckoo clocks listed alongside various German foods and chocolates, soccer (football) memorabilia, Birkenstock footwear, spices, and beer-related paraphernalia among others.
The highest quality cuckoo clocks from Germany often have the following features:
- Medium to dark brown colors with the design of the clock being a chalet or carved house with elaborate figures and depictions of the region, clothing, etc.
- Operates on a 1-day (wound daily) or 8-day (wound weekly) cycle and is rewound when required by gently pulling on the chains.
- Elaborate moving parts such as a small cuckoo bird (hence the name) popping out of the clock through a door or a merry-go-round type design with small people moving in a circle when the clock strikes with music playing.
- Plays traditional music from the region such as Ein Prosit, Edelweiss or Happy Wanderer when the cuckoo comes out.
- Modern clocks allow you to silence the clock at night or whenever you don’t want it to make a sound.
- Cast iron weights (the chains) in a pine cone shape that need to be pulled to rewind the clock.
German Cuckoo Clock Manufacturers
Major German cuckoo clock manufacturers from the Black Forest region include the following:
- Romba design (Rombach & Haas)
- Anton Schneider und Söhne
- HEKAS Cuckoo Clocks
- August Schwer e.K.
- Hubert Herr
- Hönes Uhren GmbH
- Trenkle Uhren GmbH
Choosing An Authentic Cuckoo Clock
An authentic German cuckoo clock has a number of characteristics:
- Made in Germany most likely in the Black Forest region.
- Completely made of wood with no plastic parts.
- Comes with a certificate to indicate authenticity from the VDS (Black Forest Clock Association).
- Consult the Black Forest Clock Association to learn more about what makes an authentic cuckoo clock.
Distinguishing Features
When looking for an authentic cuckoo clock the main distinguishing features are:
- Clock movement. 1-day (wound daily) or 8-day (wound weekly) clocks. 8-day are more expensive. Some come with a swinging pendulum. Quartz movements aren’t authentic cuckoo clocks and will be cheaper.
- Music. Clocks with music are more expensive than ones without and the more sophisticated and longer the song(s) the higher the cost.
- Shutoff feature. Automatic sound shutoff feature costs more than manual.
- Animation and design. The more elaborate the animation and design of the carvings, figurines, etc the higher the cost.
- Size. The larger the clock, the higher the cost.
- Paint. Since cuckoo clocks are handmade, the more intricate the painting the higher the cost.
Clock Movement
While the designs and carvings can be very unique and differ wildly, you will find two main styles of cuckoo clocks in terms of how they are wound:
1-day clock: Typically needs to be wound every 30 hours so about once per day.
8-day clock: Typically needs to be wound on a weekly basis.
Some cuckoo clocks come with a quartz movement but they are not considered authentic. Having said that, some quartz-powered cuckoo clocks are made by high quality cuckoo clock manufacturers and serve their purpose if you simply want a cuckoo clock and aren’t concerned with authenticity and don’t want to pay a high price.
A Cuckoo Clock In Action
Here is a short video of a typical German cuckoo clock including closeups of the parts and design. Just after the 1 minute mark of the video, the clock begins to strike and the movement starts.