Cuckoo Clock FAQs

Is a cuckoo clock hard to set up?

It shouldn't be. An instruction manual will be provided with your cuckoo clock. It's very important that you take your time and carefully follow the instructions. If you do, you shouldn't have any problems.

If you've purchased one of our traditional cuckoo clocks and it's still not working after you've definitely gone through all of the setup procedures, there are three things you should carefully check:

• The night shut-off. This will likely be either a switch on the side of the clock or a wire under the clock. Check both the on and off positions.
• There may be clamps on the bellows that need to be removed. Check your instruction manual.
• A small wire may have been used to secure the cuckoo's door during shipping.

I bought a traditional cuckoo clock with weights. How often do I need to wind it?

Cuckoo clocks come with one of two movements: a one-day movement or an eight-day movement. These names are actually a little misleading. A Black Forest or chalet cuckoo clock with a one-day movement should actually run for about 30 hours before you need to reset it, though it's probably simpler to just reset it daily. A cuckoo clock with an eight-day movement should be reset once a week. To wind a cuckoo clock, simply pull its chains until the pine cones/weights are all the way up. It's important that you don't position your cuckoo clock too close to the floor, or its weights will require more frequent winding.

My clock is running a little fast/slow. How do I adjust it?

It's the pendulum that keeps time on traditional Black Forest and chalet cuckoo clocks. Your instruction manual should contain information about how to adjust the speed of your traditional cuckoo clock. But the basic rule is that moving the pendulum disc down will slow the clock down and moving the disc up will speed the clock up. Use small increments when moving the disc! Just a fraction of an inch is equivalent to a few minutes a day.

Are all Black Forest cuckoo clocks made in Germany's Black Forest?

No. Some clocks have the name "Black Forest" but were not actually made in the Black Forest. One way to ensure the authenticity of your Black Forest cuckoo clock is to buy from well-known brands such as Anton Schneider. You can also tell if Black Forest cuckoo clocks are genuine by looking for a certificate of authenticity from the Black Forest Clock Association. To earn this certification, cuckoo clocks must use traditional mechanical clockwork and have been hand-made in the Black Forest.