A cuckoo clock is a humorous and charming addition to any home. In addition to notifying you of the time with its classic “cuckoo,” these conversations pieces are historically made in the beautiful Black Forest region of Germany, so they make excellent souvenirs for travelers heading to this area on their next European adventure. Whether you bring a new cuckoo clock into your home or proudly display an heirloom clock, be sure to take proper care of your clock so that it will keep prompt time and last for future generations of enjoyment.

Move Warily: The best way to take care of any cuckoo clock is to keep the clock firmly secured in an upright position to a wall. Take great care in moving the clock over any distance and be sure to keep the clock upright at all times. Often, moving a cuckoo clock requires an extra set of hands, since the weights and other pieces that dangle beneath the clock are extremely delicate and should be moved with the utmost care. When moving a cuckoo clock across greater distances than another room, consider consulting a clock expert to ensure the clock will remain in working order upon arrival of your new destination. Also, remove all movable pieces from the clock to prevent items from becoming damaged or the dangling weights from damaging the clock itself.

Hang Judiciously: When it comes time to display your clock, consider the specific space before hanging the clock. Depending on the size of your clock will directly affect the minimum height that the clock can be hung, since the weights will need plenty of space to swing without resting on a table, cabinet, floor, or any other barrier. Also, avoid hanging your cuckoo clock near high traffic areas where it can potentially be knocked off its perch or next to main doors that can jar the workings of the clock if the door slams. Furthermore, some clocks have been damaged by pets who find the raising and lowering chains and weights interesting, so consider placing the clocks well out of their reach.

Clean Carefully: If you are tempted to clean your cuckoo clock, do so with great care due to the many delicate pieces that make up the workings of the clock. Unless you are well schooled in clock making and repairing, avoid disturbing the workings of the clock unless you are prepared to take the risk that the clock may be damaged. That being said, antique clocks should be cleaned by a reputable clockmaker in order to prevent any potential problems later on down the road. Also, a clockmaker will be able to make any necessary repairs to make sure the clock will work years from now.

I’m starting to age I guess in that I’m enjoying more the sounds of my youth like a simple clockwork cuckoo clock. The timeless sound of the cuckoo bring back many memories. When I was a child, both my uncle and grandparents had cookoo clocks. I remember they were dark colored cases with ornate carvings but the bird that came out was brightly colored. I was told these were from the black forest in Germany.

I guess the Germans have a lock on authentic cuckoo clocks as when I got older, I went shopping for one and they were all German made clockworks. The new ones however were just like I remember. Darker carved woods on the outside with ornate carvings.

My parents had both a mantle clock and a wall clock that struck the quarter half and hour times. They were wonderful. Many people have fond memories about growing up. Foods, holidays, smells, and even sounds. I remember how our home was always breathing the sounds of our clocks. Even as an adult, going for visits brought me in many respects back to childhood days when hearing the constant patterned sounds of those time trackers. It was home!

Today, I have a grandfather clock, cuckoo clock, and several other clockwork type clocks all around my home. Yes, they aren’t as “accurate” as quartz timepieces or as fancy as the latest technology has to offer. But there’s something about their even pace, pendulums, weekly winding and yes, the announcement that time is marching on, that is somehow soothing. Almost melodic.

In the night, when every is asleep, I sometimes go down to the living room and just think. The clocks are busy, as always, pacing out time and announcing yet another quarter hour has past. It’s recognition of mortality, that some things don’t last, while others, like the cuckoo clock seem to last lifetimes.

The inside mechanics of cuckoo clocks maintain virtually the same design since the day they were first created in the Black Forest of Germany. While the parts are now sometimes made out of metal and plastic instead of the all wood versions that started it all, the weights and counterbalance mechanisms that help them perform accurately and to imitate the sound of the cuckoo bird have not changed much in almost 300 years. A mechanical movement run by weights that hang from the bottom of the clock drives the action of most cuckoo clocks. Most clocks have three weights, while some larger more complex versions require three weights hanging from the front of the cabinet. They are commonly in the shape of pinecones and must be pulled periodically, depending on the model. Spring-driven cuckoo clocks never really caught on and subsequently are quite rare.

Black Forest cuckoo clocks run on a set of wheels that lock gears and provide the power necessary to swing the pendulum back and forth. Every time the pendulum makes a complete swing back and forth, one tooth of the wheel is released from the escape wheel. Each time a tooth escapes, the time train moves forward, resulting in a very small movement of the minute hand. When you first bring your new cuckoo clock home you will need to test its timing against a battery operated clock of some kind. If you measure the difference in time between your cuckoo clock and “real” time, you can then adjust your cuckoo clock to perform more accurately by adjusting the weights that hang beneath the housing. It’s always an educated guess rather than an exact science, and old fashioned cuckoo clocks are never one hundred percent accurate, but patience and readjustments made every twenty four hours over a few days will get your clock functioning as close to perfection as possible. The standard rule of thumb is to try to get your clock to miss only a few minutes per week and live with it.