Where to buy cuckoo clock?
 

We're going to Bacharach, Rothenberg and Munich in two months. Does anyone have specific suggestions on which location is best to buy a cuckoo clock from and have it mailed back to the US -- intact? Thanks!

The best place to buy them is in the Black Forest where the best ones are made, but of the places you name I would guess you'd get your best deal in Munich somewhere distant from the touristy shops around the Marienplatz. If you're concerned about being ripped-off or the clock being damaged rest assured that any of the shops you'd shop at can be trusted to pack the clock impeccably and very carefully for either shipping home or for carrying it back with your luggage. We bought our latest one in the Black Forest while we were on a tour at a very touristy, probably over-priced shop. They packed it up for shipping right in front of us. It arrived at our house fully functional a week later.

About how much do these clocks cost? Hubby has it in his head that he really wants one, so we're getting one, but have no idea about pricing.

We were planning to take the train from Bacharach and could go to the Black Forest and surrounding area. We don't have firm plans for the 3 nights we'll be in that city.

Clocks of course vary in price, in size and complexity, but the cheapest, traditional, hand-made clock would be around 150 euro (small), rising to around 300-400 euro for a medium size and 500 euro plus for more elaborate one. Or if you are happy with quartz movement, you can have one for under 100 euro.
See this online shop at http://www.kuckuckuhren.de/default_e...4124&W=1&L=533

Thanks--suggestions on pros & cons about the different types of cuckoo clocks as well? I think hubby likes the idea of the pull chains to wind the clock, but the salt air in our state are hard on the clockwork.

Suggestions on how to decide among stores & clocks?

We bought a cuckoo clock in Rothenberg at Kathe Wolfhart (a Christmas store, but they have a lot of other non-Christmas stuff too). We also bought some other things there - beer steins, Christmas ornaments, etc. Had it all shipped home and everything was perfect - nothing broken or scratched.

Great--a friend also bought her clock there. We will be staying above a bakery there. Any other suggestions?

Käthe Wohlfahrt is a big chain, headquarters in Rothenburg ob der Tauber (not Rothenberg, which is a village in the Odenwald hills) but shows up on any Christmas market all over the country. I would not expect to find individual handmade pieces there.

Here's another vote for Kathe Wohlfahrt. Their stores are easy to find with the one in Rothenburg being right next to the town square. I've seen their stores in Oberammergau and Garmisch. They also have a store in Minnesota. But they certainly aren't the cheapest.

The prices Alec gave you sound pretty accurate. We got a middle of the price-range clock for something like $325.00 if I remember right.

One word of warning: hang it someplace where your pets can't get at it. Cats especially love to attack the weights as they descend while the birds chirp. We've been through 4 clocks over the past 32 years. Even though they don't seem to be all that intricate, for some reason the inside workings don't hold up that well in a house full of pets and kids (tossing tennis balls around). Trying to get one repaired here in the States can be a giant pain. It's almost cheaper to buy a new clock.

quokka - I think the OP was talking about Rothenburg obT, as was I. Sorry for not being exlicit.

odT ;-) not obT.
I know it's difficult.

Yep, we are going to that quaint town and it would be cool to see if we could get a handcrafted one, even if it's smaller. 150 euros seems quite reasonable for all that intricate work. We don't have pets and perhaps if & when the clock stops working, it will be time to go back to Germany to fetch another. :)

We will be on the lookout when we go to the Black Forest to see if we can find a HANDMADE one that they'll ship back. I heard rumors that some folks have been able to get the merchants to complete the paperwork for the VAT & apply that to the shipping charges so there is no extra cost for shipping (or actually, it's folded in).

I bought my cuckoo clock in Munich years ago - it's musical and I adore it. My only regret is not buying one with an eight day movement. Mine is one day movement, which means I have to pull up the weights daily instead of once a week.

In the black forest House of clocks Triberg. They have a very large selection and give credit for vat on shipping. You can look at their site and get an idea of price. john

Thanks everyone. You've given us all things to think about and discuss. Hubby is pleased to know that there are clocks that only need to be "wound" once every 8 days instead of daily. He was also unaware of the difference between hand carved and other clocks.

Am not sure we'll make it to the black forest, as we don't have a car and mainly were planning the Rhine & Rottenberg/Bacharach, as well as Munich.

We bought ours at a dept store in Munich. Mainly because it was our last stop on our trip (and we were bicycling so we didn't want to have to carry one with us on the bikes!!)

I have found that dept stores often have a good selection of souvenirs and better prices. I do acknowledge that sometimes it is more fun to get one at a smaller shop.

I also think that if you find what you really want, that you get it there rather than think it will be available elsewhere. Years ago, my sister passed up a jewelry box at a shop we stopped at on our city tour in Granada Spain. She thought it would be available all over town and probably at a better price. No such luck! She did have a nice adventure finding the shop again and did purchase the box.

Kathe Wolhfardt is a great place to shop. We get to Germany quite a bit. We have purchased often from her shop and shipped home. They do a great job and do have very nice cuckoos.

A few tips on cuckoo clocks that a good shop will tell you: 1. Get dark chains, not gold and shiny as the shiny will soon look tarnished 2. Get carved wooden weights, not the pressed wood weights. The shop will have the good carved weights if you ask. You seldom see the good weights in the US so will be unfamiliar with them. 3. Ask about the inside of the clock. Cheap clocks are plastic, good clocks have good metal works. 4. You can get a clock with individual shingles on the roof instead of flat wood. The shingles are layed one by one. The roofs you see in the US are usually flat wood. 5. I prefer the clocks with limited or no painting. The lack of color will not yell at you when you get home. 6. Ask how long the clock will run with the weights pulled. It varies. Plus the higher you can hang the clock, the better. 7. Ask if there is a way to turn off the cuckoo only and keep the clock running. The good clocks will have a switch. We use this when we have overnight guests not used to hearing the clock at night. 8. Visit a WalMart or Target before you go. Look at any cuckoos they may have. In fact look at cuckoos anywhere in the US. You do not want to carry one home from Germany that looks like that. You want a good clock, with good carving and classic looks. Otherwise buy one at Target and save the hassle.

The full time clock only shops in the Black Forest will have the real clocks and the cheap clocks. A good salesperson will educate you to the difference. Get this person and listen to him. In that way you will buy a clock that you will enjoy for years and your friends will never see in the stores in the US. Good luck!

There is an old, famous store in Munich called Max Krug. The address is Neuhauser Strasse 2 (just down the street from the Marienplatz. They have a lot of clocks, music boxes, nutcrackers, etc. Most items are from the Black Forest and most customers have their items shipped. I was in there just last week and they were selling a lot of clocks. They are closed on Sunday (as are all shops in Munich).
Make sure you really want one before purchasing and that you can "live with" the sound!