Anybody who knows me will be aware that I’m a bit of a watch nerd. I own more watches than I’ll ever have the chance to wear, and love reading about the history and innovation of all things horological. With space on my wrist for new timepieces becoming smaller by the week though, I’ve started to look at how I can incorporate my passion into my home instead. The obvious way to do that, of course, is by looking at household clocks
I’d already purchased a neat little clock that simultaneously counts down the days to your next wedding anniversary as an anniversary gift for mysel…sorry, I mean my wife a few years ago. As a bit of a timepiece obsessive however, there are still some horological itches that need to be scratched.
In the watch world, much is made about the importance of provenance. This could be in the form of military history or famous pieces that have been worn by sport or Hollywood icons. More often than not though, it tends to be centred around where and how the watch is made. Watches made in Switzerland, for example, still hold a certain cachet, despite outstanding pieces being produced elsewhere. Brands such as A Lange & Sohne in Germany make timepieces that are comparable, if not better than their Swiss peers, but when it comes to wristwatches, the Swiss hold a reputation for quality and luxury that’s hard to dislodge.
One horological area in which Germany proudly holds a position of prestige and standing ahead of any others however, is in the making of cuckoo clocks. With the first cuckoo clock being made in the city of Schoenwold in 1737, the production of these beautiful timepieces have continued in the area right up to the present day. The Swiss and others have tried to claim the cuckoo clock as their own, but just one look at the quintessential design of carved leaves, deer heads and pine cones shows you that these can only belong to the Black Forest.
Indeed, much like the preservation of tradition and mark of quality that the words “Swiss made” give on a watch dial, cuckoo clock manufacturers in the Black Forest area are also protected by the VDS Black Forest Cuckoo Clock Association. A buyer can be assured that any clock bearing a VDS marking has been made in the Black Forest using the same techniques employed 300 years ago.
This idea of provenance, (and the cute little cuckoo that I can sell to the wife as ‘something the kids will enjoy’), is already enough to pique the interest in the watch nerd within me. When you take a look at how each piece is made though, that interest quickly turns to pure admiration.
There’s a phenomenal amount of work that goes into the creation of each clock. The case’s wooden detailing is all carved by hand by master craftsmen. The delicate painting of tiny features and scenes are amazingly all done by hand too. These are certainly not some identikit product that’s churned off from a production line every five minutes. Each of these are a work of art, with no two exactly the same. To expect the same amount of workmanship and provenance in a wristwatch, you’d have to part with tens of thousands of pounds. That these remain so affordable is nothing short of miraculous.
It’s rare that you can buy a product today that you can say has been made in the same way for 300 years. It’s fun to think that the clock you hold in your hands is pretty much the same as one that you could have bought in the 1700s. For some people, however, they may enjoy the pedigree that a clock made in the Black Forest offers, but also the conveniences that the modern age offers. Whilst I would be tempted to opt for a traditional piece that requires winding either daily or every 8 days, I know that my wife would prefer a quartz version that runs on batteries instead. The cases are still crafted to the same exacting standards, but this provides the option to set the clock and not have to revisit it again till a year or so later. There’s also the option of modern designs that take a more minimalist approach than the ornate aesthetics of the traditional clocks, providing something that will fit within anybody’s home.
In short, whilst I was aware of the inextricable link between the Black Forest and their famous cuckoo clocks, I had no idea of the sheer level of care and craftsmanship that goes into the creation of every single piece. I’m already thinking about ways in which I can gift a genuine Black Country cuckoo clock to myself. Funnily enough, it’s my wife and mine’s wood anniversary a little later in the year…