Basically most cuckoo clocks with a mechanical movement / clockwork are setup in the same way/procedure. There are slight differences between cuckoo clocks with music and without music and also concerning night shut off and the style of the cuckoo clock (chalet cuckoo clock or carved cuckoo clock). Also between the different manufacturers there are small differences.

As basis we have taken the Anton Schneider cuckoo clock intructions.

1. Now as you have received your new cuckoo clock open the carton to see your wonderful new timepiece from the Black Forest in Germany.
2. Depending on what kind of cuckoo clock you have chosen (Chalet style cuckoo clock = A;  or carved style/hunters style cuckoo clock = B) your cuckoo clock needs a slightly different setup.

3. The cuckoo clock carton contains the clock, top carvings and any other top attachments such as antlers and deer. The pendulum and the weights (music clocks have 3 weights and clocks without music have 2 weights) are also in the carton. Sometimes the weights are not in the same box to prevent shipping damages. Please inspect the shipping box if it seems that the weights of your cuckoo clock are missing.
4. Carefully remove the cuckoo clock from the carton by holding the clock frame. Do not pull the figurines or any other decoratice attachement.

Now as you have unpacked your cuckoo clock there are several things to do in order to make your clock work.

1. Open the tatches on the back panel.

2. Remove the back panel of the cuckoo clock.

3. Now, pull out the wire clamps that are securing the two bellows.

Do not bend any of the wire connections. This might cause damage to the clockwork.

4. Remove the cardboard under the strike gong of the cuckoo clock.

5. Check if the extension of the pedulum is going through the slot in the case of the cuckoo clock.

6. Put the back panel back on and close the latches.

Congratulations you have done most of the necessary things to make your cuckoo clock work.

7. If you have purchased a carved cuckoo clock / hunters style cuckoo clock then fix the deer head on the attachment and mount it onto the front of the roof of the carved cuckoo clock.

8.  You will most likely already have chosen a place for your new cuckoo clock. Please note that a cuckoo clock, because of the chains, needs to hang 1,8 -2,0 meters (6-7 feet) above the floor. This height is necessary to give maximum extension to the chains.  Use a strong srew with a plug and fix it with a small angle into the wall. Position it far enough from the wall to secure the cuckoo clock properly. Make sure the clock is hanging 100% horizontally, straight and flush on the wall to make sure the pendulum is not touching the case. The cuckoo clock must be in a perpendicular way. There are certain places in the house which are not appropriate for cuckoo clocks. Please see the last paragraph for more information.

9. Turn the door latch so it is clear of the cuckoo door.

The next steps are a little more difficult. Please pay greatest attention that the cuckoo clock is not turned upside down during the next steps once you have removed the reteining wires.

10. Unwrap the chain retaining wire at the bottom of the cuckoo clock and let the chains fall toward the floor. Remove any knots from the chains and pull out the retaining wire totally.

11. Hang the pendulum onto the wire loop (11 a). and hang the weights onto the weight hooks.

12. Start the clock by pulling the pendulum to one side and then releasing it to swing. Adjust the clock on the wall to achieve an even tick tock. To achieve an even tick tock move the case carefully from side to side (ie level horizontally) until it has an even sound.

Very important: do not turn the cuckoo clock upside down at any time after removing the retaining wire!

Here come the last few steps.

13. The clock is set to 12 o’clock noon. For setting the correct time turn the minute hand (long hand) slowly forward or backwards until the hour and minute hand show the correct time. Never turn the hour hand!

14. If the clock is not keeping good time then this can be corrected by moving the pendulum bob up to make the cuckoo clock run faster or down in order to make it run slower. Some cuckoo clocks have an adjusting screw instead which moves the bob up and down. Moving the bob has approximately the following effect: + or – 2 mm = + or – 10 Min. a day.

15. Now you can fully wind up your clock. If you have a 1-day clock, pull each chain down slowly to raise the weight. When winding up an 8-day clock support the weight with your hand while pulling up. Always pull the chains, never the weights of your cuckoo clock. Pulling the weights can result in severe damage to the pulleys.

If you have purchased a cuckoo clock with manual or automatic night shut off for strike, cuckoo call and music then you will find the operation lever on the left side of the cuckoo clock or below the clock case (picture no 16a or 16b).

Cuckoo clocks with manual night shut off have 2 options. Position I is off and position III is on.
Cuckoo clocks with automatic night shut off have 3 options. Position I is permanently on, Position 2 is automatic night shut off from 09:00 PM till 08:00 AM and Position 3 is permanently off.

We wish you a wonderful time with your new Original Black Forest cuckoo clock for many years to come. Cuckoo clocks do not need much regular care. The modern movements are sophisticated, easy to maintain and durable. For cleaning the clock please use a soft dry paint brush. Please have the movement checked and oiled at regular intervals by a clockmaker nearby to gain a maximum life span. To avoid reducing the lifetime of your cuckoo clock please only use the clock in standard room temperatures. Temperatures below 5° C (40° F), high humidity of the surrounding air, much dust or dampness may damage your cuckoo clock. Also please do not hang the cuckoo clock above a heater or above a fire place as the very dry and warm air might distort the wooden parts and the oil in the bearings of the clock movement might run “dry”. Please also note that some 8 day clocks will run inaccurate if the are placed close to draft air (window etc.).

Quartz cuckoo clocks

Below we have compiled the most important information on setting up a quartz cuckoo clock by the manufacturer Anton Schneider. The other manufacturers have very similar instructions for setting up their quartz cuckoo clocks.

1. Turn the hands to the 12 o´clock position.

2. Set the switch on the left side of the cuckoo clock to the “Musik off” position, if your clock is a music cuckoo clock.

3. Open the back cover of the cuckoo clock and insert three batteries type “Baby” as indicated into the battery holder. Pay attention to + and –
4. Fix the pendulum in the pendulum extension, close the back cover and hang the cuckoo clock onto the wall.
5. Turn the minute hand clockwise to the next full hour (1 o´clock) and count the number of cuckoo strikes.
6. Turn the hour hand to the hour which the cuckoo strike was telling. Don´t move the minute hand of the cuckoo clock while doing this.
7. Turn the minute hand clockwise to the correct time. Important: While doing this let the cuckoo strike to each of the passing full hours.
8. If the clock has an automatic night shut off, the cuckoo strikes last at 9 o´clock p.m and starts again at 6 o´clock a.m. If the automatic night shut off is activated at day time, please turn the minute hand clockwise for another 12 hours.
9. At the left side of the clock you can find a switch where you can choose following positions: “Musik on”, “Musik off” (cuckoo strike is on), “Off” Musik and cuckoo strike is switched off. This only applies for cuckoo clock with music. Not all quartz cuckoo clocks have music.
10. By pressing the button “Push” you can move out the cuckoo strike by one hour.
11. The batteries must be changed when the bird´s door does not open or close anymore or when the cuckoo clock is moving too slow.

A 1-day cuckoo and music clock has the music after the full hour strike and after the half hour strike.
The music of an 8-days cuckoo and music clock plays the music only according the full hour strike. If an 8-days clock plays the music also after the half hour, the “release lever” has to be adjusted. Bend down this lever or bend up the “music lever”.

The depth of the two wheels (chain wheel – driving wheel) should resemble the attached drawing. They should not be to close together and not to far away of each other.
By unscrewing the fastening screws on the outside of the clockcase the musicbox  can be moved into a proper position. Don`t forget; after adjusting – fastening screws.
Please only change this adjustment when there is a faulty function of the musicbox (for instances; if the clocks music chain passes through without any music sounds.)

Rombach & Haas was founded in 1897 and is still a family owned company. Now in the 4th generation Ingolf Haas is the General Manager of the company. Romba Clocks belong to the best what the Black Forest has to offer. Their range of products goes from carved cuckoo clocks, chalet cuckoo clocks, shield clocks to antique replica clocks.

Now the traditional German cuckoo clock becomes modern and gets a modern art design by Rombach & Haas. What a great idea by Ingolf Haas to take 300 years of Black Forest clock making tradition and combine this tradition with modern art design. The brand names for the modern cuckoo clocks are Romba Design and Romba Art. Ingolf Haas started to design his new modern cuckoo clocks in 2008 and now already has created 50 different clock models. All the clocks are only made in small volumes.

Most modern cuckoo clocks have the traditional mechanical clock movement (clockwork). Some have a 1-day movement and others an 8-day movement, which only needs winding up once every week. Also some clocks have quartz clockwork that runs with batteries. All clocks have the typical traditional cuckoo call and the quartz clocks also play music.

We have arranged most of the new Romba design cuckoo clocks in the category Modern Art Cuckoo Clocks.