Making the decision to shop for a classic cuckoo clock can add some grace and warmth to your home, but the process of buying one can introduce you to a surprising amount of terminology. To anyone who is unfamiliar with the history of clockmaking or the trends in their designs, finding the right clock may seem like a pretty big task. On the contrary, it can be a fairly simple process with the understanding of a few options and key cuckoo clock terms.
One of these terms refers to the “Swiss Cuckoo Clock.” If you have never shopped for a cuckoo clock before, it’s important to realize that cuckoo clocks today go well beyond popular images of carved animals and farmhouses. In order to find the right clock for you, choosing the right style is the best place to start. One of the most popular styles in cuckoo clock design finds its inspiration in the Swiss Chalet.
Swiss cuckoo clocks, also known as Chalet cuckoo clocks, are modeled after Chelt style homes that sprinkle the landscape of the Swiss and German Alps. On the other hand, the equally familiar traditional carved cuckoo click depict scenes from rural Black Forest life and are often clad in carvings of vines, leaves, animals, and hunting scenes. The Chalet or Swiss Chalet style clocks often depict scenes of Black Forest life on the farm, at home, or at the local Biergarten.
There are three main categories of Swiss or Chalet style clocks, each with a slightly different twist on its design. Typically Swiss-style clocks are subdivided into Black Forest House style, Bavarian Beer Garden, and Swiss Alpine Style clocks.
The Black Forest House style generally depicts scenes from the home lives of people living in and around the Black Forest Region of Germany. They tend to showcase an overhanging roof and illustrate the daily lives and rituals of those in the region. On a Black Forest House themed clock you might see a woodsman sawing or splitting wood or a convivial gathering of locals.
As the name would suggest, Bavarian Beer Garden themed clocks show scenes of merriment, feasting, and drinking. While the clocks themselves might showcase a beer hall, the common theme here is in the fact that the characters depicted are engaged in merry marking through drink.
Finally, Swiss Alpine Style Clocks are usually defined by the steeply pitched roofs that cover their hand-crafted cases. Houses in the Swiss Alps tend to have sharply angled roofs to shed the heavy snow that is common in the region. Most Swiss Alpine Style Clocks are inspired by Chalets in the village of Brienz as well as those common in the Emmental Valley.
It is also important to note that many Chalet style clocks are hand made and carved and painted entirely in the Black Forest Region in Germany which, along with a brass mechanical movement inside, qualifies them for a VdS Certificate of Authenticity. This level of handcrafting ensures an uncommon level of quality and means that many Chalet style clocks are also Authentic Black Forest Cuckoo Clocks.
If you’re looking for a large collection of Chalet style clocks that includes examples from each of the three subcategories mentioned above, then look no further than Bavarian Clockwork’s online catalog. BavarianClockworks.com is a great resource for learning more about cuckoo clocks and they currently have over 500 clocks to choose from once you are ready to buy. There you will find beautiful examples of Chalet style clocks along with traditional models, vintage cuckoo clocks, modern styles, and much much more. Visit their website or contact them at 800-950-6753 today. You’ll be glad you did!
For more information about Black Forest Cuckoo Clock and Vintage Cuckoo Clock Please visit : Bavarian Clockworks.
