Hello!
We will be visiting Germany at the end of March, and I was wondering if anyone has recommendations on where to purchase a clock (specific stores) in Rothenburg, Nuremberg, or Munich?
(I know they sell them all over; however, I'm looking for recommendations of places that people have enjoyed visiting!)
Thank you,
Neva
You can try Käthe Wohlfahrt in Rothenburg odT:
https://kaethe-wohlfahrt.com/en/Souvenirs/Cuckoo-Clocks/
I bought my cuckoo clock in Rothenburg over ten years ago. I don't remember the name of the store but they shipped it home to the U.S. for me and it arrived in perfect condition.
The one piece of advice I can offer is to have the store ship it to your home. They will know how to package and protect it so it arrives undamaged. That's what we did when bought ours a while ago in Switzerland.
I may be crucified for this but...
I once obtained a cuckoo clock back in my college days. Not on a trip to Europe, I don't even recall how or where I got it - maybe at a garage sale. But it seemed like a very cool thing at the time, it would certainly make a unique addition to the decor in my dorm room, and I figured it would impress any girls that saw it (that was of course a major motivating factor for almost every decision in those days).
Sadly, it did not have the effect on female guests that I had hoped it would, in fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect (maybe I was just chasing the wrong girls). My room mates quickly grew tired of it, and even though I thought is was way cool at first, the novelty wore off pretty quickly - the damn thing would go off every hour, day and night, it was loud, and it didn't take long before my friends threatened to smash it, and I grudgingly agreed they were probably right. I gave it away after a few days, to everyone's cheers.
Cuckoo clocks are charming in someone else's house. But you really do not want one anywhere near where you sleep, or (even worse) where you're hoping for romance. In my experience, a little Barry White or Al Green played low creates a certain mood. But a cuckoo clock going off unexpectedly nearby will elicit a very different and incongruous reaction from a prospective romantic partner, which will REALLY mess with your game. Trust me on this.
In Munich, Max Krug, Neuhauser Str. 2 (near Marienplatz). It’s pretty touristy but they have a very large selection for any budget, are knowledge about what they sell and offer shipping as well. I know 2-3 people that were happy with the clocks they bought there. I’ve bought gift Bier Krugs there as well.
DJ
Just make sure whatever you buy is actually made in Germany or Switzerland, etc. Beware those "Made in China" knock-off products.
I guess this is what David is talking about in cartoon form.
Käthe Wohlfahrt, has stores in the U.S. I would check where you live for the closest store. You might get an idea of what the clocks sell for in the U.S. and then you can better evaluate the pricing and then shipping options when you are in Germany.
You can buy cuckoo clocks that turn off at night or any other time you don't want to hear it.
Cheap clocks are not made in Germany. Who wants a cheap German souvenir made in China?
Just another option... Check on eBay.de and search for "Kuckucksuhr" in Auktion. You can get an older used clock at a good price(Schwarzwald/Black Forest). You would have to arrange shipment with the seller. Three weight clocks generally have music as the third weight pulls/powers the music box. As mentioned good clocks have a lever that when pulled stop the cuckoo and music.
Go to Triberg in the Black Forest. Buy the clock with the rounded body not the square.
I bought a clock in Triberg this past October and it was something that I had wanted for a long time. I also really enjoyed just looking at all the clocks and deciding which one was the right one for me. The one I bought (and it was about $350) can be set so the bird does not cuckoo every hour. But, even if I didn't have it telling time - it is a wonderful piece of art on my wall to remind me of my trip to Germany and the unique craftmanship of the Black Forest region. I went to a well-established company that only sold Black Forest crafted clocks and they shipped it home for a reasonable fee. So, although David didn't get the girl in the end - I wasn't trying to impress anyone; just decided it is a wonderful souvenir from a country I always wanted to visit.
We visited a store in Rothenburg that was solely cuckoo clocks. I am sorry I do not remember the name of it, but when you are in the main square face the big white building which is the Ratstinkstube. Go along the sidewalk next to that and the store is on that corner just past the ATM. It is very easy to find, despite my attempt at directions;)
I bought my Cuckoo Clock at the Käthe Wohlfahrt store in Rothenburg. It's been going strong for over 20 years (and several cross-country moves). A BIG advantage of buying from a larger retailer like Käthe Wohlfahrt is they deduct the VAT from merchandise being shipped to outside the EU. Depending on the amount of the sale, your VAT adjustment may pay for the shipping and insurance. You will also be able to specify the shipment date so your purchase is not shipped until you have returned from your trip.
BTW - We LOVE our Cuckoo Clock and we have never had a complaint about the Cuckoo sounds. It also has the option of turning off the Cuckoo if so desired.
I don't know if it's true of cuckoo clocks, but Käthe Wohlfahrt has the highest prices I've seen anywhere for Christmas stuff. And I mean, anywhere. Any serious retailer will take care of the VAT and shipping, too.
That said, I cannot suggest alternatives as to where to buy one because I don't want one, but if you want the one my grandfather bought while stationed in Germany in the 1950s that my mom can't seem to get rid of, I'll sell it to you for a fraction of the price you'd pay buying a new one. The sound of that thing still haunts my dreams from when I was a child.
