Hönes cuckoo clocks: the excellence of the Black Forest
Since 1950, Hönes has been making hand-carved mechanical cuckoo clocks in Titisee-Neustadt. Animated musical chalets, carved leaves and birds, hunting scenes: here is what makes a Hönes cuckoo clock special, and how to choose yours.
A Titisee-Neustadt workshop since 1950
The company was founded in 1950 by master clockmaker Daniel Hönes. Since 1984, it has been run by Wolfgang Trenkle, who also comes from a Black Forest clockmaking family and designs the new models himself. The workshop employs nearly 60 people and offers more than 450 models, from small 20 cm (8 in) cuckoo clocks to grandfather clocks.
Its creations have won the Clock of the Year competition several times. In 2010 and again in 2015, the company was also listed in the Lexicon of German World Market Leaders for cuckoo clocks.
Hönes craftsmanship
At Hönes, all carvings and cases are made by hand, almost exclusively with materials from the region. The wood comes from the Black Forest, as do the brass movements, while the musical movements draw on Swiss expertise. The dial, hands and bird are also made of wood.
Two details make a Hönes cuckoo clock easy to recognize:
the company logo replaces the number 12 on the dial;
since 2015, a golden quality seal and the VdS seal have been set into the back of the case.
Our Hönes cuckoo clocks, all mechanical
On our site, all Hönes cuckoo clocks are mechanical, 1-day or 8-day, and most are VdS certified. A handy tip: at Hönes, a reference starting with 8 usually indicates an 8-day movement, wound once a week. Our guide explains the difference between 1-day and 8-day movements.
The range covers all the great Black Forest styles:
carved cuckoo clocks, decorated with leaves and birds, such as this 8-day dial with three birds;
hunting scenes, with stag heads and oak leaves, such as this hunting trophy;
floral designs, where hand-painted gentians bloom on the carved leaves;
animated chalets, where goats face off and dancers turn to two melodies, Edelweiss and The Happy Wanderer.
Choosing and setting up your Hönes cuckoo clock
A Hönes cuckoo clock needs just a few simple steps:
Winding: gently pull the chains, every day or every week depending on the movement. Our guide explains how to wind your cuckoo clock.
Setting up: remove the transport locks from the bellows, then hang the clock perfectly straight, about 1.80 to 2 m (6 to 6.5 ft) from the floor. Everything is explained in our guide to hanging it properly.
Adjusting: moving the pendulum disc up makes the clock run faster, moving it down makes it run slower. To set the time, only turn the minute hand.
At night: a shut-off lever silences the call and the music without stopping the clock.
Care: a soft brush on the carvings, no chemical products, and a service by a clockmaker every two to three years.
To compare with our battery-powered models, see our guide mechanical or quartz.