What to Check When Your Cuckoo Clock Arrives
Cuckoo Chalet
A cuckoo clock is a fragile object, and the first ten minutes after delivery matter. A careful check at the door can save a lot of trouble later. This guide gives a short routine for the day the box arrives: what to look at on the carton, what to find inside, and what to do if something is wrong.
Before you open the box
- Look at the outer carton. Note any dent, tear, crushed corner or sign of water. Take photos of the carton from several sides, including the shipping label.
- Do not throw anything away. Keep the outer carton, the inner box and the padding until the clock has run correctly for a few days. You will need them for a claim or a return.
- Open on a table or a rug, not a hard floor. If something falls, it should not fall far.
When you open it
- Cut the tape carefully. Use a blade that does not reach deep into the box.
- Lift the clock out by the case, never by the pendulum, the weights or the bird.
- Photograph the packing before you take it all apart, particularly if the box looked damaged.
- Remove packing pieces slowly, and check that none of them is a part of the clock.
The checklist
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Case | Cracks, chips, loose carvings, scratches, a roof or ornament that has come off |
| Dial and hands | Both hands present, not bent, not touching each other |
| Bird and doors | The bird is present and the doors open and close without a catch |
| Pendulum | Present, straight, with its disc or leaf |
| Weights | The right number for the model; no cracks |
| Chains | Present, not tangled, with hooks |
| Back and movement | No loose pieces rattling inside the case |
| Paperwork | Instruction sheet and the Setup & Care guide |
| Battery models | Battery compartment closed and a battery present or noted on the sheet |
A small sound inside the case is not always bad news. Some clocks rattle if a transit piece has shifted. Look first, then ask us.
If the clock looks perfect but does not run
New mechanical clocks do not start by themselves. Before you decide anything is wrong, run through the basics: transit pieces removed, pendulum hung, weights hung and raised, case vertical, hands not touching. Then start the pendulum by hand and listen for an even beat. Often the cause is one of these small steps. If it still does not run, send us a short video of the clock and the sound it makes. A video often shows the cause in seconds.
If the clock is a gift
If the clock is meant for someone else, ideally you open it first, check it and repack it, or ask the recipient to follow this list as soon as they unwrap it. A damaged clock found three weeks after Christmas is harder to sort out than one found on delivery day, and the 48-hour window for reporting damage runs from delivery, not from the day the gift is opened. If you will not see the recipient before the holiday, send them a note with the order number and the contact page so that they know where to write.
It also helps to tell the recipient what kind of movement the clock has. A person who receives a 1-day mechanical clock and does not know it needs daily winding may think it has failed after two days. A short note on the gift card saves a lot of confusion, and the Setup & Care guide in the box covers the rest.
Keep a record
Photograph the clock complete on the day it arrives, with the pendulum, the weights and the chains laid beside it. Note the date of delivery and your order number in your phone. If a question comes up later, you will have the facts at hand. It also helps when you need to order a spare part, since a photo of the part and its fixing makes it easy to match.
What if something is damaged?
- Stop. Do not try to hang or start a damaged clock.
- Take photos of the carton, the packing and the damage, as described above.
- Contact us within 48 hours of delivery through the contact page, with the photos and your order number. This is the window in our policy for reporting breakage. If the clock is damaged or defective, we replace it or refund it in full and we cover the return shipping.
- Keep everything until we have told you what to do.
Our shipping and return rules are on the shipping policy and refund policy pages. For a simple change of mind, the return window is 14 days after delivery, the clock must go back in its original packaging complete with its pendulum, weights and chains, and the customer pays for return shipping. The policy pages are the final word on the terms.
Common mistakes
- Throwing out the box on day one. Keep it until the clock has run well.
- Waiting to report damage. Report within 48 hours with photos.
- Lifting the clock by the pendulum or the bird. Hold the case.
- Hanging the clock before checking it. Unpack and inspect first.
- Assuming a stopped clock is broken. A new mechanical clock needs its weights raised and the beat set before it can run.
- Forgetting the transit pieces. They hold the pendulum or the bird during shipping and must be removed.
When everything is fine
If the clock looks good and everything on the list is present, move on to the setup. Read how to set up a cuckoo clock, then how to start it and set the beat. If you need a replacement chain, weight or pendulum, see Parts & Care.
Every clock we ship comes with a Setup & Care guide in PDF, which repeats these steps in a short form you can keep by the clock. Our FAQ has answers on delivery and on common setup problems.
