It was in the 18th century that the first-ever cuckoo clocks were made; a fashionably designed clock with a pendulum in the middle. The Cuckoo would strike on the hour with a sound that resembled a cuckoo’s call. Some models had a miniature bird, which would make to-and-fro motion with the sound usually through a door opening which would close after the Cuckoo Call.
The traditional cuckoo clocks used a winding mechanism (mechanical cuckoo clocks), which have to be wound up daily or after an interval, depending upon the model and its power reserve. Cuckoo Clocks were appreciated for the unique element they added to any rooms decor, but the inconvenience of winding it daily to allow it to function was not always advantageous.
This problem was solved by the advent of quartz or battery powered Cuckoo Clocks. A battery powered clock does not require manual winding to function and allows the beauty of Cuckoo Clocks to be appreciated without the additional daily effort.
Battery powered Cuckoo clocks can function for usually a year without needing a battery replacement. The new clocks come with additional features, in addition to the longer power reserve.
Advantages of battery powered:
- Light sensors to automatically stop the Cuckoo sound during the darker hours
- Volume control
- Ability to turn off Cuckoo completely
Battery operated clocks ring on the hour, calling a certain number of times according to the hour. Some models also have more moving features, such as a rotating figurines such as on the 4259QMTHZZG Cuckoo Clock. Additional effects include woodsy and falling water sounds, depicting a natural setting. One more great feature of the quartz cuckoo clock from Black Forest is its additional collection of songs and melodies, which is quite atypical of the traditional or general clocks.
With the battery operated black forest models, you can use 12 different melodies for each of the 12 hourly strikes. So, which one is your favourite cuckoo clock?