Black Forest Clock Association

The Black Forest Clock Association (German: Verein die Schwarzwalduhr – VdS) is a syndicate that was set up in 1987 to protect traditional mechanical cuckoo clock making in the Black Forest region in Baden-Württemberg (Germany).

Verein die Schwarzwalduhr literally means "The Black Forest Clock Association".

Clocks made by a company registered with the association are entitled to display the seal on their products.

The VdS claims that over 300,000 clocks with the seal have been sold in the last few years, the majority of which to customers in North America.

In 2001,[4] the VdS launched the competition Schwarzwalduhr des Jahres ("Black Forest Clock of the Year").

Left, early (1987-2006) & right, modern (post 2006) VDS seals on clocks originating from a manufacturer in the Black Forest Region registered with the syndicate. (Designed by artist Benno Gasche from Schonach ).
Mechanical Black Forest cuckoo clocks in the chalet style in a shop in Triberg .