A clock box is a protective box, usually corrugated for shipping or rigid for gifting, with an insert that holds the clock still so nothing touches the glass. TBPB makes clock boxes to your clock’s dimensions with no minimum order, and we beat any written quote you bring for the same specs.
Why clocks break in transit
Three things go wrong. The glass face cracks from a hit to the front. The hands bend or snap when the clock rattles. And the case or frame gets scuffed where it rubs the box. All three come from movement, so the real job of the box is to stop the clock from moving, not to look nice when opened.
A bare corrugated box with loose paper fill does not do that. A fitted insert does, because it grips the clock at its strongest points, usually the frame and the base, and leaves air around the glass and the hands.
Insert choices for wall, desk and mantel clocks
Wall clocks are flat and wide, so a pair of corrugated end caps or corner pads grips the frame while leaving the face clear. Desk and mantel clocks have height and a base, and sit well in a die-cut corrugated cradle or a custom foam insert cut to the profile. Foam gives the softest hold and can include a cavity for the pendulum, key or battery. A corrugated insert is easier to recycle, which suits many gift sellers.
If the clock has a glass dome, a chime weight or a swinging pendulum, tell us. Those parts need their own cavity or must be packed separately.
Sizing the box
Measure the clock’s width, height and depth at the widest points, including any base, feet or hanging hardware. Add the insert thickness on every side. A typical insert needs a generous layer of material around fragile items, so the outer box ends up noticeably larger than the clock. Send us the clock measurements and we work out the outer size from those and your preferred protection.
If you ship heavy clocks, a double-wall corrugated board in the outer box is usually sensible. Test one packed box before a large run, with a few drops from table height.
Retail and gift versions
For a shop shelf, a printed window or a rigid lid-and-base box shows the clock without opening it. Rigid chipboard 1.5 to 3 mm wrapped in printed paper makes a gift-quality presentation box that can sit inside a plain shipper for transit. Print options include CMYK, Pantone matching, matte or gloss coating, foil and embossing on rigid boxes.
One more habit worth keeping: label the box on the outside with an arrow or a printed This Side Up mark. Clock hands and pendulums are balanced for one orientation, and a box that gets turned upside down in a warehouse puts weight on the wrong parts. A small printed notice costs almost nothing to add to the artwork and saves a few returns.
- Outer: corrugated shipper, mailer-style or rigid lid and base
- Inserts: corrugated cradles, corner pads, custom foam
- Options: window, ribbon, magnetic closure on rigid boxes
- Print: CMYK or Pantone with matte, gloss, foil or embossing
Mailer or custom shipper
Smaller desk clocks can often ship in a printed mailer box with a fitted insert. Larger clocks need a custom corrugated shipper. Gift sets can use promotion packaging for the presentation layer, and the wider range lives in custom retail packaging.
Send the clock’s dimensions, its weight and your quantity, even if it is one box. We draw the dieline and quote it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum order for clock boxes?
No. There is no minimum order. Order one box to test how the clock sits, or a full run once the packing works. Each is cut to the clock size you send us.
What do I need to send for a clock box quote?
The clock’s width, height and depth at the widest points, including the base or hanging hardware, plus its weight and quantity. If it has a pendulum, dome or chime parts, tell us so we plan for them.
Is foam or corrugated better for clock inserts?
Foam gives the softest hold and can be cut to any profile. Corrugated inserts are easy to recycle and work well for flat wall clocks. Fragile glass domes usually do better with foam.
How do I stop the glass face from cracking?
Keep the glass out of contact with the box. A fitted insert holds the frame at its strong points and leaves air in front of the face. Test a packed box with a few drops from table height.
Can clock boxes be printed for retail?
Yes. Rigid and folding styles can carry full-colour print, and a window shows the clock on the shelf. For online orders, the printed box usually sits inside a plain corrugated shipper.
How do I get a quote?
Send the clock dimensions, weight and quantity. We draw the dieline and quote it, and TBPB beats any written quote you bring for the same specs.
More Custom Retail Packaging
See the full Custom Retail Packaging range, or explore related options with no minimum order and our best-price guarantee:
