Tag Archives: clock

haoshi’s Crinkle Clock is a minimalist wall-clock that tells the time through light, shadow, and texture

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With no markings and with hands that are exactly the same color as the clock’s body, the only way the Crinkle Paper X CLOCK tells the time is by using dramatic lighting. The timepiece comes with an aggressively textured body looking almost like crushed paper, atop which sit pristine, flat-surface hands. To tell the time, all you have to do is look for the flat surface against the crinkled crushed one. Boasting of an experience unlike any other, the Crinkle Paper X CLOCK is best kept in a place that receives dramatic light, for the most rewarding time-telling experience!

Designer: haoshi design

There’s an elegance to the Crinkle Paper X CLOCK’s design that makes it almost unintuitive to use. Most clocks try to present the time in a way that’s easier to read, but the Crinkle Paper X CLOCK does no such thing. Instead, it actively makes you spend more time trying to figure out the time. You’re forced to stare at the clock for a little longer than necessary, and as a result, you end up admiring its details, appreciating the texture, and the contrast the texture brings.

The clock’s white-on-white design is minimalism at its best, although this is the kind of minimalism that directly clashes with utility. It isn’t possible to read the time under quite a few scenarios, and chances are you’ll find yourself walking over to the clock to get a clearer view… but therein lies the Crinkle Paper X Clock’s beauty. It forces you to stop and take stock of your life, to take an extra few seconds and breathe instead of rushing through the day.

The wall clock comes with a body crafted from resin and paper pulp. This combination of materials is what gives the Crinkle Paper X Clock its unique translucency that feels extremely paper-like. Two flat-cut plastic hands sit on top, rotating to tell the time against the highly textured background.

This isn’t Taiwan-based haoshi design‘s first foray into the timepiece area. Known for its quirky designs that make use of animals, haoshi’s worked on wonderful wall clocks that incorporate birds into them, and even goldfish!

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This alarm clock keeps track of time in a childlike, playful manner

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For many people, alarm clocks are critical tools in making sure they’re on time or, at the very least, that they wake up on time. At the same time, however (no pun intended), these devices are often seen in a negative manner and are even portrayed as something most people will smash up first thing in the morning. It doesn’t have to be that way, of course, and sometimes all it takes is changing the way a thing looks to change the way people approach them. This alarm clock and timer in one, for example, looks less like a typical clock and more like a miniature arcade cabinet, reminding people not to take everything too seriously and to inject a bit of play into their lives.

Designer: MUID

A clock’s main objective is to tell time, but such a tool can take on many forms in order to accomplish that purpose. Alarm clocks and timers or stopwatches are simply variants that also do an action at certain times, usually by playing a sound or ringing a bell. There are plenty of ways these can be represented, but most of the designs of clocks appeal to the more serious side of life.

With a name like “Game Boy Alarm Clock,” it’s pretty clear that this concept design goes in the opposite direction. It embraces the lighthearted aspects of our existence, which is probably how you’d want to start your day in the first place. It could still annoy you when you want to squeeze in five or ten more minutes into your sleep, but you’ll hopefully feel a little less stressed whenever you see a reminder of that interruption.

This alarm clock’s toy-like appearance isn’t just for show, though. The way you use it is also like a gaming device, particularly with the lever that looks like a joystick. It can only go up or down, though, mostly for scrolling through hours and minutes. Admittedly, that could be tiresome when you’re going through a lot of numbers, but hopefully, you only need to do that only occasionally.

Operating the device is also easy, with clearly marked buttons for the different functions. Most of the buttons are on the back, though, so that they don’t become visual clutter. Only one button remains on the front, and that’s mapped to starting and pausing the stopwatch function. As for stopping the alarm, all it takes is a simple tap on the top, almost like petting a loyal companion that faithfully wakes you up at the right time. Hopefully, you won’t bring your hand down in wrath, which will probably make you feel guilty afterward for treating such a cute device poorly.

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This wall clock tries to make you look at time in a different way

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In our minds, we all know that time is linear. Once gone, you can never go back even just a second in the past, nor can you jump a second to the future. At the same time, however, we also have this concept of time as going in circles, with repeating cycles of 24-hour days, 30-day months, and 12-month years. Many clocks, including digital ones that try to emulate analog timepieces, represent time in a circle that goes round and round every day. It may seem negligible, but it can actually affect the way we approach our time and our schedules, which is the kind of mentality that line linear wall clock is trying to fix.

Designer: Luke Avenas

It’s almost too easy to take for granted how shapes and designs can actually affect the way we think about things. Although the concept of time is linear, we still see it as a never-ending cycle of day and night represented by a circle with hands that travel around its face. This makes us aware of certain rituals that need to happen on a daily basis, from eating to sleeping to going to work or school, but it is also somewhat limiting because it confines your “vision” to only 12 hours at a time, even when the day has 24 hours.

While we view days as a cycle of hours, we actually see our schedules more as a list of hours, days, and even months. The discrepancy between our paradigms and our tools can be jarring and inefficient. At the very least, it forces us to jump between paradigms every time we switch between a clock, a calendar, a to-do app, and the like. A digital clock may seem like it minimizes that shifting, but it may actually make it worse because it only shows the time as an isolated point rather than as part of a bigger whole.

This Linear Clock concept tries to address that in an elegant and unconventional way by representing time for what it is. It has three bars representing the hours of a day, the days of a month, and the months of a year, synchronizing with how we actually view and use time, especially when thinking about schedules and appointments. Because it isn’t limited by space, the clock isn’t limited to showing just a portion of a day each time.

The clock is also simple yet beautiful, with a material that reminds one of black marble. It uses gold markers and accents to contrast with the dark surface of the bars. The markers move across the length of the bars to indicate the hour, day, and month, moving back to their starting position when the first stretch is over. Admittedly, there are no clear markings on which position corresponds to which figure, a detail that could perhaps be added in future iterations of the concept.

The Linear Clock does take up more space than even the most extravagant wall analog wall clock, but it also serves as a beautiful accent to any room anyway. It stands like a silent witness to the passage of time, making us become more acutely aware of how little time we have left and that, despite the repeating cycle of days, you can’t repeat time that’s already passed.

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Own Your Own Giant 44″ LED Wall Clock

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Seen in school gymnasiums the world over, this giant digital wall clock is the perfect addition to an aging parent’s home to accompany their large-button television remote and home telephone. Available from BigTimeClocks (and I thought you had to be a public school system to buy these!), the clock measures a very respectable 44″W x 26″H, with 15″ tall numbers, so even grandma should be able to read it with minimal squinting.

I remember in middle school, every classroom had a clock just like this (albeit smaller) above the blackboard. I always stared at it, wondering why the minutes went by so slowly. I was convinced they actually slowed the clocks in school to torture me more. I’m still not convinced they didn’t.

Why do you need a giant digital clock that you can read from 350 feet away? Beats me, but it’s available, so better to buy now and figure out a use for it later. That’s my motto. That’s also why I have a garage full of products I don’t use and probably shouldn’t have bought.

Camera-inspired clock and floor lamp adds aesthetics to your space

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Clocks and lamps are something that is more functional than aesthetic, at least in my house. I only need something to tell me what time it is and something to keep my room illuminated after I’ve turned off all the other lights at night. But of course, as with a lot of other functional things in our lives, there’s always room for exquisitely-designed things, especially those that aim to not just make our lives better but also more beautiful.

Designer: Hoyeon Shin

The Nostalgian Floor Lamp Clock aims to bring two functional things together: a lamp and a clock. But the designer wanted to create a clock design that hasn’t been done yet and he found inspiration from two artists: Olafur Eliasson (The Weather Project) and Michael Schlegel (Iceland). “There is time, but there is no time” is the philosophy he used behind the design and the camera is the real-world inspiration that he used to come up with the floor lamp clock.

What you get is what looks like a lighting accessory for a photo or movie shoot but is actually something that will help you tell time and give you illumination at the same time. The clock part uses a blurry acrylic material that also diffuses the LED light and gives you a misty effect. There are no numbers in the clock but you do get shadows for the second and minute hands to help you actually tell the time.

You can adjust the rotation and direction through a control at the back that’s similar to how you adjust the camera and tripod. You can also have a clapping function to turn the lamp on and off, which is of course an advantage for those that don’t want to get up just to do that. You can also choose to adjust the ambient light manually if you prefer to do it that way.

The final mockup looks pretty good for a floor lamp although I’m not so sure about the clock part. However, maybe that’s just me that sometimes has trouble reading an analog clock. But for the rest of the world that can tell time that way, this is a pretty interesting piece of furniture to have at home.

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Re-Pill is an analog clock with dispensers to help medication schedules

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For those that take a lot of pills and medicine every day for maintenance of various diseases and conditions, having a system that will remind you to take them regularly is important. Some use apps, others are more analog with their planners and calendars, while some may need the help of other people to remind them. But those that may have some brain-related injuries like TBI or Traumatic Brain Injury may need other systems and tools especially during their recovery stage.

Designer: Rahul Ashok Barve

This device called Re-Pill is created specifically for those that have TBI and may be suffering from cognitive issues like memory loss, attention deficit, and other problems connected to their disorder. Basically it’s an analog clock and a pill dispenser so that the user and/or the caretaker will be reminded to take their medication throughout the day. The pill containers are placed during the time they’re supposed to be taken so that it’s easy to remember and to take them out.

The clock can also be rotated when they take the pills so it will be easier to get them out. Even the containers are easy to use with the lid using a snap fit mechanism. There will be 12 containers within the analog clock so the pills can be placed at the corresponding time they should be taken. The caretaker or companion of the patient can refill the containers if there are different times and medications needed all throughout the day.

Design-wise, the analog clock is pretty basic but the pill containers surrounding it makes it unique looking. The orange color also makes it stand out while the transparent containers will also show off the different colors of the pills, which can sometimes help the patient distinguish the various medication that they’re taking. It’s a useful tool to help those that may have trouble remembering things and even digital tools like phones and apps cannot help them out.

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Animated LED Super Mario Bros. Clock: The Time is 1-Up

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Crafted by software engineer and Instructables user jnthas, this Super Mario Bros. animated LED clock features Mario jumping up to hit a question block to change the displayed time. How clever is that? Very clever – the answer is very clever. Far more clever than any clock I could ever come up with. Stupid raindial, what was I thinking?!

The clock consists of an ESP32 Dev Board, 64×64 RGB LED Matrix, some firmware, and a 5V power supply, all of which were purchased off AliExpress. You just slap all the parts together, and presto… nothing’s happening. Maybe you don’t just slap them all together as I had anticipated. There might be more steps.

If you want to build your own, you can follow jnthas’s Instructable, which is apparently well written and descriptive enough that multiple people have already replicated the project. Me not being one of them, just so we’re clear. Can somebody make one for me?

This astral desk clock brings expanse of galaxy in your peripheral view

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Intricate clock designs never cease to amaze us with their unimaginable accurate movement and millimeter precision in component design. Combine that with a cool idea or philosophy binding generations light-years apart, and you get a niche clock design. Add to the mix a bit of auditory and visual brilliance, and the final product is an avant-garde creation any clockmaking genius would be proud of.

The concept timepiece crafted by Naotou Aji encapsulates the galaxy system in its cyclical movement – represented by the spirals that zoom out like the lens of a DSLR camera. Each level of outwards spiral movement displays the current hours, minutes and seconds respectively, in a counter-like style that can only be visible when viewed from an angle. On the adjacent side, similar spiral hugs the audio driver covered by the brass material which beams sound, and the concentric circles move to the tunes like never seen before.

Designer: Naotou Aji

So, it’s a Sierra of passing time and dancing music in perfect sync on the desk clock. The cubical design of the timepiece combines the goodness of the designer’s previous designs including the Eye Ball Clock and CUBIC mini portable beamer. The galaxy system is the main theme of the timepiece, as the spreading spirals make it look like a fixed star or even a radio telescope. There’s a blue planet that is half-bright and half-dark, bang in the middle, which keeps the astral element alive.

As the designer mentioned, this clock is not about accurate timekeeping, rather it is about experiencing the passing by of time in a visual and auditory bliss. Just like we get lost watching the star-studded outer bounds of the earth, this clock is about getting lost in the wonders of planetary motion. Just imagine this clock sitting on the desk as you productively work without any strings attached in peak focus!

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This customizable wall clock merges the dials displaying two different countries’ timezone

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The Jetlag Clock is a wall clock that fuses two dials together to display the time of two different countries.

Whether you’re a globetrotter by virtue of work or have a relationship with someone who lives in another country, keeping track of different time zones can get tricky. Wall clock systems that are comprised of several clocks are able to tell us what time of day it is in different countries, but they’re fixed in their design. A single system may host three separate clocks telling the time of three different countries, but users can’t add other time zones without buying another clock entirely. Italian designer Alberto Ghirardello developed the Jetlag Clock to change that.

Designer: Alberto Ghirardello

Defined by the shape of two circles fusing together, the Jetlag Clock is a customizable time zone wall clock that allows users to change the times and countries displayed. Two mechanisms operate separately to show the time of two countries that users can choose on their own. The Jetlag Clock is made from laser-cut metal and oriented in a way that allows users to hang it either vertically or horizontally.

Describing the design and shape in his own words, designer Ghirardello explains, “Jetlag is a laser-cut metal wall clock whose shape is an ideal fusion of two dials, whose hours are marked by a series of holes which merge and become common to both pairs of hands.” If users choose to change the countries displayed on each clock dial, the white paint coat allows users to write in the name of new countries and then they can adjust the times accordingly.

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These zen-inspired clocks put the tranquil beauty of a Japanese zen garden on your tabletop!

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Even considering the fact that the entire clock is in one color, the Masuno Clock from Wooj Design still captivates with its interplay of light and shade, created by the wonderful zen-garden-inspired texture on the clock’s face. Named after Shunmyo Masuno, the foremost living practitioner of Zen landscape architecture, the clocks explore simplicity, tranquility, and harmony, while still adding a dash of bright color to make them instantly eye-catching and hypnotic. Their teardrop-shaped design allows the clocks to be placed on tabletop surfaces, as well as be hung from walls!

“The Masuno Clock is our attempt to bring some of [Shunmyo’s] themes into physical form: asymmetry, harmony, and tranquility”, mention the designers at Wooj Design. “Though in some ways, a timepiece may seem antithetical to Zen themes, we hope that it allows you to see time as movement and flow, rather than rigid and linear — in line with Masuno’s views.”

The clocks come designed and assembled in USA, right out of Wooj Design’s BIPOC-owned, Brooklyn-based studio. Each clock’s intricately textured body is 3D printed out of recycled PLA in a choice between 3 unapologetically eye-catching colors – Coral, Cobalt, and Mustard, before being fitted with an American quartz movement, and finished off with brass hardware.

Designer: Wooj Design

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