Awesome Clocks

A while back, LEGO expert Akiyuki showed off a series of mechanisms called mangle racks. Now they’re back with a much more complicated build based on the same principles. This fascinating clock uses a mangle rack to gradually spin its hands around the dial. A time-lapse at the end shows how remarkably accurate it is.

This extravagant clock features the kind of high-end movement typically reserved for luxury wristwatches. It’s designed to be able to fit in your pocket and features dials for hours, minutes, seconds, date, and GMT. It features a titanium case back for durability, along with a metal display base for desktop use.

At first glance, the Capsule Gravity just looks like a travel alarm clock. But it’s more than that. This portable gadget combines a clock, calendar, kitchen timer, workout timer, stopwatch, and an emergency 5000 mAh power bank. Its dot-matrix LED screen has a cool retro look and is set into a colorful polycarbonate body.

We’re suckers for electromechanical displays like those airport boards and flip clocks. Maker Shinsaku Hiura created an unusual take on the idea by replacing the usual digits with numbered playing cards. Mechanically, it works like other flip clocks, but this one shows the time on top and the bottom half displays card backs.

This four-digit modern clock uses similar mini-display technology to EleksTube’s tube clock. Each of its four IPS LCD screens can display digits in 20 different styles, from nixie tubes to LEGO bricks. It has RGB backlighting, and you can even create custom themes with a Windows PC. Available with a white or black case.

This unique tabletop clock combines retro and modern tech for a cool cyberpunk look. At its core is a vintage IV-18 vacuum-fluorescent display that sits atop a custom circuit board. It can show the time, temperature, and date, complemented by ambient RGB lighting effects. Its modes are controlled by touch sensors.

Thanks to his Swiss heritage, Alexandre Chappel felt obligated to build a timepiece of some sort. So he set about making a unique tabletop clock that tells time on a series of nested circles. He used a CNC machine to cut all of the wooden gears. He should probably add a pointer, so you know where to look for the time.

An old-fashioned hourglass is a handy way to count down fixed increments of time. While a traditional hourglass is filled with sand, Engineercly’s 3D-printed version is completely digital, counting time on a pair of LED matrices controlled by an Arduino Nano. He used an accelerometer to track its angle and to direct the LED dots.

Go back to the atomic age with this 1950s-inspired table clock from Pendulux. Weighing in at a hefty 5.75 pounds, it’s made with a solid cast aluminum body and a thick convex glass lens that sits atop its green gradient face, held in place with brass clips. Measures 8″ H x 8″ W x 5″ D.

There are many ways to tell the time, but this is the first time we’ve seen a clock that does it with garbage. Artist Martin Baas set up an overhead camera to capture video of two workers pushing around lines of trash with brooms. They repeated the task for 12 hours straight, completing the movement of each line once per minute.

A more compact version of Cloudnola’s flip clock. Like the TextTime, it tells time using words instead of numbers. The battery-operated clock can sit on a tabletop or be wall-mounted. It’s available in white-on-black or black-on-white with a red base. Made from metal with PVC flip panels.

German company Rynx is working on an innovative kind of mechanical signage that display text or numbers on a series of turning rings. They can be used individually or stacked for multi-line displays, and come in white-on-black or black-on-white. They’re taking pre-orders in Europe now with deliveries starting in Q3 2022.

Gamers will love to wake up and see this alarm clock, inspired by the design of the Xbox wireless controller. Its looks just like the white version of the controller, complete with thumbsticks, a D-pad, ABXY, and shoulder buttons. Just don’t pick it up and expect to play Gears of War with it.

1980s technology had a certain futuristic vibe to it. Maker MarcioT shows off a sweet ’80s-inspired clock he made using an old CRT television and a digital clock he programmed onto an ESP32 microcontroller. The build instructions are available on Instructables with the source code for the Dali Clock on Github.

This unique mechanical clock model features a spherical tourbillon at its top that rotates on three axes. A spring-wound mechanism provides up to 3 hours of power for the tourbillon and the hour and minute reels at the bottom of its tower. The 338-piece model is for advanced builders and takes about 15 hours to assemble.

Engineer Yukio Shinoda created this unique desk clock that tells time with air bubbles. As they rise to the surface of a glycerin-filled tank, the bubbles form dot-matrix digits. He’s also built a larger version that can display multiple digits and wider graphics.

Numeric displays typically have seven segments. Artist and engineer Chris Combs linked together 288 four-digit displays for a total 7200 segments once you factor in the colons. It can be programmed to show large digits or other moving images. It’s on display at VisArts’ Concourse Gallery in Rockville, MD through 10.17.21.

A young engineer named Burke McGabe got it in his head to build something totally unnecessary but nonetheless entertaining. What looks like an ordinary wall clock is designed to automatically fall off the wall any time he looks at it to check the time. It’s seen better days after all of its crashes.

This unique wooden clock tells time using a hidden LED display behind its face, while a floating metal sphere orbits around its perimeter. In addition to a standard clock mode, it works as a timer or counts down to an important event. RGB or warm white LED backlighting give it an extra pop.

Bulova’s unique and substantial tabletop clock features an adjustable tripod stand that’s reminiscent of a telescope or surveyor’s equipment. It tells time in military 24-hour format, is made from solid hardwood and metal with a glass front, and features a glow-in-the dark face. Measures 11.25″ w x 22 to 29″ h.

Featuring a backlit LCD/IPS tube display like the EleksTube clock, the Nextube takes things to the next level. In addition to selectable fonts, it has a handsome black walnut base, brass accent rings, and built-in weather, timer, and music visualizer functions. Open-source firmware means you can develop your own apps too.

Budapest-based clock maker Ardeola created this clever wall clock that tells the time using a spiral. Each of its birch plywood sections covers a 210º arc with a red hour marker evenly spaced along the spiral. Check out the Ardeola Amazon store for more unique clock designs. Measures 11.5″ in diameter.

This fascinating tabletop clock tells the time by changing the temperature. Instructables contributor Twisted & Tinned created the display using thermochromic foil and surface-mounted resistors that heat up liquid crystals. They previously made a temperature and humidity display using a different

technique.