Awesome Clocks

A modern take on the old 1970s mechanical flip-dial alarm clocks. The animated LCD face mimics the flip design, but eliminates mechanical issues and the ticking sound which could keep light sleepers awake. It’s also got a super loud alarm that’s sure to wake you up.

Graphic designer Ji Lee originally conceptualized this tongue-in-cheek clock for a school assignment. The concept became an online hit. Now Lee has figured out how to turn it into a mass produced product.

This minimal analog timepiece not only works as a traditional alarm clock, but its magnetically-attached hourglasses flip over to provide 1-, 3-, and 5-minute timers, which let countdown at a glance. Save 26% in The Awesomer Shop.

Today I Found Out explains why we often say “o’clock” when telling time. It’s an abbreviated form of the ancient disclaimer “of the clock”, which came about around the 14th century to clarify that one consulted a clock instead of a sundial.

You can now take home Humans Since 1982’s mesmerizing mega clock. For those not familiar with Clock Clock 24, it’s a functional sculpture that uses 24 small analog clocks to display the time in digits. You can adjust its movement between minimal, medium or elaborate.

No, Lexon’s bedside alarm clock won’t wake you up with the aroma of a double-double and animal style fries, but it will ensure that the alarm is properly set, with its smaller alarm time display, which is turned on when popped up, and turned off when hidden.

The Military Watch Company applied its spartan approach to wristwatches to make a handsome wall clock. The 9″ clock has an altimeter-inspired face, a polycarbonate case and a silent sweeping quartz movement.

Each of the 12 hours and two hands on designer Mark Prommel’s unique wall clock is made using a single length of stiff wire, formed into shape using a CNC wire bending machine. This striking timepiece turns any white wall into a work of modern art. Measures 28″ diameter.

Like the Slow Jo watch, Scott Thrift’s Today clock has a 24-hour dial, which means its hour hand makes only one rotation per day. The relaxing and contemplative clock face was inspired by the view from 30,000ft. Available as a desk clock or a wall clock.

Pinball fanatic J.M. Ratkos created this kit which uses a Run-DMD board to convert the dot-matrix display (DMD) from a pinball machine into an awesome animated clock. You can reach J.M. via the Pinside forum if you’re interested in buying one for yourself.

The perfect desktop timekeeper for aerophiles, these cast aluminum and brass desk clocks are based on the design of altitude meters from WWII fighter jets. Sadly, they’re currently out of stock, but keep your eyes on Cool Material’s shop for a restock soon.

KIBARDINDESIGN’s modern, minimal desk/wall clock tells time using LEDs. Either numbers or roman numerals indicate the hour, while the dots around its edge indicate minutes. It also functions as an alarm clock, and has a battery backup to keep time in the event of an outage.

This big-handed, battery-operated wall clock by Taichung designer Yenwen Tseng looks like a giant house fly that’s landed on your wall no matter what time of day it is. Giant fly swatter not included.

Let’s call a spade a spade. MagicTime is a copycat of the White & White Clock, albeit a more affordable and versatile one. It has 86 customizable RGB LEDs and can also be used as a countdown timer or a scoreboard. Available with a walnut or a bamboo body.

Damjan Stankovic and Marko Pavlovic’s Rhei works a lot like the Ferrolic Clock, except it uses mechanically operated magnets instead of electromagnets to control the ferrofluid. Its animation is a lot simpler, but none of the shapes produced are exactly alike.

Studio Ve’s wall mounted Lithe Clock possesses wispy long minute and hour hands made of steel wire, which sweep, bend and swoosh on the clock face, much like the way a ballerina performs around the stage. Number decals are included.

Etsy seller Teals Prairie offers a sleek laminate cube clock that can be engraved with your favorite saying or quote. We recommend the old adage “time is a flat circle” or the classic “in the midnight hour, she cried more, more, more.”

SensorWake is an alarm clock that can wake you up within two minutes by diffusing scents. Each scent cartridge can be used 60 times and is 100% recyclable. Scents include espresso, mint and the almighty dollar.

Wakē (“wakey”) is a wall-mounted alarm that beams light and sound only to the person on one side of the bed. It uses a parametric speaker to focus the sound, while the white LED slowly brightens to ease your waking.

Designed by Korea’s 11+, this bold and functional desk clock lets you easily check what time is anywhere on Earth, simply by rolling it to the appropriate time zone, as indicated by the city names on its outside. Measures 3″ in diameter.

While it wouldn’t be the first Nixie tube clock we’ve seen, there is something nifty about the minimal design of the Blub Uno, which displays digits one at a time on its single numeric tube. It also has date, temperature and alarm functions.

The JBL Horizon is designed to be your bedside buddy. Aside from a speaker, the Horizon also has an alarm clock, an FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, a 3.5mm jack, two USB charging ports and an ambient light.

Looking like something that belongs on a mantle in BioShock’s lost city of Rapture, these limited-edition handmade wood art deco clocks feature the warm orange glow of high voltage, cold-war era Nixie tubes to tell time.