Modern Wall Clocks August 7, 2015

The Ora Ceramic Wall Clock from Kähler blends charming rustic elements with an undeniably modern palette. The round wall clock is crafted in ceramic and features convex numbers that at times blend into the face of the clock, and at other times create subtle shadows when light falls on the clock. Finished in a matte black, the Ora Wall Clock is unobtrusive and adaptable to a variety of interior spaces, while the stark white plexiglass hands give a modern flourish to the piece.

While he was designing the Hazy Wall Clock, Ivan Kasner was inspired by blurred images. For Kasner, the images created a sense of excitement, imagination, and—despite their blurred nature—a sense of clarity. The clock features a translucent face, which recalls the experience of looking through fogged or frosted glass. As a result of the face’s blurry look, the hour and minute hands are visible but slightly distorted.

Designed by Norm Architects, the Marble Wall Clock is stripped of unnecessary details and focuses instead on the marble face and simple hands, which are crafted from lacquered brass. The marble and brass provide a subtle material play that elevates the clock’s overall aesthetic. Motivated by the overwhelming replacement of traditional clocks with smartphones, Norm Architects and Menu sought to create a renaissance of the classic wall clock with the distinguished Marble Wall Clock.

Now considered an icon of mid-century design, the Sunflower Clock is a distinct departure from traditional clocks with faces enclosed in glass—alternatively, the Sunflower Clock is comprised of birch petals, the interior of which include 12 small time markers, instead of a conventionally numbered face. The clock hands are a brilliant white set on a black center, nodding to the seeded center of a sunflower.

Designed by Norm Architects for Menu, the Steel Wall Clock is a celebration of materiality, color, and simplicity. Paring down the clock to its most necessary elements, the designers focused on the simple hands and round face of the clock. The clock is available in four colors, all of which were chosen for their connection to the Scandinavian climate.

With its Wyzer Wall Clock, Leff breaks the mold of traditional wall clocks by creating prominent hour and minute hands and eliminating a standard clock face. Lacking a frame and numbers altogether, the Wyzer clock instead utilizes the wall on which it is mounted as its background, which can create a small clock when centered between other wall hangings or windows, or a large, expansive clock when placed on an empty, uninterrupted wall.

The Thomson Wall Clock from Lemnos is crafted in multilayered birch and walnut plywood. The simple, clean design includes a birch base layer that is only revealed due to the punched technique of the numbers on the clock’s face. The walnut plywood face is centered by the birch hour and minute hands, which provide a nice balance with the recessed numbers.