Jony Ive, the man who spent three decades designing Apple’s iconic products, has re-envisioned the humble bedside clock design. He teamed up with Tokyo-based Balmuda for The Clock, which, despite its simple name, hides some grand features.
It seamlessly merges modern and classic design, with a silhouette inspired by traditional pocket watches. Its body is a solid block of aluminum that went through multiple processes to achieve its beautiful luster and high-quality texture.
The Clock is compact and portable, measuring 7.5 cm square and weighing approximately 200 grams. Despite its palm-sized design, it packs modern features. These include built-in stereo speakers and a USB-C rechargeable battery that provides up to approximately 24 hours of use.
Noticeably, there are no hands, unlike traditional clocks. Instead, it displays the time only through illumination, with a pendulum-like sweep that the design team developed after they studied the Foucault pendulum at Tokyo’s National Museum of Nature and Science. A chime sounds at every hour and a light represents the pendulum movement.
The Clock features three modes: Relax Time, Focus Time, and Wake Time. The former creates peaceful moments, ideal for evenings, and it plays ambient soundscapes, including rainfall and fireplace audio. Meanwhile, Focus Time plays white noise to help with concentration, and lastly, the alarm gradually builds over three minutes to wake you up gently.
Moreover, the clock offers settings adjustments via its companion mobile app, including the daily alarm time and the audio playback for each mode. You can also customize how you want the watch face to light up through the app.
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Images courtesy of Balmuda
