This project is currently live on Kickstarter until November 14th, 2013
The Muse Clock is designed to make us stop, pause, and contemplate time and look at it in a completely new way. Based on the design of familiar analog clocks this colorful moving timepiece is deliberately ambiguous. It makes us slow down and reminds us to hold on to each beautiful moment in our lives.
About the Clock
The Muse Clock is a 15" wall clock. Construction consists of a 15" powder coated aluminum frame, glass face, and two tinted faces that rotate to indicate the time. The two faces are driven by an ultra strong silent sweep movement.
How you tell the Time
The hour, minute, and second hands are graphically translated into concentric circular lines and dashes and cut out of the the two disc faces. These discs are layered on top of each other and rotate around a single axis. Because of our relationship to numeric and analog time we can visually and experientially tell 'approximate' time with the Muse Clock.
The cut out circular lines and dashes illustrated on the clock face are inspired by the Base-12 system used by the Ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago. This system split the 24 hour day into two twelve hour periods. The Muse Clock uses 12 increments of measure on the two discs that sandwich and mirror each other. The beauty here is that when the two discs move and rotate past each other they create visual patterns of positive and negative space and shifting color.
To tell much more and completely give away how time is indicated with the Muse Clock, it would undermine the purpose for which it was created. Very often I get the question, "But, how do I tell the time?"
That is exactly the point, to make you reconsider your notions of time and look at it in a completely new way. The clocks in these demo videos have been set to 12 o'clock with the 'long hands' facing up. After you become accustomed to recognizing the time based on this setting, you can set the 12 o'clock position to 6 o'clock or any other position you'd like. Thus maintaining the concept of the Muse Clock and making us constantly question the moment.
Specifications
Clock Body: 15" Powder Coated Aluminium Frame
Faces: 1mm thick Color Glazed Acrylic
Movement: High-Torque Continuous Sweep Movement
Background
Rather than constructing just another facade to place two hands over, I wanted to create a new way of telling time in order to convey this concept of relishing the moment and savoring each second.
The Muse Clock began as a design school project. The problem was to investigate the concept of time and challenge our traditional notions of telling time. Since then, I’ve continued to explore my creative vision with variations of function and form. After working through many iterations I am pleased to introduce this version and share it with the world.
As with most designs I began with some conceptual sketches. Exploring the face of the clock and how it could be segmented. Also, exploring construction with the first ideas of stacking the faces on top of each other.
Earliest Prototype
Foam Core and Construction Paper
Looking at how the faces appear as they move over one another. Exploring colors other than black and white by adding red as an accent. Liked the idea of it, but wasn't crazy about the look of it.
Second Stage Prototype
Laser Cut Acrylic (3mm) in Finished Housing
After settling with a direction I was happy with, I made my first laser cut prototype and later set it into a finished housing. I was pretty happy with this and thought it was nice, but thought it could be even better. So, I kept working.
Final Version
Laser Cut Acrylic (3mm) in Finished Housing
Finally, after experimenting with transparent faces and many different color options I settled on this design and color combination for a production model.
Final Version 2.0 (shown in Time Lapse Videos below)
Tinted Acrylic (1mm) in Finished Housing
The 3mm thick acrylic turned out to be too heavy for the clock mechanism to rotate. After exploring methods of manufacturing, this version was settled on. Painted 1mm thick acrylic faces that are light enough for the mechanism to rotate easily. They are also 100% balanced in order to reduce stress on the mechanism at any one point in the movement over the 12-hour period of rotation.
