24hourtime

Steampunk electric Arduino-based 24-hour clock

2012-01-06T18:30:00.000Z

This cool steampunk electric clock crafted by 'fatratmatt' tells the time using voltmeters powered by some Arduino magic, and is a wonderful device both outside and inside.

The moon-phase display shown in his video is awesome:

I want one too!

24 hour widget for Android phones

2011-12-12T11:14:00.000Z

Here's a neat 24 hour clock for phones running Android, from Steve at staticfree.info. You can read about it here.

Emerald Chronometer

2011-08-31T17:20:00.001+01:00

Emerald Chronometer HD is a watch simulator app for the iPad made by Emerald Sequoia. (There's an iPhone version too, called Emerald Chronometer.) The app consists of fifteen watches (named after cities) created in software, with each watch offering different features on its front and rear faces.
At first glance, you might imagine that there's not much point to simulating watches on an iPad. After all, doesn't the iPad tell the time perfectly well, even if it doesn't come with a built-in clock app, like its smaller brother?
But you'd be wrong: the developers of Emerald Chronometer have blended the legacy of centuries of fine watch-making craftsmanship with the latest interactive touch-screen technology to build a digital playground that lets you investigate the worlds of time-keeping and astronomy with your fingertips.

Each 'watch' offers a different approach to time. Rather than copy existing models, the designers have created new, imaginary watches that blend features from traditional time-pieces with features that you could expect to find only on an extremely expensive watch, or a powerful computer.
For example, the Vienna offers a traditional 24-hour display (the rear face offers a version with 12 at the top). The app synchronizes with the NTP protocol over the internet, which means that these watches almost certainly keep time more accurately than the iPad itself. I've clicked on the Time Synch button which pops up a display showing how far adrift my iPad is. The white, black, and grey bands on this and other watches show the current lengths of day, night, and moonlight periods.

Where the Vienna is simple, the Geneva is complex. The front face shows the time as fully as possible, including years and leap years (recognizing both Julian and Greogrian calendars), sun and moon rising and setting times, and moon phase and age. The rear face shows local apparent sidereal time on a 24-hour dial, the zodiac, equinoxes, and solstices, the positions of the lunar ascending and descending nodes - even whether there's an eclipse soon.

But the real magic of this app is revealed when you 'pull out' (or tap) the crown for the current watch. The watch stops, and you can then pull and push the hands and indicators around the dial to your heart's content. Watchmakers will find it unbearably painful to look at as you pull the hour and minute hands into different positions, or scroll the indicator dials up and down through the years with the flick of a finger. If, as you're moving through time, there's the possibility of an solar or lunar eclipse, the eclipse indicator at the top of the Geneva will let you know.
The Alexandria watch, named for Ptolemy's home town, displays the time using a geocentric display; the Firenze watch, named for Galileo's sometime home, is an orrery - a sun-centered display of the solar system. And in each case, you can drag the planets around to see how they move in space as you travel through time.

The Miami watch shows the rise, transit, and set times of all the planets (and the Sun and Moon), with a single hand on a 24-hour dial, and their current azimuth and altitude.

The Terra watch specializes in time zones: the front shows your chosen zone at the top, with a 24-hour ring to help you read off the time in other cities. Again, being able to move the rings round makes it easy to explore time zones and time differences. The rear face provides four dials for your favourite cities.

On the Olympia, you'll find a stopwatch; on the Thebes, a countdown timer; and on the Istanbul, an alarm, which chimes like a traditional watch.
If you have an iPad (or an iPhone), this app is a cool and clever addition to your library, and a pleasant way to spend (and learn about) time.

History lesson: a brief history of the 24-hour clock

2011-07-22T16:58:00.001+01:00

Although this free electronic book isn't strictly about the 24-hour analog clock, but about the 24-hour time system, it has some relevance to the clocks and watches displayed on this site.

If you have an iPad or iPhone or iPod Touch you can download it directly onto your device into the iBooks app from a link on this page. If you have some other kind of eBook reader, you may be able to download it if you can load ePub or PDF books. Either way, let me know!

Aelios 24 hour time and weather for iPad

2011-06-22T12:53:00.003+01:00

The new weather iPad app Aelios features a smooth 24 hour display of the upcoming day's weather, and a 24 hour clock that you can move over the map to see the time and weather at different locations on a world map.

Visit the Aelios site for more details.

Getting started with the 24 hour clock

2011-06-13T10:11:00.000+01:00

This modestly-priced clock from Seldec Publishing is ideal for people who want to switch to 24 hour timekeeping one step at a time.

With 12 at the top, times in the middle part of the working day (09:00 to 15:00) look similar to the equivalents on more conventional 12 hour clocks, and the blue shading tells you that it's evening or night-time without you having to use numbers bigger than 12.

Eventually you'll want to switch over to 24-style numbering, though, so you can replace it with this model:

For these and other 24 hour clocks, visit Seldec Publishing.

eBay watch ...

2011-06-11T19:27:00.003+01:00

If you're in the market for a 24 hour watch, it's always worth checking out eBay, although 'buyer beware' is always good advice (and check shipping costs before you start bidding).

This Patek Phillippe example from the 19th century can be yours for about £10,000 or thereabouts.

At the other end of the range, this used Swatch watch sold today for less than £15.

This Omega pocket watch from the 1900s is still available for about $1750. Intriguingly, the four compass directions are marked at 12 (SUD), 15 (Ouest) , 6 (Est), and 24 (Nord): when you point the hour hand to the sun, these directions are correct.

On a quick tour of eBay this afternoon, apart from dozens of badly labelled 12 hour watches with extra 24 hour markings, I found some genuine 24 hour models: some Breitlings, a Tissot Navigator, and, as always, plenty of Swatch and Russian models on sale, although you need to be careful when you study the prices. As I said, check the shipping costs before you buy!

The Knowhere clock

2011-06-06T12:27:00.001+01:00

The Knowhere clock, available - in Europe at least - from here: http://charlesandmarie.com/een/knowhere-clock

(Designed by Peter Stathis.)

An astrolabe on your iPhone and iPad

2011-04-05T20:12:00.014+01:00

The Astrolabe Clock is:

an astronomical clock inspired by the astrolabe, an ancient astronomical instrument used to tell time and to predict the location of the Sun, stars and planets. This modern interpretation gives a view of the sky showing at a glance the time of day, day of year, and the location in the sky of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars. Astrolabe Clock also gives the time of sunrise and sunset, the phase of the Moon, transit times for the Sun, Moon, planets and stars, and can be used to show the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses.

Visit:

http://www.twonineeightsoftware.com/AstrolabeClock.html

or
visit the iTunes app store

Cheap 24 hour clock

2011-01-31T18:27:00.001Z

A good-looking 24 analog clock to buy, for only $20:

Buy it from C Crane Company.

eBay watch ... clocks

2010-11-14T16:25:00.001Z

Saw these two items of interest on eBay today.

Here's a cool Soviet submarine clock:

As the description notes:

Hours use on submarines have dial up to 24 hours,as it is under water is not the time of day,day or night.

Well, you know what he means! Find this item here until 17-Nov-10 20:20:40 GMT.

Next is this fine-looking quartz clock described as an "Intensive Care Day and Night" 24 hour clock:

Brand NEW from Seldec Maritime

Use in intensive care wards in hospitals, waking up from an operation, not knowing where you are or what time it is,seeing this clock, immediately you are aware of the time day or night!

This 24 Hour clock is a must for people with relatives overseas, set the clock to their local time and see at a glance if its night or day! A black/white face, black/white hour and minute hands, hour markings for hours 1 thru 24, with minutes marked, a red second hand is provided. This clock differs from standard clocks in that the hour hand rotates only once every 24 hours, rather than twice as in standard clocks, thereby being able to indicate each of the 24 hours.

Find this item here until 11-Dec-10 07:59:40 GMT.

24 hours by Dezeen

2010-11-04T17:26:00.000Z

Check out this interesting logo for the Dezeen watch store. It's a functional 24 hour analog clock built as a Javascript web app, and looks great.

Design is by Zerofee.

I think it's similar in design to the excellent Timedisc.

Skyclock

2010-10-21T18:29:00.001+01:00

Meet Skyclock:

Twilight awareness - the gift of time.
Skyclock is twilight, sunrise, and sunset times on an analog face for your exact location.

Skyclock, for both the iPhone and the PC (Windows only), has a 24 hour mode that makes a lot more sense to me than the 12 hour 'conventional' mode.

Find the iPhone on the iTunes App Store (it's free, ad-supported) and go to Skyclock for the PC version.

I feel it's similar to the more minimal Sol for the iPhone, but sadly that seems to have disappeared from the App store.

The Orloj celebrates

2010-10-14T20:14:00.002+01:00

In Prague, the great astronomical clock, the Orloj, celebrates 600 years of timekeeping. It's worth seeing the video made by the macula:

The 600 Years on Vimeo

Glycine watch saver

2010-07-17T19:02:00.001+01:00

I made another screen saver for MacOS X, using Quartz Composer. This is a fairly accurate copy of the Glycine Airman Double 24 09. I've been reading about the Glycine Airman in André's excellent book "Glycine Airman: a 24 hour timeline of flight" (more here).

Download (MacOS X only)

LDN24: Creative visualization at the Museum of London

2010-06-05T18:47:00.000+01:00

This creative collaboration of The Light Surgeons(Production) and FIELD (Data Visualisation) consists of a 48 metre elliptical screen on which is displayed a large 24 hour clock:

From the Museum's web site:

LDN24 follows a 24-hour day in the life of London with hundreds of filmed sequences from across the capital - framing the city waking, working and winding down on a giant plasma screen.

An enveloping stream of 35 real-time information flows around the LED ellipse producing an ever-changing map of the city. From tidal patterns to temperatures, flight arrivals to FTSE fluctuations, RSS feeds and live links to Google searches, partner news channels and Twitter keep an ear turned to the rhythms that compose the city. Software specially developed by the design studio FIELD choreographs the rituals and movements of London and Londoners into a compelling statistical dance.

There's a movie too.

The sound of a one-handed clock

2010-04-28T19:20:00.000+01:00

If you have some time (and a Mac), please could you test my one-handed 24 hour clock screensaver?

I added a GMT/UT0 hand, but I'm not sure if it works well outside GMT-land.

(It doesn't make any sounds. That's just a zen reference.)

Download (MacOS X only)

Glycine Airman book

2010-04-24T07:39:00.001+01:00

You can now read about the ultimate 24 hour watch in the book "Glycine Airman: a 24 hour timeline of flight".

Find out more here.

Thanks, André!

Chinese 24 hour clock

2009-12-15T10:24:00.000Z

24 hours clock

Originally uploaded by laisuncom

This clock is on the wall of a hotel in China. It looks like a 'homage' to the famous clock at St Marks in Venice.

Thanks to laisuncom for the photograph.

24 hour clock in Paris

2009-12-08T18:32:00.000Z

24-hour clock

Originally uploaded by PARIS2e

This clock can be found at the corner of Rue du Faubourg Poissonière and Rue Bergère in Paris. I've not yet found anything out about it - if you have any information, please share!

Photograph by Flickr user paris2e.

Klatovy clock

2009-12-08T18:09:00.000Z

This unusual clock in the old town of Klatovy appears to have been built in 1924. Thanks to Priit on Flickr for the photo.

Very unusual clock as it shows 24 hours

Originally uploaded by ph1310

The Willis World Clock

2009-11-30T17:38:00.001Z

This is the Willis World Clock in the London Science Museum.

I've not found out much about it, or who Willis was, but I did find a reference to a smaller versionin a 1939 copy of Flight magazine (here) and I presume the description is mostly valid for this version too:

The operation of this clock is extremely simple, with a twenty-four-hour moving disc in the centre and a separate minute hand below. The main face of the clock is laid out in sectors, with the names of all the more important countries and cities in the world indicated by arrows, and the time for each particular place is merely read cif against the appropriate arrow. The timing disc itself is clearly marked in a.m. and p.m. sections, so that, even when the twenty-four method of reading is not being used, there is no possibility of error. Those countries and cities where "summer time" arrangements are in force are printed separately in red type. For example, Great Britain and France have two positions, one at Greenwich time and one, for the summer season, on the mid-European time arrow.

Needless to say, such a clock will be useful in working out E.T.A.s which are likely to be at or near nightfall, and also for timing the reception of both weather broadcasts and others required for D/F bearings. The world clock is obtainable from J. H. Willis and Company, Ipswich Road, Norwich, and the aircraft or small marine type, for instrument-board mounting, is priced at 137s. 0d.

One of these - non-functioning, I think - was sold on eBay recently. You could have bought it for just £13.

More iPhone clocks

2009-10-21T17:58:00.000+01:00

There must be hundreds of clock apps in the iTunes App store! And there are a few 24 hour dials in there somewhere.

The Astrock app is a software version of the famous Prague Orloj.

The Earthclock app is a re-interpretation of the Think the Earth watch, but still a pleasing design.

Developers: if you want people to find and buy your 24 hour analog dial apps, don't expect them to scroll through pages and pages of apps in the App store. Why not let the connoisseurs know directly, by getting your app displayed on this site? (If it's interesting and relevant to this site, I'll give it a mention. If it's just another boring 12 hour clock, don't expect one!)

Clock in Bern: the Zytglogge

2009-10-04T19:46:00.000+01:00

This is a recent picture of the Zytglogge, the astronomical clock in Bern, Switzerland:

You can read a lot about it at Zytglogge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

It's hard to tell whether everything is working correctly. The picture was taken at 15:46 on Wednesday September 2. So the date seems right - the sun pointer at the bottom left is pointing to Herbstmonat 2, and the tiny window just below the top XII says Mittwoch. The other sun pointer in the zodiac ring is in the constellation of Virgo, which is also correct, I think. It's only the time of day which I couldn't easily find. That could be why there's a simpler clock above it!

More iPhone clocks and watches

2009-06-09T22:15:00.000+01:00

A few more 24 hour iPhone applications are appearing in the iTunes App Store. If you want to check any of these out, let me know how they work - I have no idea.

Here's a familiar sight: the famous Shepherd Gate Clock at Greenwich, London. The Shepherd Gate Clock (this link is a link to the App Store) costs a modest dollar. I'm assuming that this is a genuine 24 hour analog clock. The time here is 20:10. It's going to look a bit odd at midnight, with that sunlit brick wall...

This next one is a puzzle. It's called iWatch, and it features an attractive rendering of three watches, including this Patek Phillippe watch with a 24 hour rotating dial. What looks like the hour hand is really the minute hand, and what looks like the minute hand is really the second hand. So the time on this picture is about 04:18:49.

(I'm not a big fan of the design, to be honest. The map is coarse, and that font isn't attractive.) The real puzzle, though, is why this app is suddenly no longer available on the App Store, now that I want to provide a link to it.

The next app, nHands Clock, is a useful clock that lets you add as many hours hands as you like, with colour and labels of your choice. It's a clever way of showing you the different time zones of people you know:

Finally, this excellent app is called 25h:

The idea is simple:

Feeling overstretched? 24 hours in a day is not enough? Then 25h is a clock for you.

Trick yourself into having 25 hours in a day. Get things done faster and have an extra “hour” for yourself.

Note that 25h does not modify time–space continuum (or your biological clock) to give you an extra hour. It simply makes the rest of your hours appear a little shorter so that enough time is saved for an additional shorter “hour” at the end of the day.

I know some people who set their watches fast - this is an interesting alternative.