Hands Off! Quirky Contemporary Clock Tells Time With Balls

Don’t look too closely at the Aspiral wall clock in action, because you just might get dizzy. This cool wall clock design is the product of three years of work from designer Will Aspinall; after daydreaming about space stations, he decided to see if a spiral clock were possible. It turns out that it is possible, but it took the designer more than three years to go from concept to production. Together with engineer Neil Lambeth, Aspinall took his simple idea and made it into a highly-buzzed home accessory.

The function of the clock is simple but mesmerizing: a single ball travels on a spiral course as the clock face turns around and around slowly. You tell the time based on where the ball is on the spiral in relation to the number markings. When the ball reaches the center of the spiral (12:00), it drops back down to the beginning.

Every quirky Aspiral clock is handmade, so the buyer has the power when it comes to matching the clock to an interior design theme. The designers even let you choose at which number the ball drops, and how many markings appear on the face. At £350 (around $540 US), it’s not the cheapest way to add style to your home – but maybe that’s a small price to pay for a clock that’s useful and entertaining.

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See more in Clocks & Watches or under Gadgets. April, 2010.