By Laura Kemmerer
In the age of technological revolution, everything is being reimagined. From furniture to computers, nothing is left behind. Yet, when it comes to clocks and watches, they have always remained more or less the same. With innovations in displays and functionality, the clocks of yesteryear are certainly not the timepieces of the future.
From exhausted college student to overworked businessperson, waking up to the blaring noise of an alarm clock is never a pleasant experience. One could almost rank it up there with stepping on Legos first thing in the morning or stubbing a toe against a dresser as soon as we crawl out of bed. Everything feels like its conspiring against us to wake us up and put us in the worst mood possible.
Dreamtime Water Powered Kinetic Alarm Clock
VeraWiedermann.com
But the early morning nightmare that is the alarm clock is no longer something that needs to be dreaded. Designer Vera Wiedermann has concocted a clock that seems to have come straight from the depths of her own peaceful slumber.
Aptly named Dreamtime, the low-tech alarm clock is a simple but elegant piece made of glass and copper. When you are ready to hit the sheets, all you have to do is fill one of the bowls, which is provided with measurements, with water and set it above the other. As the water drips down, the topmost bowl lightens, which will eventually release the hammer that sounds the two singing bowls. No intrusive ticking of a clock throughout the night, or being shocked out of pleasant dreams come morning.
The light, almost ethereal sound made by this alarm clock is a much more natural way for you to rise and meet the day. According to Wiedermann, the clock is not available right now as it is in the prototype stage. She is unsure when or if the clock will be produced. Visit VeraWiedermann.com for more information.
Sfera Retracting Alarm Clock
HayatBenchenaa.com
For those of us who have a hard time getting out of bed, no matter how pleasant the alarm might sound, designers Hayat Benchenaa and Garikoitz Iruretagoiena have created a retractable clock that doesn’t let you stay asleep too late.
The Sfera alarm clock hangs from the ceiling above your bed, where it will sound off at the appointed time. The sneaky part of the clock’s whole design is when you hit snooze. Each time you push for that extra 10 minutes of sleep, the piece rises gradually up and out of reach. You must eventually sit up in your bed to be able to reach the clock. It’s at this point that you will be fully awake and ready to start getting prepared for your day. While potentially a little on the irritating side, the Sfera alarm clock promises a surefire way to get you up and moving. There is no information available on the production date of the clock or whether it will forever be a prototype. Visit HayatBenchenaa.com for mor information.
Pebble E-Paper Smartwatch
GetPebble.com
While many can argue that the day of the watch has long since passed us by, with people relying primarily on their cellphones to tell the time, Pebble is reviving interest in the world of watches.
Dubbed the E-Paper Smartwatch, this particular timepiece boasts a simple, understated face. The watch has more than earned the name of E-Paper, because like with Amazon’s earlier generations of Kindle, it can be read in direct sunlight. While the idea of a smartwatch did not catch on with investors initially, the creators at Pebble decided to change their strategy.
Now on Kickstarter, a crowd funding website that lets people invest money into projects, the smartwatch has definitely found some interested consumers. Once synced with your smartphone, the smartwatch possesses the ability to notify you of any incoming calls and emails as well as calendar and weather alerts. For those who wish to order the smartwatch in the future, it will be available on the Pebble website for $150. The site is taking pre-orders now on GetPebble.com.
Sony Concept Smartwatch
For those of you who are looking to the future for even more high-tech wrist wear, designer Hiromi Kiriki, in conjunction with Sony, has exactly what you’re looking for. While Pebble may have a head start on the smartwatch, it has a hard time boasting the capabilities that we will be seeing from Kiriki’s work in 2020.
Designed as more of a bracelet than a watch, the colorful wrist-worn timepiece gone high-tech promises an expandable keyboard, a holographic projector and the ability to tap in to your social network of choice whenever the desire strikes. According to the Yanko Design website, the piece is comprised of a flexible touch screen, which enables the wearer to be without worry as the device will always be on hand.
Canna Wall Clock by ChronArte
There are still others who enjoy the statement an elegant timepiece can make in the office and the home. While there are many unique clocks that draw the eye, such as a table that displays the time over its entire surface, a level of practicality must be considered. If floor space is at a premium, yet you are interested in investing in a clock that can also easily be considered art, designer Heinz Mutter has something for you.
Known as the Canna by ChronArte, this particular clock’s display is comprised of a dozen clear tubes that gradually fill with water as time passes. At the 12 hour mark, when all of the tubes have been filled, they empty and the cycle begins anew. It takes the “time is a river” motif to a whole new level, making for an elegant liquid-based timepiece. According to Gizmodo, the clock is set to break the bank at $12,000. Visit Chronarte.ch for more information.
Whether you are a college student with a little extra money to spend, or a businessperson looking for a clock that is elegant and practical, current and future designs are constantly revolutionizing the way we tell time. A clock is no longer just a clock it is now both art and functionality.
