Tokyo-based brand Balmuda has released a striking new device called ‘The Clock.’ The pocket watch-shaped desk clock features no hands, but a system called the Light Hour. To put that into context, most watches use hands to depict time. Unlike conventional clocks, Balmuda’s timepiece uses light to indicate the time without the hour, minute, or seconds hands.
The dial shows numbers from 1 to 12 without hands; the corresponding digit lights up for the hour, and LEDs behind the lines on the outer edge indicate the minutes. The Clock features an aluminium body machined from a solid block, finished to a polished finish that balances structural weight and surface quality in a 2.9-inch square form. Despite its palm-sized footprint, it packs a Type-C charging battery that provides up to 24 hours of playtime. The Clock has built-in stereo speakers, but don’t set your expectations too high on that front.
Beyond its visual identity, The Clock is a surprisingly functional bedside companion with three modes embedded within its aluminium body. The first is ‘Alarm Mode,’ which, as the name suggests, wakes you up. The second is ‘Relax Mode,’ which Balmuda describes as a setting where “something fills the space with the sound of quiet rain or piano music, with a sound quality that is unexpected for its small size.” It is worth noting that Relax Mode plays seven original sound recordings, ranging from rain and river sounds to a fireplace and the chirp of crickets. Lastly, there is ‘Focus Mode,’ which runs from one minute to sixty and layers white noise beneath a countdown.
We wanted to do more than just display the time; we wanted to make time itself a pleasant experience. This led to the creation of “Light Hour,” a new way of expressing time using light. Every hour, the chime sounds, and the familiar movement of a pendulum is represented by light. The slow movement of the second hand evokes a warm and comforting sense of time passing
– Gen Terao, Founder of Balmuda
All three modes can be controlled via the Balmuda Connect app over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 5.0, with options for multiple alarms, dial brightness adjustment, and a second time zone for travel. The Clock is set to launch in Japan in mid-April, priced at ¥59,400 (approximately $370), with no confirmed release date for the US or other markets as yet.
