Industrial designer Marc Newson, one of the people behind the Apple Watch, has designed a beautiful, expensive timepiece that’s worth $12,000. Sound enticing? Feast your eyes on the Hourglass.
The Hourglass is made of pyrex, about six inches tall, and filled with 1,249,996 copper ball bearings — oh, excuse me, “nanoballs” — which keep ten minutes’ worth of time. Should you choose to buy it, you must put down a $6,000 nonrefundable deposit.
It’s not the most expensive timepiece Newson has ever designed. He also had a hand in designing the original Apple Watch Edition, the most expensive version of which cost $17,000. Still, unless the Hourglass can sing “Bad Romance” while naming every Kentucky Derby winner in history, I don’t see how it comes within two zeroes of the same price.
The <3 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
Hodinkee’s description of the hourglass includes such gems as this:
Each custom-fitted orange foam box also contains a leather coaster on which you should always set the Hourglass to avoid scratching it. Likewise, there is a pair of white gloves in each package, and we suggest using them to avoid leaving fingerprints.
That might sound rather precious at first glance, but if I paid $12,000 for a piece of glass, I’d want it to be smudge-free at all times, too.
Admittedly, it’s quite beautiful. But call me a blind swordsman, because I don’t see the point. We already have a desk accessory with metallic balls for hypnotizing bored people: it’s called Newton’s Cradle.
Still, for all my lowbrow jabs at this thing, I know someone, somewhere is going to buy it.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.