Nixie clock has always projected a retro, grungy kind of vibe. Not the Adatte Design Nixie Time Zone Clock V2, however. The Adatte Design Nixie Time Zone Clock V2 is far from having the grunge vibe; it is the opposite with a dash of a futuristic feel.
The marriage of 6 vintage, rare, and original gas-filled Nixie tubes from the 60s to a tubular, anodized solid aluminum body with orange enameled engravings somehow makes it feel like a piece of gadget from the future. Also, it may look like a small tube but it isn’t.
This thing is 330 mm (13 inches) long, 80 mm (3.15 inches) in diameter, and weighs a hefty 4.5 kilogram (9.9 lbs). And so no, its name Nixie Time Zone Clock V2 does not imply a carry-anywhere clock – even though you technically could. It just means it offers multiple time zone.
This brings us to this amazing feature for a Nixie clock. When you dial the city of your choice, the Nixie immediately switches the number to the time of that city right before your eyes. OK. Maybe I was living under a rock but seeing a Nixie tube flipping through numbers is a pretty surreal experience for me.
As far as craftsmanship goes, many of the components are finished by hand, such as the brushed and polished finishings, and the orange enameled engravings. In addition, most of the components are treated in PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) in three colors: light gray, dark gray, and blue.
Meanwhile, the main body, which is milled from a solid aluminum cylinder, is anodized in a unique bronze gray color Adatte Design specially formulated for this clock.
The Adatte Design Nixie Time Zone Clock V2 has a limited run of just 100 pieces and while it was introduced 2 years ago, the 9’500 CHF (US$10,268) sticker did not make it fly off the shelf. It is still available to buy from MB&F M.A.D.Gallery online store.
Images: MB&F M.A.D.Gallery.
