There is a point in life when you realize your smartphone has become the worst clock ever invented. You pick it up just to check the time, and somehow, 20 minutes later, you are knee-deep in social media, emails, and videos of a cat refusing to get into a bath. Balmuda clearly understands this modern-day predicament, and its answer is delightfully old-school: The Clock.
Mind you, this is no ordinary clock. Inspired by the classic pocket watch, Balmuda The Clock is carved from a solid block of aluminum and measures just 75 x 36.5 x 105 mm (3 x 1.4 x 4.1 inches). Instead of hands sweeping across a dial, it tells time using Light Hour, a display made up of 75 LEDs that animates the passage of time with warm, gentle light. Every hour, a chime is accompanied by a pendulum-inspired light animation, making checking the time surprisingly… pleasant.
It also wants to improve the rest of your day. The alarm begins playing ambient sounds three minutes before your wake-up time, gradually increasing in volume instead of rudely blasting you awake. There is a focus timer that plays white noise to help you concentrate, plus a Relax Time mode with rain, rivers, fireplaces, and piano music to help you unwind. A dedicated Balmuda Connect app lets you customize the sounds, lighting effects, alarms, and even add a second time zone.
Despite its palm-sized body, The Clock packs stereo speakers with a dedicated woofer and tweeter, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, a rechargeable battery good for around 24 hours, USB-C charging, an ambient light sensor for automatic brightness adjustment, and splash resistance.
The Balmuda The Clock is available for preorder in Japan now for 59,400 yen [JP] (US$499 in the U.S.), with deliveries beginning in mid-April. Launches in the U.S. and South Korea are scheduled to follow in May. If there is such a thing as a luxury clock, BALMUDA may have just perfected it.
Images: Balmuda.
