Remember the super cool vertical Nixie tubes clock with a lightsaber hilt-like base created by URWERK for Only Watch? Well, as announced by URWERK last year that it “may be unveiled in 2024”, it has been unveiled. Folks, meet The SpaceTime Blade Black, a unique vertical clock of Nixie tubes, that anyone can buy. Well, anyone with 55,000 CHF (around US$60,555) to drop and also before the 33 units available fly off the shelves.
The TimeSpace Blade Black is identical to the unit created for Only Watch. It is a revolutionary timepiece that challenges conventional watchmaking by offering a new way to experience time and space. Unlike traditional watches, the SpaceTime Black doesn’t feature a satellite complication, wandering hours, or planetary gears, nor does it have a case or dial. It has Nixie tubes, protected by an elongated glass dome that is affixed to a base that is crafted using a traditional lost-wax casting technique by specialist Mr. Lukuvka.
These Nixie bulbs, created under the expertise of Dalibor Farny in the Czech Republic’s “Crystal Valley,” display time and distance with a mesmerizing orange glow, capable of changing up to 500 times per second. Using a remote control, users can switch between the eight display modes, indicating the hours, minutes, seconds, and fractions of a second, along with date information, the Earth’s rotation and revolution in kilometers, and more.
It is more than a clock. It is also science equipment and a symbol of the artistry of watchmaking (or in this case, clockmaking). And while it may look like a cute desktop clock, it is far from being tiny. This thing is HUGE. It packs no less than 1,446 components, and it stands out with its 1.7-meter-high (5.6 feet), 20-kilogram (44 pounds) structure of metal and glass, embodying the essence of gnomons, ancient pillars of time.
It is a sight to behold. This thing is a work of art and science fiction, bridging the gap between traditional scientific instruments and the modern aesthetics of pop culture. Last checked, The SpaceTime Blade Black is not listed on the URWERK website but if you are keen, you may learn more about the SpaceTime Blade in general HERE.
Images: URWERK.
