Seven surprising clocks from the 24 Hours exhibition in Milan

The 24 Hours exhibition at Milan design week features 24 weird and wonderful clocks, all by different designers. We look at seven of the most imaginative examples.

On show at Riviera, 24 Hours was curated by Canadian designer Jamie Wolfond and Milanese studio Simple Flair.

The curators set each designer the same task – to design a wall-mounted clock that fits inside a 50-centimetre square box.

Wolfond said the aim was to show the scope for creativity within this particular object. There are all kinds of materials, shapes and mechanisms among the resulting clocks, revealing the different design methodologies of each contributor.

"While a clock is a tool for measurement, it also takes on qualities that seemingly similar devices do not," said the Toronto-based designer.

"Unlike rulers, scales, and thermometers, a clock is simultaneously a practical tool, a decoration, an index of craft and a status symbol. It's unique that a Rolex, a grandfather clock and Big Ben can all belong to the same typology."

We're spotlighting seven of the most unusual clocks from the show, including one by Wolfond and others by Marco Campardo, Studio Œ, Shigeki Fujishiro, Sam Newman, Chris Kabel and Dach & Zephir.

The other contributors are Alban Le Henry, Chris Fusaro, Daniel Schofield, Earnest Studio, Hugo Passos and Sam Weller, John Tree, Julien Renault, Jun Yasumoto, Kindkow, Maddalena Casadei, MSDS, Rui Pereira, Sam Stewart, Shane Schneck, Sina Sohrab, Studio Gorm, and Théo Leclercq and Camille Viallet.

Read on for more details:

Final Sale by Jamie Wolfond

This clock is formed of a receipt printer, which has an in-built clock function. Wolfond modified the device to produce a printout of the current date and time every minute and drop it on the floor.

"Final Sale prints 1,440 receipts every day, 10,080 receipts every week and 525,600 receipts every year," read the designer's description.

"The receipts accumulate quickly. They can be left to collect or be shovelled away. Each is a one-of-a-kind object."

Greta by Marco Campardo

The London-based Italian designer used vacuum-formed polystyrene to make his clock, which consists of nothing more than two large overlapping white hands.

"The clock's design was reduced to its essence, with two rotating hands concealing the clock mechanism," read Campardo's description.

"A playful twist on a classic design object, the key challenge of this project was ensuring that the mechanism could operate smoothly while keeping the overall weight minimal."

Belle by Studio Œ

The curvaceous aluminium clock designed by Berlin-based duo Lisa Ertel and Anne-Sophie Oberkrome is actually a bell, filled with dried peas. It vibrates every quarter hour, creating the ringing sound, while a key allows you to also set a timer.

"Belle is informed by the cultural significance of audible time signals," said the designers.

"It recalls a time when most people didn't own a clock and instead relied on sounds, such as the chimes of a tower clock, to structure their days."

Time by Crayon by Shigeki Fujishiro

The Japanese designer based his design on a toy he found, in which crayon balls move through a maze.

Fujishiro's clock is a rotating paper wheel containing one large crayon ball. As time passes, the ball creates an increasingly dark mark on the paper, while the ball itself becomes smaller and smaller.

"After about 80 days of operation, the diameter of the ball has decreased by about two millimetres," reads the text.

24-Hour Clock (Manual) by Sam Newman

The Copenhagen-based American designer created the most low-tech clock possible. His design consists of a 1,440-page notepad with 86,400 tick boxes, one for every second of a single day.

"Each page allows the user to fastidiously track time analogous to a clock, ticking away each second – minute to minute, hour to hour – until a day has passed," said the designer.

"In order to remain accurate, the exercise becomes consuming, obsessive and a colossal waste of time."

Wrist to Wall by Chris Kabel

With fewer people wearing wristwatches, the Dutch designer suggests turning these redundant devices into wall clocks. His design consists of a hook and a magnifying glass.

"It moves the time from wrist to wall, transforming it from something private to something public," read Kabel's text.

Dendrochro by Dach & Zephir

French duo Florian Dach and Dimitri Zephir have created three devices, each measuring a different unit of time. Inspired by dendrochronology, the science of dating tree rings, they feature rotating wheels made from sycamore.

"The changing pattern of the clocks proposes a contemplative way of viewing time," said the designers.

The photography is by Benjamin Lund.

24 Hours is on show at Riviera in Milan from 7 to 13 April. See our Milan design week 2025 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.

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