What happened to the time before these complicated clocks and tricky timepieces became commonplace, when telling time was effortless? A glance at the wrist or on the wall yielded the correct time in an instant.
The timepieces in this slideshow are anything but easy. They require you to analyze, compute, shoot a bulls-eye, and exercise. One even requires you to disarm a bomb! There are number-free and faceless clocks with nary a minute hand, hour hand or digital display to spare. Even the simplest clocks in this cluster must still be tilted, poked or prodded to tell the time of day.
22 Complicated Clocks and Tricky Timepieces
22
Handless, Numberless Timepiece
Odd Ball Minimalist Watch
21
Bomb Alarm Clocks
You Disarm it to hit Snooze!
20
Steampunk Luxe Timepieces
$400,000 Cabestan Winch Tourbillion Watch
19
Intentionally Incorrect Timepieces
Real Fake Watches
18
Laser Beam Alarm Clocks
Bullseye Shot Turns it Off
17
Eclectic Luxury Watches
Zadora Timepieces
16
Science Project Time-Keepers
The Citrus Clock
15
Alarm Clocks That Make You Exercise
The Shape Up Alarm Buzzes for 30 Reps
14
Tech-Obsessed Timepieces
The 'Cycle of Life' Watch
13
Futuristic Cuckoo Clocks
10,000 Year Clock
12
Time Telling Cogs
Clock Delay
11
Analog Radio-Inspired Clocks
The Time Tuner is Complicated, But Cool
10
Inside-Out Timepieces
The Minimalist Rim Clock
9
Numberless Watches
This Timeless Timepiece Ensures Your Schedule Stays Open
8
Clocks that Curse
The Super Electrofluorescent Profanity Machine
7
Geek Timepieces
The Pop Quiz Math Clock
6
Gas Lamp Timepieces
Nixie Tube Clocks
5
Biosensor Timepieces
The E. Coli Clock
4
Timepieces for the Indecisive
The 'Decider Watch' Helps You Pick Yes or No
3
Lifespan Countdowns
The 'Life Clock'
2
Geisha-Inspired Timepieces
The Fan Clock
1
Complicated Clocks
The Chronochrome Tells Time with Colors
Related Ideas
Discreetly Intelligent Timepieces
The G-SHOCK MOVE DWH5600 Tracks Heart Rate and More
Stylish Expedition Timepiece Models
The Timex Expedition GMT Titanium Has a Lightweight Form
Accessible Space Age Timepieces
The Timex Marlin Jet Has a Midcentury Modern Design at a Low Cost
Classic Car-Inspired Timepieces
Seiko Presents the New Limited Prospex Speedometer Watch
Nostalgic Gaming Timepieces
The Retro Gaming Watch Brings Gameplay to the Wrist
Patriotic Americana Timepieces
The G-SHOCK DW5600US23-7 Commemorates the Fourth of July
Cocktail-Inspired Watch Series
Seiko Presents the Exclusive Cocktail Time European & U.S. Range
Sophisticated Timepiece Designs
Casio America Updates Its G-SHOCK Black and White Collection
Metallic Ring-Style Timepieces
The Casio CRW-001-1JR is Crafted with Polished Stainless Steel
Meditative Vibrating Timepieces
The 'STUND' Watch Vibrates at Your Choice of Time Cycle Point
Premium Heritage Timepiece Collections
Hilts Unveils its Impressive Chronograph Collection
Technical Titanium Timepiece Designs
The CODE41 T360 Tourbillon Has an Angular, Artistic Design
Solar-Powered Military-Grade Timepieces
The Momentum UDT Eclipse Synch Solar is Black Ion-Plated
Vintage-Style Timepiece Collections
The Casio Vintage A100 Series Watches Come in Four Finishes
Swiss-Made Timepiece Designs
Braun Clocks Presents its First Range of Wristwatches
Ultra-Slim Cubic Timepieces
The Patek Philippe Cubitus Collection is the Brand's First in 25 Years
Branded Technology Alarm Clocks
The Apple Snooze Alarm Clock Concept by Antoine Brieux is Cubic
Japan-Inspired Wearable Watch Rings
Casio and Stasto Stand Stones Present Timepiece Rings
Electronic Waste-Made Mechanic Watches
NanoRobotGeek Developed a DIY Apple Watch Out of E-Waste
Tactical Military-Inspired Timepieces
The Timex Command Encounter Has a 45mm Resin Case
Midcentury-Inspired Timepieces
The TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox Chronograph Revives a Classic
Sophisticated Mechanical Watches
Orient Star Elevates the Mechanial Moon Phase Classic Capsule
Blue Collar Professional Timepieces
The Shinola Mechanic Watch Pays Homage to Skilled Workers
70s-Style Motorsports Timepieces
These Seiko Prospex Speedtimers Come in Three Styles
Self-Referential Watch Models
The Timex Urban Pop Features the Brand's Slogan on the Dial
Cartoon-Inspired Digital Watches
Casio and Powerpuff Girls Unveils a New Baby-G Watch
Three-Dimensional Movement Timepieces
The MB&F HM8 MARK 2 Has a Bidirectional Design
Connected Simplicity-Focused Clocks
The Conceptual Smart Rubik's Cube Clock is Lifestyle-Conscious
Sporty Skeletonized Timepieces
The TAG Heuer Extreme Sport Collection Features Six Variations
Watch Movement DIY Kit
The Seiko NH36 Kit by Rotate Watches has Intricate Detailing
Sophisticated Women's Watches
Richard Mille's Watches Arrive in Three Unique Designs
Gradient Premium Timepieces
The Leica ZM 11 Timepieces is Made with Chronode Technology
Connected Toy-Like Alarm Clocks
The Conceptual CUBB Alarm Clock Has an Eye-Catching Form
Retro Card Game Timepieces
The Casio x UNO A168WEUC-1A Builds on a Vintage Model
Floating Marble Cosmic Clocks
Zanwen Li Designs the Mobius Calendar Clock with Two Marbles
Geometric Intuitive Interface Timepieces
The Nixon Disk Watch Comes in Four Color Options
Next-Gen Pocket Watches
The Arsham Droplet Reimagines the Classic Pocket Watch
Chic Solar-Powered Timepieces
The NIXON Time Teller Solar Watch Comes in Four Color Options
Lunar Dust-Infused Timepieces
The LUNAR1,622 Has a NASA-Approved Construction
Deep Focus Desktop Displays
The Conceptual 'SINK' Tabletop Stopwatch is Smartphone-Powered
Brutalist-Inspired Sleek Timepieces
Toledano & Chan Designs the Stealthy B/1 Wristwatch
Nostalgic Nixie Tube Timepieces
The NEONWORKS BTF Nixie Watch Has a Retro-Modern Design
Modernized Classic Timepieces
The Radio Anatom Automatic Watch is Back for its 40th Anniversary
Retro Calculator-Inspired Timepieces
The G-SHOCK GW6900NASA24-1 is NASA-Themed
Durable Dual-Layer Digital Timepieces
The G-SHOCK MUDMAN GW-9500 Has a Duplex LCD Screen
Street-Informed Collaborative Timepieces
BEAMS Joins NEEDLES and Timex on a Classic Digital
Daylight-Savings Intricately Made Watches
Bovet Introduces the Récital 28 Prowess 1 Timepiece
Posh Celebratory Pocket Watches
The Citizen 100th Anniversary Special Edition Pocket Watch is Chic
Hollow Skeletal Mechanical Timepieces
The Agelocer Tourbillon Manual Mechanical Watches are Chic
DIY Wristwatch Kits
The Cabot DIY Mechanical Wristwatch Building Kit Comes with a Seiko Movement
Sleek Skeletal Timepieces
The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Skeleton is Technical
Space-Inspired Digital Watches
Casio and NASA Join Forces on the GW6900NASA24-1 Timepiece
Pocketwatch-Inspired Wristwatches
Seiko Presents the Limited Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series
AI-Trained Golden Watch Designs
G-SHOCK Presents the Special G-D001 Timepiece Using AI
Space-Inspired Titanium Watches
Theo Auffret and Olivier Gamiette Design the SpaceOne Tellurium
Analog-Style Digital Clocks
The Klydoclock Displays Animated Art that Alternates Daily
Minimalist Militant Timepieces
The Timex Expedition North Field Chrono is Rugged Yet Refined
Ultra-Intricate Watch Designs
Piaget's Polo Skeleton Arty Boasts a Breath-Taking Design
Time-Telling Cufflinks
The Creamy Patina 2023 Collection Takes After Iconic Vintage Watches
Sleek Modern Timepiece Homage
Casio Releases the Limited-Edition TRN-50 Timepiece
Cast Iron-Inspired Timepieces
The Casio Pro Trek PRW-69 Series is Wilderness-Ready
Retro Digital Tracking Watches
Casio Presents the WS-B1000 Watch with a Simplistic Design
Mechanical Hybrid Smartwatch Concepts
Priyanshu Jaiswal Designs the Lunar Eclipse Hybrid Watch
Abstract Artwork-Inspired Timepieces
The Ode to Delaunay Watch Has a Shifting, Geometric Dial
Snowglobe-Inspired Dynamic Clocks
The Interactive Time to Snow Timepiece has a Snow-Like Design
Accessible Swiss-Made Timepieces
The Timex Giorgio Galli S2 Automatic 38mm Has a Timeless Design
Nontraditional Racer Timepiece Models
The 2023 TAG Heuer Carrera Date Comes in Four Colors
Wearable Art Watches
Masterpiece On Your Wrist Makes Art from the Louvre Wearable
Global Timezone Timepieces
Nik Bentel Studio and TTT Watches Creates the Time Traveler
Pixelated Flip-Style Wall Clocks
The Miniot 'Klapklok' is Covered in Mechanical Flaps
Ultra-Accurate Moon Phase Timepieces
The Citizen Tsuki-yomi A-T Comes in Three Dial Options
Elegant Collaborative Wristwatches
NOAH NY and Timex Join Forces on the Moon Phase Watch
Whimsical Timeless Watches
Longines Expands Its Flagship Heritage Line with Emphasis on Elegance
Lightweight Mechanical Watches
The Ming LW.01 Manual Weighs in at Just 8.8 Grams
Gaming Console Timepieces
This Microsoft Xbox x Meister Watches Timepiece is Monochromatic
Mechanical Candle-Inspired Timers
The 'CClock' Candle Timer by Pelin Özbalcı is Calming
Breakup-Celebrating Timepieces
Timex and Seconde/Seconde Created a Watch Branded with 'My-Ex'
Motion-Sensing Wristwatches
The Casio Digital Basic GDB500 Series Shares Simple Step Trackers
Classic Calculator-Inspired Timepieces
The Casio CA-53WB Pays Homage to the Retro Casio Mini
Ultra-Sophisticated Chronograph Watches
Angelus Debuts a New Piece in its La Fabrique Collection
Ultra-Durable Timepiece Collections
The Unimatic Toolwatch Series Includes Four Models in All
Anti-Smartphone Bedside Alarm Clocks
These New Mudita Clocks Have a Minimalist, Tranquil Design
Luxe Swiss Timepiece Ranges
The Golden Concepts Automatic Swiss-Made Watch Will Arrive in 2024
Computer Symbol-Inspired Watch Designs
Anicorn Watches Releases the Spinning Beach Ball Watch
Watch-Like Tabletop Alarm Clocks
The New Seiko Mai Alarm Clock Reflects its Dive Watch
Full-Metal Analog Watches
Casio Debuts the Ultra-Slick and Sporty Gmc-B2100 to the G-Shock Lineup
Timepiece-Inspired Suitcases
The Conceptual Casio 'AeroEase' by Harshita Kaur is G-SHOCK-Inspired
AR Watch Try-Ons
Perfect Corp. and TIMEZ Created a Digital Experience for Luxury Watch Shopping
Unique Timekeeping Devices
TempoFlow is a Rolling Ball Clock Project Based in Hong Kong
Reimagined Modern Pendulum Clocks
The Heng Alarm Clock Embodies a Traditional Aesthetic
Multifunctional Sleek Pill Dispenser
Chanho Ju Designs the Clock Pill Dispenser Concept
Large Watch-Style Alarm Clocks
Casio Japan Debuts an Enlarged Version of its Casio A158W Watch
Aerospace Analog-Digital Timepieces
The Breitling Aerospace B70 Orbiter Celebrates Balloon Flight
Iconic Artwork Watch Collaborations
These Artful Watches Feature Masterpieces from the MET
Travel-Ready Diver Timepieces
The Longines HydroConquest GMT Has an Automatic Movement
Luxe Golf-Inspired Timepieces
The Byrne Gyro Dial Golf Has a Shapeshifting Dial
Playfully Tactical Timepieces
The ADPT Series 1 Dual Time Watch Has a Titanium Case
Ultra-Chic Timepiece Designs
Arnold & Son Has Launched the Time Pyramid 42.5 Watches
Family Heirloom-Inspired Watch Designs
Jacob & Co. Releases the Exquisite Dual Time Time Zone
Bespoke Brass Vintage Clocks
Sergey's Nixei Tube Vintage Clock is Inspired by the 19th Century
Sleek Affordable Digital Timepieces
Tissot Presents the PRX Digital Watches to its PRX Line
Minimal Assistive Multifunctional Clocks
Pupupula Designs the Little House Alarm Clock
Mesopotamian-Inspired Timepieces
The URWERK UR-100V Sumer Has a Self-Winding UR 12.02 Movement
AI Poetry Clocks
Poem/1 is an AI Clock that Tells the Time with a Rhyme
Planet-Resembling Watch Faces
Samsung Presents its Galaxy Time Series of Timepieces
Collaborative Graffiti Digital Watches
Timex Released a Stylized Digital Watch with Keith Haring
Celebratory Grand Prix Timepieces
The TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton Collection Has Three Dial Options
Vintage Watch-Adapted Desk Clocks
Casio Transforms the Vintage A158W Into a Desk Clock
Striking Monochromatic Timepieces
The TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon is Limited to 10 Examples
Story-Driven Detective Games
Crime O'Clock is a Mysterious Indie Game with a Multi-Faceted Story
Peaceful Ceramic Timepieces
Tranquil Living and Japanese Art Inspired Talidara's Heiwa Watch
Heritage-Honoring Premium Timepieces
Rolex Honors its Roots with the First Perpetual 1908
Minimal Scandinavian Timepieces
The Montoir Dive Watch has a Timeless Design Language
War Boat-Inspired Timepieces
William Wood Designs the Dunkirk Watch with Various Commands
Aviation-Honoring Timepieces
The Timex x Pan Am Flyback Chronograph Pays Homage to the Past
Mechanical Vintage Dice Designs
W&M Levsha Creates a Trigger-Activated Die with Vintage Themes
Tubular Illuminating Clocks
Urwerk Designs the Space-Time Clock Resembling a Lightsaber
Cartoon-Inspired Minimal Watches
Swatch's Mission to Moonphase Celebrates the Beloved Snoopy
Joint Swiss-Movement Mechanical Watches
Hodinkee and Braun Join Forces on Limited Timepieces
Minimalist Bauhaus-Inspired Timepieces
Botta Watches Come in Seven Models to Choose From
Modernized Retro Diver Timepieces
The Wolbrook Skindiver WT Watch Revives a Classic Model
Retro-Inspired Sporty Timepieces
Orient Unveils a Neo Classic Sport Technical Watch
Interchangeable Component Timepieces
These Nivada Grenchen Timepieces Have Swappable Bezels
Disaster-Preparation Sleek Clocks
The 4RQ002-003 by Rhythm Supports and Prepares for Disasters
Elegant Timepiece Collections
The Hermès Cut Timepiece is Exquisite and Ultra-Chic
Motorsport-Inspired Timepieces
The Ollech & Wajs Rallychron Timepiece Pays Homage to Circuit Races
Stealthy Chronograph Timepieces
Porsche Design Presents the Chronograph 1 Utility Watch
Minimal Global Desk-Side Clocks
Masafumi Ishikawa Designs the World Clock for Desks
Retro Digital Flip Clocks
The Flip Clock Turns Any Device into a Nostalgic Time Piece
DIY Wooden Watchmaking Sets
The Team at Tèfo Clockwork Creates a DIY Kit for Fans
Lottery-Inspired Alarm Clocks
Ho Hyun LIM Designs the Fortune Clock with Dynamics
Elevated Sleek Titanium Timepieces
Girard-Peregaux Presents the Lauretato Chronograph Ti49
Simple Calendar Summary Tools
The Free Calendar Dashboard Can Summarize Your Week in Minutes
Distraction-Free Alarm Clock Concepts
Ahmed Rashad Designs the Sleek Wireless Clock Chargers
Moon-Inspired Wall Clocks
Sora no Kakera Designs the Intricately Made Moon Trip Clock
Minimal Dynamic Desk Clocks
Lautaro Lucero and Shapr3D Design the Wooden Desk Clock Concept
Connective Time Zone Apps
Clockwise Helps You Stay In Sync Across The Globe
Global Time Zone Navigators
What is the Time Connects People Regardless of Their Time Zone
Warped Visual Luxurious Timepieces
Berneron's Debut Timepiece is Dubbed the Mirage
Shift Management Tools
Punchclock Offers Seamless Synchronization of Shift Schedules