Look ma, no hands! Jony Ive's design firm invents a hands-free, hard-to-read, costly clock — but it plays sounds, too, at least!

I don't think we'll see Flavor Flav wearing this one

20 Mar 2026, 17:53 · TechRadar

News By Carrie Marshall published 20 March 2026

(Image credit: Balmuda)

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter

Get the TechRadar Newsletter

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful

An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter

Jony Ive's design company created a bedside clock with illuminated digits instead of hands
Inspired by pocket watches, but considerably more chunky
Available in Japan for around $373 / £279 / AU$529

Former Apple design chief Jonathan Ive's new firm LoveFrom has designed a new luxury product: a clock called The Clock.

Inspired by old-fashioned pocket watches and made by Japanese brand Balmuda, The Clock joins Balmuda's other luxury products including The Brew coffee maker, The Speaker wireless speaker and The Kettle electric kettle.

According to Balmuda, "we wanted to do more than just display the time; we wanted to make time itself a pleasant experience." And to do that, the firms have collaborated on an analog clock that doesn't have any hands.

Article continues below

(Image credit: Balmuda)

What is The Clock by Jonathan Ive?

Rather than use hands to show the time, The Clock uses LEDs in a system that Balmuda calls the "Light Hour". It illuminates the digit for the hour and then lights up tick marks around the circumference of the face to show the minutes. Another tick becomes the seconds hand, moving around the display.

Jony Ive really likes aluminum (or aluminium, as he proudly pronounced it throughout his Apple years despite the accent pressure all around him) and here he's used an aluminum unibody case for The Clock, just like so many of his Apple creations.

It's 7.5cm wide and tall, and weighs just under 260g, and it charges via USB-C. Apple Magic Mouse users will be relieved to see that The Clock's USB-C port is on the back rather than underneath, so you can still see the time as its 24-hour battery recharges. And yes, 24 hours seems a bit short for a clock battery to last to us as well.

In addition to the time display, The Clock also features ambient soundtracks composed specifically for The Clock's Relax Time mode, including "the sound of rain, the rumble of a boat on a river, and the crackling of a lodge fireplace" played with "astonishing realism."

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors