Vitra Spindle Wall Clock
Manufacturer: Vitra | Designer: George Nelson, 1949–1960
Wall Sculpture as Timepiece
The Spindle Wall Clock is part of the Nelson clock family, conceived across a prolific period of design between 1949 and 1960. George Nelson's starting point was the observation that people read the time by the position of the hands, not by numerals — which made numbers on a clock face redundant. The result was a series of designs that treated the clock as a sculptural object first and a timepiece second.
The Spindle replaces the Ball Clock's spheres with slender turned wood spindles — twelve tapered forms in natural beech radiating from a central hub, giving the clock a lighter, more delicate quality. Where the Ball is exuberant, the Spindle is refined. Vitra has reissued the Nelson Clocks since 1999 as part of the Vitra Design Museum Collection, produced true to the original.
Specifications
- Dimensions — Ø48cm
- Materials — Various types of wood and metal
- Wood origin — All wood types from Poland
- Movement — High-quality quartz; 1.5V battery included
- Collection — Vitra Design Museum Collection
Part of the Vitra Accessories collection.
Manufacturer: Vitra | Designer: George Nelson, 1949–1960
Wall Sculpture as Timepiece
The Spindle Wall Clock is part of the Nelson clock family, conceived across a prolific period of design between 1949 and 1960. George Nelson's starting point was the observation that people read the time by the position of the hands, not by numerals — which made numbers on a clock face redundant. The result was a series of designs that treated the clock as a sculptural object first and a timepiece second.
The Spindle replaces the Ball Clock's spheres with slender turned wood spindles — twelve tapered forms in natural beech radiating from a central hub, giving the clock a lighter, more delicate quality. Where the Ball is exuberant, the Spindle is refined. Vitra has reissued the Nelson Clocks since 1999 as part of the Vitra Design Museum Collection, produced true to the original.
Specifications
- Dimensions — Ø48cm
- Materials — Various types of wood and metal
- Wood origin — All wood types from Poland
- Movement — High-quality quartz; 1.5V battery included
- Collection — Vitra Design Museum Collection
Part of the Vitra Accessories collection.
Description
Manufacturer: Vitra | Designer: George Nelson, 1949–1960
Wall Sculpture as Timepiece
The Spindle Wall Clock is part of the Nelson clock family, conceived across a prolific period of design between 1949 and 1960. George Nelson's starting point was the observation that people read the time by the position of the hands, not by numerals — which made numbers on a clock face redundant. The result was a series of designs that treated the clock as a sculptural object first and a timepiece second.
The Spindle replaces the Ball Clock's spheres with slender turned wood spindles — twelve tapered forms in natural beech radiating from a central hub, giving the clock a lighter, more delicate quality. Where the Ball is exuberant, the Spindle is refined. Vitra has reissued the Nelson Clocks since 1999 as part of the Vitra Design Museum Collection, produced true to the original.
Specifications
- Dimensions — Ø48cm
- Materials — Various types of wood and metal
- Wood origin — All wood types from Poland
- Movement — High-quality quartz; 1.5V battery included
- Collection — Vitra Design Museum Collection
Part of the Vitra Accessories collection.
