3D Metal Wall Clock – Silent Quartz, 58 x 48 cm or 46 x 39 cm

Three-dimensional here means the numerals and markers stand off the wall as separate pieces rather than being printed on a dial, so the clock has no face at all and the wall behind it becomes the face. At 58 by 48 centimeters the larger version covers close to two feet of wall in each direction; the smaller measures 46 by 39.

Metal is what makes a clock without a face possible, since each marker has to be rigid enough to hold its shape unsupported and thin enough not to look clumsy standing away from the plaster. It also means the color of the wall becomes part of the design, and the markers throw individual shadows that move as the light in the room shifts through the day. A pale wall gives the strongest version of the effect.

Installation takes longer than a conventional clock, because the markers are positioned one at a time and an error in spacing is both permanent and visible. Measure and mark before fixing anything.

• Material: Metal
• Movement: Silent quartz
• Size: 58 x 48 cm or 46 x 39 cm