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From the cockpit of a war aircraft to the comfort of the bedside table, the Lorenz Static clock is a story of contrasts.
When Tullio Bolletta, founder of Italian company Lorenz, tasked Richard Sapper with the design of a table clock based off WWII torpedo timers, nobody knew that history was about to be written. The year was 1959; only one year later, the Lorenz Static clock went on to receive the most prestigious design award of all time: the Compasso d’Oro. In 2014, the esteemed Richard Sapper would also receive the Compasso d’Oro lifetime achievement award. All this to say, even a humble bedside table clock can be iconic.
The dynamic shape of the Lorenz Static gives a nod to the design’s source of inspiration: the torpedoes of a war aircraft. Angled to greet the user, the dial sits inside a cylindrical steel case with a weighted base. The clever design with a flat section allows the object to right itself when tipped over, adding a layer of playfulness to the idea of observing the passage of time. Clean and straightforward yet also elegant, the dial takes visual cues from the clocks found in the cockpit of WWII aircraft. Concealed in the base, the battery keeps the German-made movement ticking for at least one year.
After moving the production of the Static to Italy, Lorenz also introduced new versions of the iconic design. Apart from the classic white, black and red versions, the clock now also comes in satin or glossy metal, including gold and silver. Additionally, the company launched special editions of the Lorenz Static clock that put the original design in a new light; from aeronautical-grade aluminum that links the design to its source of inspiration, to the solid bronze versions that oxidize differently to become one-of-a-kind, and the quintessential Italian material, marble, that lends the minimalist clock an air of nobility. Regardless of color, finish or texture, the Lorenz Static clock is a piece of design history that looks at home anywhere, from a meeting room in an office to a bedside table in a quiet bedroom. Photography© Lorenz.
