It’s Time For Watch Clocks To Make A Comeback

Along with all the colorful, geometric influence of Memphis design everywhere, giant wristwatch clocks were one of our favorite things about the 80s. We always wanted one, and frankly, we still do. Evidently, so did [Kothe]. But instead of some splashy Swatch-esque style, [Kothe] went the nerdy route by building a giant Casio F-91W to hang on the wall.

Not only does it look fantastic, it has the full functionality of the original from the alarm to the stopwatch to the backlit screen. Well, everything but the water resistance. The case is 3D-printed, as are the buckle and the buttons. [Kothe] might have printed the straps, but they were too big for the bed. Instead, they are made of laser-cut foam and engraved with all the details.

Inside there’s a 7″ touch display, a real-time clock module, and an Arduino Mega to make everything tick. To make each of the printed buttons work, [Kothe] cleverly extended a touch sensor module’s input pad with some copper tape. We think this could only be more awesome if it were modeled after one of Casio’s calculator watches, but that might be asking too much. Take a few seconds to watch the demo after the break.

Prefer your clocks less clock-like? Get a handle on the inner workings of this slot machine-based stunner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_1-9a8SJyw

10 thoughts on “It’s Time For Watch Clocks To Make A Comeback

  1. Make a giant version of one of the two Casio touch screen calculator watches, or make it emulate both. One had an on screen keyboard. It was *just* usable with very careful finger taps. The other one was made so you drew the numbers and operations on the screen.

    A few years ago I picked up one of the first type at a thrift store for 50 cents. Worked fine! Sold it on eBay for $50. The digitizers are delicate, scratch them and they die.

  2. Utterly gorgeous.

    The F91-W didn’t have electroluminescent backlighting but a corner LED. (Before anyone jumps down my throat I am joking of course).

    How practical would a x10 lens (fresnel convergent to parallel?) be to simply magnify a real F91-W? Cause that seems fun.

    I mean getting a suitable lens would be expensive and it would have to sit far from the watch to magnify suitably making it less attractive in the wall?

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