This Awesome Clock Was Our 2010 Cover Model—And Now It’s (Finally!) for Sale

Katie Holdefehr
Updated
Because good things take time, right?

Because good things take time, right?

Back in April 2010, Real Simple celebrated its tenth anniversary with a series of conceptual covers related to time—a fitting cover for an issue devoted entirely to time-saving tips. Each one featured a clock commissioned by a different artist, with the intention that the designs would one day be turned into shoppable pieces of home decor.

In a piece for the New York Times, Real Simple's creative director at the time, Janet Froelich, describes how she commissioned the clocks in January and hoped that the finished products would be ready by the time the issue hit newsstands in April. "At first I hoped to get them into production, all three of them, and it became clear that I’m a graphic designer," she said. She goes on to explain that the production process can take a year or more—and in this case, eight years. But luckily, UncommonGoods decided to license the design and turn it into a functional piece of wall art for sale this spring.

Designed by industrial designer Scott Henderson, the clock features melting numbers that feel Dali-inspired. Appropriately called the "Nonstop Clock" ($68; uncommongoods.com) for the way the numbers blend into each other, the piece is both a working clock and a statement-making work of art. Priced at less than $70, this piece proves that eye-catching home decor doesn't have to cost a fortune.

“Designing the Nonstop Clock for Real Simple’s tenth anniversary cover image was an amazing and super fun project," Scott Henderson told Real Simple. "I received emails for years afterwards from people from around the world asking if the Nonstop Clock was available for sale, so I am really happy that we’re finally making it a reality."

The clock (finally!) goes on sale on May 4, just a little over eight years since the design made its debut as our cover model. A lot has changed since our tenth-anniversary issue—but our commitment to saving you time? We like to call that our nonstop, around-the-clock goal.