This 3D-Printed Clock Uses Orbital Rings to Tell Time - Yanko Design

"You know that moment when you see something so clever you wonder why it hasn't been done before? That's exactly what happened when I came across Denis Turitsyn's Radius Clock. This isn't just another minimalist timepiece fighting for wall space in your Pinterest feed. It's a genuinely fresh take on something we look at dozens of times a day without really seeing anymore."

"Here's where it gets interesting from a design perspective. Instead of the traditional center-mounted mechanism we've all grown up with, the hour and minute hands on this clock are driven by external rings hidden behind the case. Picture it like invisible tracks guiding each hand at its own pace. The second hand, meanwhile, runs on a completely separate motor that's mounted right at the base of the hour hand. It's this layered independence that gives the clock its orbital quality."

"What really caught my attention is how Turitsyn balanced artistic vision with practical engineering. The dial is 3D printed using FDM technology on a standard desktop printer. That's the kind you could theoretically have in your home or studio, not some industrial-grade machine. This accessibility makes the design feel less like an untouchable art piece and more like something that could actually exist in the real world of production and commerce."

The Radius Clock reimagines timekeeping by mimicking planetary orbits: hour and minute hands are guided by external rings hidden behind the case, each moving at its own pace. The second hand runs on a separate motor mounted at the base of the hour hand, producing layered, orbital motion. The dial is produced on a standard desktop FDM 3D printer, enabling accessible fabrication outside industrial facilities. Hands are made from a lightweight metal alloy to reduce mechanical stress, improve smoothness, and extend lifespan. The design prioritizes kinetic expression and practical engineering, blending sculptural movement with manufacturable, low-cost production methods.

Read at Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News