Getting started with the 24 hour clock

This modestly-priced clock from Seldec Publishing is ideal for people who want to switch to 24 hour timekeeping one step at a time.

With 12 at the top, times in the middle part of the working day (09:00 to 15:00) look similar to the equivalents on more conventional 12 hour clocks, and the blue shading tells you that it’s evening or night-time without you having to use numbers bigger than 12.

Eventually you’ll want to switch over to 24-style numbering, though, so you can replace it with this model:

For these and other 24 hour clocks, visit Seldec Publishing.

eBay watch …
If you’re in the market for a 24 hour watch, it’s always worth checking out eBay, although ‘buyer beware’ is always good advice (and check shipping costs before you start bidding).
This Patek Phillippe example from the 19th century can be yours for about £10,000 or thereabouts.

At the other end of the range, this used Swatch watch sold today for less than £15.

This Omega pocket watch from the 1900s is still available for about $1750. Intriguingly, the four compass directions are marked at 12 (SUD), 15 (Ouest) , 6 (Est), and 24 (Nord): when you point the hour hand to the sun, these directions are correct.
On a quick tour of eBay this afternoon, apart from dozens of badly labelled 12 hour watches with extra 24 hour markings, I found some genuine 24 hour models: some Breitlings, a Tissot Navigator, and, as always, plenty of Swatch and Russian models on sale, although you need to be careful when you study the prices. As I said, check the shipping costs before you buy!

An astrolabe on your iPhone and iPad

The Astrolabe Clock is:

an astronomical clock inspired by the astrolabe, an ancient astronomical instrument used to tell time and to predict the location of the Sun, stars and planets. This modern interpretation gives a view of the sky showing at a glance the time of day, day of year, and the location in the sky of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars. Astrolabe Clock also gives the time of sunrise and sunset, the phase of the Moon, transit times for the Sun, Moon, planets and stars, and can be used to show the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses.

See the web site at http://www.twonineeightsoftware.com/AstrolabeClock.html or visit the iTunes app store.

eBay watch … clocks

Saw these two items of interest on eBay today.

Here’s a cool Soviet submarine clock:

Soviet Russian Submarine 24 hours Clock

As the description notes:

Hours use on submarines have dial up to 24 hours,as it is under water is not the time of day,day or night.

Well, you know what he means! Find this item here until 17-Nov-10 20:20:40 GMT.

Next is this fine-looking quartz clock described as an “Intensive Care Day and Night” 24 hour clock:

Seldec Marine clock

Brand NEW from Seldec Maritime

Use in intensive care wards in hospitals, waking up from an operation, not knowing where you are or what time it is,seeing this clock, immediately you are aware of the time day or night!

This 24 Hour clock is a must for people with relatives overseas, set the clock to their local time and see at a glance if its night or day! A black/white face, black/white hour and minute hands, hour markings for hours 1 thru 24, with minutes marked, a red  second hand is provided. This clock differs from standard clocks in that the hour hand rotates only once every 24 hours, rather than twice as in standard clocks, thereby being able to indicate each of the 24 hours.

Find this item here until 11-Dec-10 07:59:40 GMT.

Skyclock

Meet Skyclock:

Twilight awareness – the gift of time.
Skyclock is twilight, sunrise, and sunset times on an analog face for your exact location.

Skyclock, for both the iPhone and the PC (Windows only), has a 24 hour mode that makes a lot more sense to me than the 12 hour ‘conventional’ mode.

Skyclock for iPhone

Skyclock for iPhone

Find the iPhone on the iTunes App Store (it’s free, ad-supported) and go to Skyclock for the PC version.

I feel it’s similar to the more minimal Sol for the iPhone, but sadly that seems to have disappeared from the App store.