The Alarming Clock, created by Scottish designers Natalie Duckett and Lee Murray, is a reinvention of the typical alarm clock. When the morning alarm is programmed, the evening alarm is automatically set to signal nine hours ahead to remind you when it’s time to start unwinding for bed. The clock’s face remains hidden on the base of the alarm so all you see is a little wooden box with a beak in the middle. Handcrafted from natural oak, the Alarming Clock has passed CE safety testing.
In place of the typical (and dreaded) electric buzz, the alarm signal is mechanically created to imitate the sound of a woodpecker tapping against a tree. Placing the small wooden “beak” against different surfaces or objects (say a glass of water, a book cover, or a metal box) alters the sound. To shut off the alarm you simply touch the top, and when no alarm is required, you just remove the beak and the alarm is silenced. The clocks are currently only available in Europe with a 4 to 8 week lead time, but if there is demand for the product they plan to expand distribution. It’s an ingenious little product, so I hope that they do. £125.
