Remi Van Oers is a design studio in the Netherlands who have been focusing on creative, innovative design since their inception in 2010.
Their original NEWTIME time 2.0 clock caught my attention with it’s simple, minimal look, and was pleased when Remi reached out to see if I was interested in checking out the latest time 2.1 edition.
Time 2.1 is strikingly minimal. Instead of going for the traditional clock design route, they’ve instead decided to strip down the design as much as possible, leaving only 2 simple dots. The orange dot on the outer layer of the clock signifies the hours, and the dark dot in the middle represents the minutes.
It’s evident that careful consideration has been taken in the material selection of the time 2.1 as well. The body is CNC milled, anodized, and bead blasted which is going to leave this clock super durable.
I like how each dot is on its own rotating disc. The subtle shadows it casts creates a nice visual effect while making the hour and minute markers stand out on their own.
On the back side of the clock, there is some small type with the product name and designer, as well as an icon under the black center, which acts as a release for the clock mechanism (necessary when changing the time, or the battery). I like the contrast of the soft edges on the back mixed with the sharp angles on the front.
The movement itself is attached directly on the backplate, so when you pop it off, everything is easily accessible. The heart of the clock isn’t anything fancy, just your typical, reliable quartz movement powered by a single AA battery.
The attention to detail is apparent when you take it apart, designed just big enough to accommodate the mechanical movement.
Another unique thing about the NEWTIME time 2.1 is that it’s weighted on the bottom of the clock. This solves a few issues – first it’s going to be easier to tell which way is up when placing it down, and secondly, it won’t roll away on a flat surface.
The clock does come with a plastic piece you can use as a base, but I was a bit disappointed to see that it was just a piece of white plastic, which doesn’t really fit the rest of the design. Not a big deal for me though, since I’m not using the stand anyways. If it was matching aluminum, it might be a different story though.
All in all, the NEWTIME time 2.1 is a beautiful piece, and the new materials make it a natural evolution from their first version. I’m happily giving it some prime real estate on the shelf in my office.
They are available for €159 directly from Remi Van Oers.
