Clock Talk: Sharper Image Light Up Word Desk Clock
Your desk clock is an excellent opportunity to add some flair to your home décor while adding a useful and practical object. Clocks are available in thousands of colors, styles, and shapes; deciding on the right one can be a pain. I’m here to help make your clock selection easier with the Sharper Image Light Up Electronic Word Clock. While we lose some of the preciseness from your average clock with this product, who can really distinguish 12:32 from 12:33 when all you have are tiny lines or just a blank space on an analog clock.
I set this clock up at my art studio for testing so that I could interact with it multiple times per week. Plus, I needed a clock in there anyway, so I didn’t use my phone so much. Initially, my excitement for the clock was based solely on how quirky it was. I love words, hence why I’m sitting here writing this for you, so a word clock seemed positively fitting. While I still love how quirky it is, as well as the fact that the 7.5 by 7.5-inch face looks like the word searches I often played with my grandma, I ended up loving this clock mostly because it became a conversation starter.
A Wordy Desk Clock
What I didn’t expect about this desk clock was that it would become a conversation piece with everyone who stepped into my studio. I often have clients picking up work, offer tours to friends, and get visits from other artist friends since I work in a large building with many other artists and their respective studios. While the clock is in a corner, it was always immediately noticed and mentioned. Everyone adored it and asked about it — occasionally, we talked about the clock more than my art!
Functionality
This clock offers the time by spelling out the words “It is Five Minutes Until Three,” which takes a little longer to read than your average clock and provides the time conversationally instead of using numbers. If you hate math as much as I do, this is a welcome change from the numbers that rule our lives. Reading the clock does take an extra moment, and the accuracy is limited because the clock reads in five-minute intervals. But really, how often do you need to know the difference between 1:03 and 1:04?
The setup was easy and straightforward. To get this clock going, attach the power adapter to the clock and plug it into the wall. Two buttons help you adjust the time, and voila, you’re ready to go. The LED lights are visible, even in the dark. There is a hole in the top for wall mounting, but I kept this clock on my desk for ease.
The Buy
The Sharper Image Light Up Electronic Word Clock has an MSRP of just $24 and comes in two colorways — Black or Copper. I chose Black because it fits best with my studio décor, but the Copper finish offers an elegant accompaniment.
