Marc Newson Hourglass

The Marc Newson Hourglass reimagines one of the world’s oldest chronometric instruments at the very edge of what is possible by hand. Beneath its calm, minimal silhouette lies a level of complexity rarely visible in an object this pure: millions of nanoballs flowing in absolute harmony, regulated by tolerances so demanding that only a handful of glassblowers worldwide are able — or willing — to attempt it.
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Made by Hand, From a Single Piece of Glass

Each Hourglass is blown entirely by hand from a single tube of Kavalier borosilicate glass, selected for its durability, optical clarity, and stability over time. The glassblower must create the entire form in one continuous process: two perfectly balanced globes connected by a throat so narrow that its diameter is measured to the hundredth of a millimetre.

Any deviation, however small, changes the flow and the time — and the piece is discarded.

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Nanoballs, Not Sand

Instead of sand, each Hourglass is filled with millions of precisely engineered nanoballs in stainless steel or titanium. Their size, weight and surface finish are all calibrated to work with the glass geometry to achieve the desired timing.

They must flow smoothly, with the sound of a mesmeric cascade, without scratching the glass, turn after turn, year after year. The result is not only visually hypnotic, but also acoustically captivating — a genuine feat of chronometry.

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Human Skill, Visible in the Smallest Details

What appears effortless is the product of years of training and countless failed attempts. The glass must be heated, shaped and cooled within extraordinarily tight parameters, with every tool mirror-polished before use to avoid the slightest inclusion.

On the rarest of occasions, one or two micro-particles may be captured inside the glass — a discreet trace of the human hand and a quiet reminder that each Hourglass is not industrial, but truly artisanal in origin.

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About Marc Newson

Marc Newson has been described as one of the most influential designers of his generation. He has worked across an extremely wide range of disciplines, and his clients include some of the best-known and most prestigious brands in the world spanning diverse sectors from manufacturing and technology to transportation, fashion and the luxury goods sector.

Please visit Marc Newson's website for his full biography, list of awards and exhibitions.