Our Take

We've long admired Marc Newson's Hourglass, so we teamed up with him to make our own. This is the Marc Newson Hourglass for HODINKEE, available exclusively in a limited collection of just 100 pieces.

The Details

Hand blown from a single piece of borosilicate glass, the Marc Newson Hourglass for HODINKEE is a sight to behold. To create the shape you see here, a long tube of glass is loaded onto a large turning machine, and a combination of specialized torches and blowing through a long rubber tube are used to heat and shape the spinning glass. All of the shaping has to be done entirely by eye, as no measurement device can interrupt the hot glass. Every Hourglass is filled with 1,249,996 tiny spheres called "nanoballs," to measure the passing of 10 minutes. At just 0.6mm in diameter, each nanoball is made of stainless steel covered with a fine copper coating, plus an anti-corrosion layer to ensure that they will not turn green over time.

The Hourglass is more than just a device to measure the passing of time – if you haven't already, watch our video below about the collaboration, in which Marc Newson discusses the Hourglass and we go behind the scenes in the factory to show how each one is made. Watching the first few nanoballs bounce around the bottom chamber and hearing the unique sound they make, plus watching the flow begin to change surface patterns in the top chamber is truly mesmerizing.

Every Hourglass features Marc Newson's signature on one side and is numbered "1 of 100" just below the HODINKEE logo on the other. The custom orange foam case comes with a special leather coaster and white gloves to help ensure that the Hourglass isn't scratched.

Because these are so difficult to make, we are making them over a period of months. We will continue producing them on a rolling basis, with around 10 being delivered each month. We are now taking non-refundable payments of $12,000 USD for future Hourglasses. Following receipt of your payment, we will notify you of the estimated delivery window for your Hourglass. When your Hourglass is ready to ship, we will contact you with an updated delivery timeline. Please reach out to limited@hodinkee.com with any questions.

Because each Hourglass is made by hand, each is unique. As such, please allow for minor variances in the exact shape of the plug and in the presence of a few tiny air bubbles (we're talking on the scale of fractions of millimeters). These are reminders that you're looking at a piece of art and not an industrially-produced commodity.

For more information on this collaboration and to view our video interview with Marc Newson, click here.

Specifications

Maker: Marc Newson

Reference: HG10 Copper

Material: Hand-blown borosilicate glass; copper-coated stainless steel nanoballs

Dimensions: 150mm height; 125mm diameter (at widest point)

Weight: 1.5kg

Box/Papers: Custom-fitted orange foam case, leather coaster, white gloves, copper-foiled certificate of authenticity signed by Marc Newson



Return policy



Please note that you will have five days from receipt of your Hourglass to return it for a full refund. The Hourglass must be in original condition complete with its box, coaster, gloves, and certificate; we will not be able to accept returns of Hourglasses with any damage, including but not limited to scratches.