Vitra Ball Clock by George Nelson
Last updated: 27 October 2026
The Vitra Ball Clock is George Nelson's wall clock without numbers. Instead, a ball sits on the end of a spoke at each hour position, and you read the time from the angle of the hands. It costs £295 in most colours and £380 in cherry or in black and brass. I checked the prices at Vitra UK on 13 October 2026.
What the Vitra Ball Clock is
It is a wall clock 33cm across. That is a little wider than the short side of an A3 sheet. Spokes run out from a central hub, and each one ends in a ball where an hour marker would normally be. There are no numerals anywhere on it, so the two hands do all the work.
Vitra makes it from wood and metal, and the wood comes from Poland. Inside, it runs on a quartz movement, so it keeps time on a battery and never needs winding. Haus London says a 1.5 volt battery comes in the box, so it works as soon as it is on the wall.
George Nelson and the 1947 clock brief
The design starts with a commission. In Vitra's words, "In 1947, the American designer George Nelson was commissioned to create a collection of clocks."
Nelson then looked at how people actually used a clock. He concluded that they read the time from the relative position of the hands, which made the numbers unnecessary. He also reasoned that most people wore wristwatches by then, so a wall clock had become more of a decorative object for a room.
The first collection, 14 clocks in all, came out in 1949. After that, his office designed more than 100 clock models over the next 35 years. Vitra dates the Wall Clocks series, which includes the Ball Clock, to 1949 to 1960.
Nelson died in 1986, and the Vitra Design Museum later acquired his archive. Vitra began reissuing the Nelson clocks in 1999, which is why the Ball Clock on sale today carries the Vitra name.
Specification
| Designer | George Nelson |
| Series | Wall Clocks, 1949 to 1960 |
| Diameter | 33cm |
| Depth | Vitra does not publish it |
| Materials | Wood and metal, with the wood from Poland |
| Movement | Quartz |
| Battery | 1.5 volt, included |
| Price | £295, or £380 for cherry and for black and brass |
Where to buy it, and what it costs
Vitra sells it direct in the UK. The standard finishes cost £295, while cherry and black and brass cost £380. When I checked, Vitra quoted five to seven weeks' delivery on the £380 version, so order early if it is a Christmas present.
Haus London stocks the same clock at the same prices. Its list runs to beech, orange, multicoloured and red at £295, plus black and brass and cherry at £380. Haus also says UK delivery usually takes one to two days on stock items, which makes it the quicker route for a late gift.
Who it suits, and its limits
It suits a kitchen, hallway or living room wall where the clock is part of the look of the room. That is the job Nelson designed it for. Meanwhile, anyone who wants to read the exact minute at a glance will find a numbered dial easier. A child learning to tell the time is better off with a clock that shows the numbers.
Price is the other limit. For example, the Jasper Morrison Table Clock is £95 at SCP, so the Ball Clock costs about three times as much. However, the Morrison sits on a desk, while the Ball Clock fills a wall.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Vitra Ball Clock?
It is £295 in the standard finishes and £380 in cherry or in black and brass, at Vitra UK and Haus London. I checked both on 13 October 2026.
Who designed the Ball Clock?
George Nelson, the American designer, as part of a clock collection he started in 1947. Vitra has reissued his clocks since 1999.
How big is the Ball Clock?
It is 33cm in diameter. Vitra does not publish the depth.
Does it need a battery?
Yes. It runs on a quartz movement, and Haus London says a 1.5 volt battery is included.
Why does the Ball Clock have no numbers?
Nelson concluded that people read a clock from the position of the hands rather than the numerals. So he left the numbers off and put a ball at each hour instead.
Buy the Ball Clock at Haus London, from £295
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