Welcome to nixietubeclocks.com. Here you can buy a selection of beautiful, hand built nixie tube clocks, where vintage technology is brought back to life through modern design.


An introduction to nixie tubes.

Thought to be the first electronic digital readout, the "nixie" tube (derived from Numeric Indicator eXperimental-1), was developed by The Burroughs Corporation in the 1950s. Production continued in the USA and Europe until the early 70's and in Russia into the 90's, by many different manufacturers, until they gave way to newer technologies.

Nixie tube displays predate LED and LCD displays and have a real "space age" look about them. Inside a glass tube, ten solid metal wire cathodes are shaped to form the digits 0 - 9 which, when lit, give off a warm orange / violet glow that can be read from quite a distance.
With modern displays we have become used to straight lines forming the digit segments - a zero is displayed as a rectangle - but as each nixie tube digit has its own individually formed number, curves can be used, so the number 8 is a figure of eight shape... not represented by a square on top of a square! The numbers in the tubes are stacked in front of each other, so as the seconds increase the digits seem to jump from front to back increasing the animation of the display.

 

 

Nixie Tube Clocks

Our clock cases are professionally manufactured and usually laser cut from high quality acrylic (Plexi, Perspex) with all edges further polished to achieve the best finish. Most designs are available in crystal clear which reveals the circuit board and components, or gloss glack which beautifully mirrors the nixie tubes glow. Some of the clocks are available in a red tint which makes the circuit boards visible and also adds a pleasing colour to the nixie display. Nixie tube clocks are also available in a satin finish anodised aluminium.

Internal quartz crystals ensure accuracy to within a second or two per week. For safety clocks are supplied approved and regulated power adapters. UK, European and American styles are available form stock. For other regions please ask.
Switches on the back select 12 or 24 hour modes and set the time.
 
 



VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) tube clocks

VFD tubes emit a beautiful, bright green / blue light. Developed in the same era as Nixie tubes they work very differently. They are more akin to a regular vaccum tube as they have a heater cathode and phosphor coated anodes which glow when a positive voltage is applied. The tubes we use are long life, New Old Stock. They use the familiar 7 segment format.

The high contrast glow of the VFD tubes reflect wonderfully in our black and clead acrylic )Perspex, Plexi.) cases.

The tubes in these pictures are big with a tube height of 50mm and digit height approximatly 22mm.

Internal quartz crystals ensure accuracy to within a second or two per week. For safety clocks are supplied approved and regulated power adapters. UK, European and American styles are available form stock. For other regions please ask.
Switches on the back select 12 or 24 hour modes and set the time.