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.
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