August 17, 2020: The third and the last of the Nixie Machine series is now on display at the MAD Galleries located in Geneva, Dubai, Hong Kong and Taipei. Made out of Nixie tubes, the sculptural cyberpunk style table clock is designed by Frank Buchwald.
The cold cathode display clock, where the numerals are displayed with a glow discharge, first came out in the 1950s. Frank Buchwald’s latest creation takes it a notch higher with the intricate manual craftsmanship that went into the design and construction of this unique clock. Manufactured by Dalibor Farny, the Nixie Machine III is made of six Nixie tubes, each filled with low-pressure, neon-based gas. The wire mesh anodes and cathodes for every number are enclosed in the tube. Once supplied with power, the numerals light up in orange.
The apparatus is placed on a stainless steel duo-support bracket with all components polished and hand-sanded. The central switch at the core, illuminated in blue, resembles an other-worldly blue eye.
The clock is autonomous and can work online as well as offline. However, the WiFi enabled electronics at the center of the machine ensures accurate time displays without manual interference. Other aspects like time zone setting, scroll effects and day/night mode can be set up online.
Frank Buchwald has been long associated with MAD Galleries when his creation “Machine Lights” was inaugurated at MAD Gallery in Geneva. MB&F founder Maximilian Busser was inspired by his work and so Buchwald’s work became a permanent exhibit across MAD Galleries. The first two editions of his Nixie Machines were launched in 2015 and 2017 respectively. He has maintained the sci-fi element for his final version of the Nixie Machine III. These sculptural clocks are priced at CHF 32,000 (approximately $35,000 USD)
