Flock of Butterflies Clock - aluminium - des. George Nelson, 1949-60 (made by Vitra)

The Flock of Butterflies Clock is a midcentury classic.

With his collection of Wall Clocks (1949-1960), George Nelson conceived a wide array of timepieces, many of which have since become icons of 1950s design. These clocks are simply adored by the team in The Home and by our customers - some of these extraordinary pieces are always on the wall. 

Nelson was first commissioned to create a collection of clocks in 1947. He analysed how people used clocks and concluded that they read the time by discerning the relative position of the hands, which made the use of numbers unnecessary. Furthermore, since most people wore wristwatches, he assumed that clocks had become more of a decorative element for interiors. However to us, Nelson's clocks remain brilliant because they're beautiful and useful. And we hate, hate, hate looking at our phones when we want to know what time it is! This is an infinitely more stylish and civilised solution.

Hand made and hand assembled to exacting standards by Vitra.

Approximate dimensions: 61 cm / 24 inch diameter.

• Materials:  various types of wood and metal.
• Product contents:  high-quality quartz clock movement, 1.5 volt battery included.
• Origin of wood:  all wood types from Poland, except the Fan Clock: American cherry (Prunus serotina) from USA.