Enkelklocka

Enkelklocka is a timepiece that uses a single hand to indicate the time, rather than the two or three hands found on most clocks and watches. The term comes from Swedish, and in English it is often described as a single-hand or one-hand clock. The design emphasizes simplicity and a broad sense of time rather than precise minute readings.

Design and reading: A single hand moves around a 12-hour dial, and the wearer or reader estimates minutes from the hand’s position between hour markers. Some enkelklockor include minute or five-minute markers, while others rely on the viewer’s sense of approximate time. The dial layout, numeral style, and hand shape can vary widely, from traditional to minimalist contemporary styles.

History: In the history of horology, some of the earliest mechanical clocks displayed time with only an hour hand. Minute hands were introduced later as clocks became more precise and widely used for scheduling. Today, enkelklocka designs survive mainly in niche contexts, such as educational tools, historical reproductions, and modern minimalist watches and clocks that prioritize legibility and simplicity over minute accuracy.

Variants and usage: Modern applications include pedagogical clocks used to teach children to tell time, as well as designer pieces that explore the aesthetic of reduced complexity. In some professional settings, single-hand watches are chosen for ease of use or for a slower, more contemplative sense of time. Materials and mechanisms range from antique movements to contemporary quartz or mechanical systems.

See also: Analog clock, One-handed watch, Horology, Minimalist design.