Ticktockticktock

Ticktockticktock is a weekly audio series that explores the history, science, and cultural significance of timekeeping devices. First broadcast on 12 June 2019, the program was created and hosted by horologist Simon Larkin and digital media specialist Maya Chen. Each episode combines interviews with experts—from watchmaking artisans to science historians—and sound design that recreates the rhythmic tick of clocks. The format also includes a recurring segment called “Clock of the Week,” in which a specific timepiece is examined in detail.

The show quickly attracted a niche audience of enthusiasts and academics. By late 2020, it had reached 80,000 downloads per episode, and a standing live audience of over 400 participants attended the San Francisco “Ticktockticktock” convention in 2021. Guest speakers have included the chief curator of the National Watch Museum, an engineer who developed the first quartz movement, and the writer of a seminal book on the philosophy of time. In 2022 the podcast received the Horological Society’s Award for Public Outreach and earned a nomination for the Podcast Award’s Best Educational Series.

Ticktockticktock has expanded beyond audio: it now offers a curated podcast podcast playlist on Spotify, a monthly newsletter with timepiece reviews, and a limited-edition line of branded mechanical keychains. Fans cite the show’s blend of rigorous research and playful audio drama as a key factor in its success. The series is actively produced, with a planned special edition celebrating the centenary of the first atomic clock.