Luke Likes Clocks

Luke owns over 120 clocks.

It all started with his grandmothers pocket watch. Luke first saw the pocket watch when he was two. At the age of five he had the dexterity to create a wanted poster for it. The pocket watch is now his in his possession, and it’s about to celebrate its 110th birthday.

Luke’s an Arts & Technology graduate student, which speaks to his interest in these devices. “I’m an Arts & Technology student and to me clocks are the prototypical arts and technology object.”

Luke said he isn’t sure what originally stirred this interest, but he was buying clocks at garage sales at a young age.

The clocks in his parents house are scarred with tape, scratches, glitter and other playful reminders of his childhood self.

“I had a penchant when I was younger to take (clocks) apart before I knew how to put them together again.” His parents didn’t always appreciate this. “I got my hands on this wall clock my dad had used in college, I completely tore it apart and my dad was furious because I couldn’t put it back together again.”

As Luke grew up he got better at the all important putting-them-back-together step. His abilities landed him a job in a clock shop in high school, where he learned more about the mechanics of clocks.

He did make a customers clock explode once by accident (he goes into detail in the video interview) but he’s learned from his mistakes. Luke currently finds himself buying clocks and modifying them to fit his aesthetic sensibilities.

“That’s from Wal-mart,” Luke said, pointing to a clock on his desk. “I just bought it then I put a different face in it because I’m mimicking a clock that was made by Braun in the 80′s that I can’t afford.” He says he is often driven to new clocks because of their product design.

Luke said he owns some clocks that began ticking before the United States existed, which is a testament to the time, effort and skill put into these devices by craftsmen.

Luke’s also interested in the odd relation clocks occupy in regard to time. He said there is a pessimistic view you can take, one that sees clocks as objects that count down to their own demise, to their last tick. You can also take on a positive perspective to clocks, and see them as an object that has counted up to the current age, an object bathed in history and stories.

Luke says he prefers to take a more happy-go-lucky approach, and just buys the ones that catch his eye.

Watch the video interview with Luke to gain a little more insight into his life-long hobby.