Prisma clock description, specifications, ChronoArt, Prisma, Museum of Modern Art, MOMA, color changing clock

The Ultimate in Contemporary Clocks

Established 1971

Prisma II

New version of the Prisma II.

Shipping started 12/5/06. Now with more colors, better colors, colors that do not repeat exactly twice/minute like the old versions, and even the background color changes. Plus, a new brightness adjustment to bighten it up for an office or dim it down for a bedroom. This is accomplished with 20 red, 20 yellow, 20 blue, and 20 green Superflux LEDs driven by a microprocessor. No more fluorescent lamps to deal with like the original Prisma (not referring here to the cold cathode lamps in the Prisma II, but the original Prisma from the 1970's). Priced at $399, a wonderful improvement in a classic design.

Specials versions: Occassionally someone says, "I like the orginal Prisma's rectangular hour and minute hands." This modification is available for a $10 extra handling charge and a three day delay in shipping. Similarly, if you prefer the simpler second hand disk, like on the original Prisma this is available for $10. The reason these changes were made is to create more color activity both with more overlap (in the hour & minute hands) and in having two disks changing colors at once in the second hand. We like ours better but there is a purity to the original way -- you choose.

The new colors are wonderful.

To order over the internet

Note the different color of the background depending on if you are viewing the clock from the left or the right. The sides are a chrome color. The sides look better than the picture.

The PRISMA II is an updated version of a beautiful color changing clock from the 70's. We have improved on the original in several ways. The second hand is more color active! The large concentric disk is now part of the second hand and changes color also. The hour and minute hands are now wedges and larger for even more color changing area. The lamps are either cold cathode fluorescent (customer serviceable) for longer life (8-10 years) and cooler running and there is no ballast or switch to fail or the new LEDs. We have added a mystery window around the front edge. You can look inside and see the color inside is very different than the color coming through the face?
What's so special about polarized light color changing? There are continuously changing colors and surprising color 'shifts' when the secondhand disk overlaps the minute & hour hands. There is something else going on!! First you intuitively sense - something is wrong with the colors. Then you walk around while watching the clock and surprise --- the colors change depending on your viewing angle! Plus, inside the clock you see a clear secondhand disk changing through a magenta-blue-green-yellow color range, twice/minute as it rotates. It turns out, the color changes have to do with polarized light and a phenomenon called bi-refractance. Vectors of light are being rotated as they pass through each material which is very different from color filtering.

The case is highly polished acrylic with smoked-chrome-colored top and sides. The motor is the same big, strong metal gear, long life, as was in the original Prisma. The price is $399 .

The best of contemporary design and engineering. Enjoy the Prisma for a lifetime and then pass it down to your descendants.

To ask questions or place an order call 1-800-328-1895

To order over the internet

SPECIFICATIONS:

ACCURACY:   + or - 2 SECONDS AS LONG AS THE POWER IS ON.
LAMPS:        LED Light-emitting-diodes. life depends on brightness set by user. Default brightness (when you first plug it in) is 15 years to 20% less brightness reduction.

CASE:         POLISHED ACRYLIC WITH SMOKED CHROME COLORED TOP & SIDES.

POWER:        120 VAC 60 HZ, 10 WATTS (either version of lights), (230 VAC, 50 HZ AVAILABLE).

WEIGHT :      5 LBS. Shipping weight 6 LBS.

DIMENSIONS: 7 in. HIGH, 7 in. WIDE, 5 - 3/16 in. DEEP.

WARRANTY:    ONE YEAR , PARTS AND LABOR.

Return to Home or see other clocks