Retro-Futuristic Hybrid Clock

Inspiration & Concept

This project was born from my long-time fascination with clocks — not just as tools to tell time, but as objects of beauty.

I have always loved both retro aesthetics and modern technology, and I wanted to find a way to blend these two worlds seamlessly into a single creation. My goal was to design a clock that feels warm and nostalgic, while still harnessing the precision and flexibility of digital systems.

As someone who learned electronics in the age of digital technology, I also wanted this clock to reflect a hands-on way of thinking — combining physical hardware with digital logic. Elements like binary indicators are not only visual details, but also mental exercises, keeping the brain active and reinforcing the fundamentals of digital logic in a playful, artistic way.

I chose to emphasize the seconds display because seconds are the only part of time that never stops moving. Unlike hours and minutes, which feel calm and static, seconds are alive — they pulse, flow, and constantly remind us that time is always in motion. Through animated LEDs and light effects, I translated this continuous movement into a visual performance of time itself.

The Retro-Futuristic Hybrid Clock represents my desire to merge craftsmanship, technology, and imagination into a single piece. It is both a functional clock and a creative expression — where past aesthetics meet modern digital thinking, and where time becomes something to experience, not just to read.

Designed

The Retro-Futuristic Hybrid Clock is a time-keeping project designed to merge the precision of modern digital systems with the charm of physical analog light. Inspired by a blend of Cyberpunk and Steampunk, the clock delivers a unique way of displaying time—clean on LCDs yet warm and mechanical through real hardware lighting.

Powered by a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 + CircuitPython and synced with a DS3231 RTC, the system manages multi-layer displays, binary hardware outputs, and animated light effects with impressive accuracy.

Circuit

PCB

CODE

https://github.com/YakrooThai/Contests/blob/main/Instructables/Retro-Futuristic-Clock.py

Final

This project is the result of combining my love for clocks, retro aesthetics, and modern electronics into a single creative build.

The Retro-Futuristic Hybrid Clock shows how technology can be more than just functional — it can also be expressive, artistic, and emotionally engaging. By merging digital displays with physical lighting and motion effects, this clock turns time into a living visual experience rather than static numbers.

I hope this project inspires other makers to explore creative ways of blending art and engineering, and to build devices that tell stories as well as tell time.

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to seeing how others might expand, remix, or re-imagine this idea.