Although read by all of us every day, time shown in clocks can be interpreted differently when we transform the display of the clock into our own ‘built-in clock’.

Time is usually displayed by hands against a face of minute and hour marks or shown in digits for hour, minute and second.

We refer to those two principles as analogue and digital clocks. Which type should be used in a specific installation ?

Several tests done in various countries have come to the conclusion that people in general get the best understanding of time if it is displayed by hands on a face with minute and hours marks.

Maybe this is because it reminds us of the origin of time - the move of the sun over the sky.

However in some environments this statement can be disputed. People active in the fields of technology and finance seems to prefer time displayed in digits. The reason for that is obviously the ‘facts and number oriented’ environment in which these activities take place. A very important aspect on the choice of clock design is of course the legibility of the clock in the environment in which it is placed.

It should be mentioned that for a minority of people normal clocks do not work. They can not get a perception of time from either an analogue or a digital clock. Therefore special equipment is needed, e.g. Westerstrand 'Timrule'.