Clock Inlays by FormaFantasma

The project consists of a simple, inexpensive, mass-produced clock encased within a carefully crafted chipboard container, whose interior features inlays shaped like the hidden mechanical components of the clock itself. By shifting attention from the object to its enclosure, Clock Inlays deliberately reverses conventional hierarchies of value: the packaging becomes more precious than the product it contains. Developed in 2009 as part of the Hidden Inlays series for Droog Design, the work reflects FormaFantasma’s ongoing interest in material culture, invisibility, and the tension between industrial manufacturing and artisanal intervention.

Through this subtle yet provocative gesture, Clock Inlays invites reflection on how objects are produced, perceived, and valued in contemporary consumer culture, transforming an everyday item into a poetic commentary on time, design, and meaning.

“Hiding is our favourite condition at the moment. To be hidden in time when our privacy it is becoming increasingly more public, it is a privilege,” explain the designers.