QLOCKTWO manufacturs unique timepieces in demand worldwide. In this interview, Marco Biegert and Andreas Funk explain the unique appeal of these modern classics
They fascinate design aficionados on every continent, adorn five-star hotels in Asia and the USA, and even hang in museums. QLOCKTWO‘s iconic timepieces are already modern classics of unique value. Following the typographically dominant EARTH, the launch of MOON in October 2023 marks the beginning of a new era for QLOCKTWO. The new work is inspired by the significance of the moon and places the celestial body in relation to time. The QLOCKTWO SUN will be the third object to be launched within the next few years, representing time over the course of a year. This will fulfil the vision of company founders Marco Biegert and Andreas Funk of a triptych about time, a QLOCKTWO UNIVERSE consisting of EARTH, MOON and SUN.
A New Era
A good 20 years have passed since Biegert and Funk sat down together in their small studio in Schwäbisch Gmünd. Often debating art or design, this time their question was philosophical: “What is time?” With their idea of a new representation of this physical quantity, they created unique pieces of art that are now known worldwide under the brand name QLOCKTWO EARTH.
“The precious commodity of time should also be perceived and better experienced as such – a time display that represents time as people experience it in more than 20 languages. In this sense, the idea was art – and the objects created a vehicle for this idea,” say the founders. The heart of each EARTH is a matrix of 110 seemingly randomly arranged letters. It shows the time in five-minute increments and has fascinated people on every continent.
Craftsmanship of the Highest Quality
Horology, the measurement of time, Swabian craftsmanship “Made in Germany” and modern interior design formed the basis for the development of this exceptional design manufactory after the company was founded in 2009. The company is still based in Schwäbisch Gmünd in the south of Germany. Subsidiaries have been established in four countries, including the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America. The QLOCKTWO team has grown internationally from two to 65 employees today. Further sales offices are planned in India and Singapore.
Unique Works of Art
Every CREATOR’S EDITION is unique. The front covers are lavishly handcrafted with gold leaf, platinum or slate, exclusively numbered and signed by the two artists. The demand for these premium CREATOR’S EDITION objects is considerable and has helped the company to establish itself in the leading international luxury retail segment.
In October this year, QLOCKTWO launched its second work of art, the MOON. Its launch marks a milestone in the company’s history. In this interview, company founders Marco Biegert and Andreas Funk explain the functionality and special features of this unique new object:
A&C: Mr. Funk, with the MOON you have created a completely new category of object. What is so special about it?
AF: At the beginning of our QLOCKTWO UNIVERSE there was the EARTH – a piece of art that represented the 24 hours of a day using language on a word matrix. Its conception was the starting point for an extraordinary journey that has now culminated in the MOON. The MOON is dedicated to the month, or more precisely to the phases of the moon, which man has always used to orientate himself within a series of days. In one lunar cycle from full moon to full moon, the time display of the MOON rotates 28 times, showing exactly how the Moon appears in the starry sky.
A&C: What is the basic idea behind the MOON?
MB: The moon has inspired mankind since time immemorial, it is a cultural mirror of society – shaping it for centuries. It has inspired artists and scientists throughout the ages, guiding their work and creativity. Different cultures have always developed their own scientific and artistic interpretations. At the same time, the brightest celestial body in our night sky has served mankind as a source of light – and always as a timepiece and calendar. Despite all spiritual, temporal and cultural differences, it connects us – that is something very special.
A&C: How does the MOON work and how is it operated?
AF: The QLOCKTWO MOON is a patented mechanical moon-phase indicator that displays the current phase of the moon in an artistic form. In each object, approximately 100 sheets of precious metal in the form of platinum, gold or lunar gold are processed to refine the surface in imitation of the fascinating lunar landscape.
A&C: As an artist you have been dealing with the concept of time for almost two decades. What comes after EARTH and MOON?
MB: The final piece of our planned three-part artwork will be the QLOCKTWO SUN. It will fulfil our vision of a triptych about time, a QLOCKTWO UNIVERSE consisting of EARTH, MOON and SUN. After all, what would our sense of time be without the year? But its innovative functionality must remain a closely guarded secret until its launch in a few years.
