Giant Water Clock Proves Time Equal to Money

Water clocks are one of the most ancient time-keeping methods, being employed by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Babylonians, particularly in astronomical and astrological predictions.  The Liquid-Time Sculpture, created by Bernard Gitton, has a more aesthetic function, indicating the time via a complex system of pipes and siphons.

A series of spheres down the left side of the sculpture indicate the hours, while flattened spheres or discs along the right side show the minutes. It takes an entire day for the water to cycle through the clock, which begins when an electric water pump beneath the clock moves the water to the top reservoir. The water then begins flowing down through a series of 29 discs, each of which represents two minutes. Every hour, the minutes column empties, creating a vacuum that fills the first sphere in the hours column. This process repeats every hour until the end of the day, when the electric pump moves the water back to the top again. These clocks are enormous, ranging for 7 to 35 feet tall, and due to the extremely intricate nature of the glasswork, cost between $85,000 and $495,000. Get yours today! — Mike Payne

[via Gizmodo]