nobody really needs
a clock
Nobody really needs a clock.That’s why our clocks tell interesting stories, not just the time.
We are not artists, but spend our lives in the pursuit of functional beauty.In the tradition of dutch design, we believe that concept is king.
In everything we do, we strive to meet the highest possible standards.If that means changing the way things are done, so be it.
We respect tradition, but challenge convention.
We are LEFF amsterdam, clock masters since 2011.
5From left to right: Dennis, Arno and Erwin
The fact that the Dutch word ‘lef ’ is derived from
the Hebrew word for heart and their studio is
located in the heart of amsterdam was not the only
reason why brothers Arno and Dennis Ruijzenaars
and designer Erwin Termaat named their brand
LEFF amsterdam.
More important to them was that the Dutch
meaning of this word stands for doing something
that others don’t dare to do, like pushing bounda-
ries and going against the grain. Because who in the
world would start making clocks these days, while
time is all around us?
Arno: “Well, we would. Because we think clocks
are amazing products; they are technical instru-
ments and can be art pieces at the same time. But
most of all, because nobody really needs a clock.
This challenges us even more to create something
beautiful that everyone wants to have.
LEFF amsterdam’s products are available in the fin-
est stores and museum shops worldwide, such as
the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the Museum of
Contemporary Art in Sydney, Selfridges and Paul
Smith in London, Le Bon Marché in Paris, Design
Republic in Shanghai and La Rinascente in Milan.
LEFF amsterdam
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designers
sebastian herknerResponsibility is a big topic in my work and my process of product design. At the beginning is always the question of need.Material, craftsmanship and technolo-gy are important considerations when creating solutions which don’t respond to trends, but rely on usability and sus-tainability.
richard huttenWhether I design a post-stamp or a com-plete building, the procedure is always the same. Creating a design is a thought process for me. During this process, many different questions are reviewed: Where will the object be used? Who will be using it? How can it be used? How can it be made surprising and innovative? When these questions are answered, the first drawings and sketches are made. In the end I do a reality-check by creating a prototype.
piet hein eekPiet Hein Eek is usually noted alongside the scrapwood furniture that made him famous throughout the world, but the Dutch designer is more, much more allround. Without being held back by rules or habits, he designs and manufac-tures furniture, lighting and accessories, but also complete interiors. Piet Hein Eek : ‘Everything we create is made with special care and attention. Every product has a story to tell. I call them fairy tales.’
erwin termaatLEFF amsterdam’s in-house de-signer Erwin Termaat creates interpretable and unobtrusive products, often inspired by in-dustrial aesthetics from earlier times. With his background in indwustrial design, his designs fuse creativity and technology, using the best of both worlds.Erwin Termaat: “As a design engineer I try to achieve dis-tinctiveness through details and subtleties. I prefer using form and concept as starting points, rather than function and materials. Often this asks for clever solutions which, sometimes unexpectedly, con-tribute to the final product.”
reinhard dienesMy work is always inspired by three principles; the function, the materials and the details of the everyday object. The shape and structure of the wyzer are inspired by PET bottles. The properties of this plastic ena-ble the hands to be extremely light and thin, yet with great stability.
robert bronwasserAs an industrial designer, I want to make ordinary products extraordinary both in form and func-tion. I design everyday products that are fa-miliar and logical, but with their own unique character. My vision on design is clear : a good product has the right looks, is smooth to use and cool to have.
wiebe teertstraWith years of experience in de-signing and developing clocks, I designed a serie of clocks for the basic collection of LEFF amsterdam. In these designs I put the emphasis on the read-ability and neutral appearance of the clock. I believe that true design can last for years when choosing simple shapes and high quality materials as a startingpoint.
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tubeclockFor the tube clock, Piet Hein Eek’s star t-ing point was a tube and an extrusion ring. Extrusion moulding is a design technique involving forcing aluminium, or paste for example, through a mould. The extrusion profile is what gives the material its shape. Piet devised a ring like that for the design of the clock face. Often, a good idea can be surprisingly simple. The simplest solutions have not yet been invented. This clock could have been designed a century ago. It is actu-ally a textbook example of the Dutch mentality: the idea of keeping things normal and down-to Earth.
designed by piet hein eek in 2014
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tubeaudioTogether with Piet Hein Eek we came up with the idea that if you have a clock on your bedside cabinet, a speaker might be nice alongside it. So we de-signed a bluetooth speaker in the same shape as the tube clock. You can connect the speaker to your mobile phone, tab-let etc. through bluetooth and listen to your favourite music. The tube audio has the best compo-nents available and gives an extraor-dinarily good sound for such a small object.
designed by piet hein eek in 2014
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tubewoodThe tube wood fi nds its origin in how the tube project started off. The initial idea was to create a clock that you could build and modify yourself. But we found the existing clock so beautiful that we developed it further, rather than making it a DIY clock. It just goes to show how an idea can snowball and turn into something quite different from what was originally in-tended. This clock would never have ex-isted without the original DIY idea. The great thing about the end result is that the circular shape is exactly the same size as a standard drill size. Therefore the clock can be integrated anywhere and the DIY element is still maintained to some extent. To show what’s possible with the tube clocks we have made the tube wood, these are wooden beams that make great table clocks when combined with the tube clock. If you put the tube audio on top of it, it becomes an even more beautiful and functional setting.
designed by piet hein eek in 2014
1716
1918
inverseThe inverse is a mirror/clock hybrid that has more to it than meets the eye. The clock face is formed by the see-through shape in the mirror, which also creates a window that reveals the hands. By turning the dial, the 12 position of the clock can be changed. A clever fea-ture that gives you the possiblity to hang the clock horizontally or vertically or make it lean casually against the wall.The warmth of solid oak stands in contrast to the cold appearance of the mirror, making this object suitable for any space.
designed by richard hutten in 2015
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2322
felt twoAs an accompaniment to his first design for LEFF amsterdam, Sebastian designed the felt two, a standing clock composed of 60% recycled PET felt. This mantel clock is a reinterpretation of the preced-ing felt wall clock; the different approach of function, material and shape leads to an iconic clock that can stand on its own.When closely viewed, the texture of the pressed felt becomes visibly apparent as a perfect match with the wood struc-ture of the bamboo back cover. The laser engraving on the bamboo en-hances the material, proving that mod-ern technology can still invoke a sense of fine craftsmanship.
designed by sebastian herkner in 2014
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2726
feltSebastian wanted the clock to have a distinctive nature, but with a message. In consideration of time and material usage, this clock is made out of 60% recycled PET. The PET felt allows a single-step produc-tion, offers sound dampening properties and provides a non-obtrusive aesthetic.
designed by sebastian herkner in 2013
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brickThe Brick is a contemporary interpre-tation of a traditional way of displaying time. Reinvented by using a unique com-bination of graphics and materials, avoid-ing it to be subjected to a certain time period. The stainless steel case is welded and brushed by hand which brings this clock to a high level of craftsmanship. This timepiece can be displayed on a surface or hung on the wall, either way it will draw the attention of the spec-tators.
designed by erwin termaat in 2011
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3332
tile The tile is designed as a minimalistic interior object that can either stand or hang on a wall. The softened square shape in combination with timeless ceramics and contemporary bamboo, gives this clock its subtle character.
designed by robert bronwasser in 2013
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blockBlock is an alarm clock with a small but strong appearance. A fusion of aesthet-ics and functionality, and a compromise between delicacy and robustness. The design is simple, but with a lot of surprising details. At night the fluores-cent hands will become visible and the whole dial can be lit up by pushing the snooze button on top.
designed by erwin termaat in 2013
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scopeThis design shows a different perspec-tive on time. Every angle will give a new experience. Erwin emphasized the in-separable elements time and light in the scope. Time is based on light and dark-ness and so is the shape of this clock. Twelve segments play with light and shadow as you pass.
designed by erwin termaat in 2013
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wyzerMore than two hands, this clock is a graphic composition displaying time. A constantly changing wall decoration for 12 hours long. This clock comes with a high torque german movement to guarantee a perfect and reliable piece of design. Reinhard chose three unique colour combinations to add even more to the character of this design.
designed by reinhard dienes in 2012
4140
toneThe contrast in this design is not formed by the colours itself, but by its finish. A glossy transparent spot varnish is printed on the matte dial to create a so-called ton-sur-ton effect. Depending on the light, the index print is clearly visible, slightly visible or not even visible at all. Let light set the tone.
designed by wiebe teertstra in 2011
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oneThe design of the one clocks is instantly classic; an iconic design recognised for its timelessness, quality and durability. The brushed stainless steel case com-bined with the back cover makes this clock feel solid and reliable. Inside, a precise japanese movement will indicate the right time.
designed by wiebe teertstra in 2011
LT70001
LT70011
LT70101 LT70102 LT70103
LT70002
LT70012
LT70003
LT70013
Materials
DimensionsColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
Materials
DimensionsColoursConnectionsPower supplyBluetooth rangeCapacity speakerYearWarranty
MaterialsDimensionsColours
Power supplyMovementYearWarranty
Materials
DimensionsColours
Power supplyMovementYearWarranty
stainless steel / brass plated steel / copper plated steelØ5cm/2” - d. 8cm/3.1”steel, brass, copper1 x LR44 battery (included)quartz movement20145 year
stainless steel / brass plated steel / copper plated steelØ5cm/2” - d. 8cm/3.1”steel, brass, copperbluetooth®, AUXbuilt-in rechargable lithium polymer battery*7 meter3W20142 year *USB cable is included in packaging
*tube wood consists of a wooden block and a tube clock
natural ash / brown oak / black ashw. 10cm/3.9” - h. 30cm/11.8” - d. 10cm/3.9”natural hevea /steel, brown oak /brass, black ash/copper 1 x LR44 battery (included)quartz movement20145 year
brushed stainless steel / copper plated / brass plated case, PMMA lens, ABS backw. 8,5cm/3.3” - h. 8,5cm /3.3” - d. 6cm/2.4”white index steel, white arabic steel, black index brass black index steel, black index copper, 1 x AA battery (included)alarm movement20135 year
tube clock designed by piet hein eek
tube audio designed by piet hein eek
tube wood* designed by piet hein eek
block designed by erwin termaat
brick designed by erwin termaat
Materials
DimensionsColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
brushed stainless steel / copper plated case, PMMA lens, ABS backw. 36cm/14.17” - h. 15,7cm/6.2” - d.12,8cm/5”steel/white, steel/black, copper/black2 x D battery (included)flip movement20115 year
LT15101 LT1500 1 LT15301
LT90001 LT90301LT90002 LT90101 LT90201
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product overview
MaterialsDimensionsColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
MaterialsDimensionsColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
MaterialsDimensionsColours
Power supplyMovementYearWarranty
MaterialsDimensionsColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
MaterialsDimensionsColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
PET felt body, bamboo back coverw. 19,5cm/7.7” - h. 21cm/8.3” - d. 8cm/3.1”white/black, grey/white, black /brass1 x AA battery (included)japanese20145 year
solid oak frame, mirrored glassw. 50cm/20” h. 180cm/70.9” d. 5,5cm/2.16”black coated oak, natural oak1 x AA battery (included)japanese20155 year
PET felt body, ABSØ35cm /13.8” - d. 6,8cm / 2.7”grey PET felt with white, grey or orange hands1 x AA battery (included)japanese20125 year
PET hands, ABSØ60cm / 23.6” - d. 4,8cm /1.9”warm white, dark grey/light grey, dark grey/dark green1 x AA battery (included) german20125 year
coated stainless steel, glass, ABSØ35cm /13.8” - d. 6,2cm / 2.44”white, grey, black1 x AA battery (included)japanese20115 year
felt two designed by sebastian herkner
inverse designed by richard hutten
felt designed by sebastian herkner
wyzer designed by reinhard dienes
tone designed by wiebe teertstra
LT17001 LT17002 LT17003
LT16001 LT16002 LT16003
LT60031 LT60001 LT60021
LT17011 LT17012
LT40001
LT17013
LT40011
MaterialsDimensionsColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
MaterialsDimensionsColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
MaterialsDimensions
ColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
MaterialsDimensions
ColoursPower supplyMovementYearWarranty
polystyreneØ45cm /17.7” - d. 4,5cm /1.77”white1 x AA battery (included)japanese20115 year
glazed ceramic body, bamboo handsw. 25cm / 9.8” - h. 25cm / 9.8” - d. 8cm/3.15”white1 x AA battery (included)japanese20135 year
brushed stainless steel, glass, ABSØ25cm/ 9.8” - d. 4,6cm /1.81”Ø35cm/13.8” - d. 6,2cm/2.44”Ø45cm/17.7” - d. 6,2cm/2.44”white with black index print1 x AA battery (included)japanese (or radio controlled movement)20115 year
brushed stainless steel, glass, ABSØ25cm/ 9.8” - d. 4,6cm /1.81”Ø35cm/13.8” - d. 6,2cm/2.44”Ø45cm/17.7” - d. 6,2cm/2.44”white with black arabic print1 x AA battery (included)japanese (or radio controlled movement)20115 year
scope designed by erwin termaat
tile designed by robert bronwasser
one designed by wiebe teertstra
one designed by wiebe teertstra
LT30005
LT19001
LT10001
LT10011
LT10002 / LT10002rc
LT10012 / LT10012rc
LT10003
LT10013
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LEFF amsterdamKeizersgracht 241 BG1016 EA AmsterdamThe Netherlands
t. +31 20 820 35 08f. +31 20 820 35 07e. [email protected]
© LEFF amsterdam 2015
graphic design & art direction erwin termaat | LEFF amsterdamphotography mark eden schooley
LEFF amsterdam® is a registered trademark of VANMOKUM bv, Amsterdam. LEFF amsterdam reserves the right to alter all products, prices and availability without prior notice. While care has been made in the compilation of this catalogue, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors or changes to the contents. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior permission in writing from LEFF amsterdam. Version 2.0
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