Relativity Watch

Everyone longs for more time—more time for sleep, for vacations, for reading... To the psychological rescue, this analog relativity watch. A clever and stylish riff on Einstein’s theory of relativity, the hands of this analog watch function as expected; however, its face alters your perception of time. After each second, the numbers rotate, clockwise. After thirty seconds, the number 12 will be where the 6 had been; the 2, where the 8 had been, and so on. Though noon will still be noon, the charm lies in discovering its ever revolving location on the face of this relativity watch. (Note: The number 3 is a pi symbol; the number 1, a Roman numeral.) Glass face; faux leather strap. Japanese quartz movement. Uses type #SR626SW batteries.  9"l. x 1.25"w.

Museum Provenance

At the age of 26, Einstein set forth his theory of relativity, which discards the concept of time and space as absolute and views them as relative to moving frames of reference. The Albert Einstein Planetarium at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum was named in honor of this man whose theories altered our concept of the universe.

Every Smithsonian purchase will arrive with a museum provenance card explaining how it is adapted from or inspired by an object or objects in our collection.