Dalibor Farný – Blub Nixie Clock - Black

Dalibor Farný – Blub Nixie Clock

The Blub Nixie Clock is an original desk clock that combines the unmistakable atmosphere of 1960s and 70s electronics with modern technology and precise Czech craftsmanship. Its most striking feature is a single, handcrafted Nixie tube that displays the current time by illuminating digits in sequence. For example, the time 10:45 is shown on the display as the sequence 1 – 0 – 4 – 5.

Nixie tubes were a characteristic display element of early electronic devices and clocks. However, their production ended worldwide in the 1990s, and it seemed this remarkable technology belonged to the past forever. Dalibor Farný decided to revive its production. In his workshop in Březolupy, Moravia, he spent over ten years perfecting processes involving glass, metal, vacuum, and gas mixture handling. Today, he manufactures Nixie tubes there by hand, from individual components to finished vacuum tubes.

The Blub represents the most compact way to enjoy this unique technology. The minimalist body is milled from a single block of aluminum and finished with an anodized coating. Thanks to a height of only 150 mm and a base diameter of 85 mm, the clock easily becomes a striking accessory for a desk, bookshelf, or nightstand. It is available in four color variations: Black, Black–Gold, Black–Silver, and Silver.

Hidden behind the historic appearance is modern electronics. The precise time is ensured by a DS3231 RTC chip with a deviation of approximately ±5 seconds per month, entirely without the need for an internet connection. The sequential rotation of digits also evenly distributes the load on the Nixie tube's cathodes, contributing to its extraordinary lifespan. The manufacturer estimates that the tube can shine for significantly longer than 15 to 20 years.

Power is provided via a modern USB-C connector with a power draw of only 1.25 W. The electronics are built on the Arduino platform with open-source firmware, which allows for custom modifications. The exceptional manufacturing quality is also underscored by a ten-year warranty.

The Blub Nixie Clock is not just a desk clock. It is a small technical work of art that preserves a nearly forgotten craft and brings it into the present. Each illumination of an orange digit is a reminder of a time when electronics were not just functional, but also fascinating to behold.

Technical Specifications

• Display: 1 handcrafted Nixie tube

• Material: Milled, anodized aluminum

• Height: 150 mm

• Base Diameter: 85 mm

• Weight: 345 g

• Accuracy: ±5 seconds per month (DS3231 RTC)

• Power: USB-C, 5 V DC, 1.25 W

• Estimated Nixie tube lifespan: More than 15–20 years

• Firmware: Arduino-based, open to modification

• Color variations: Black, Black–Gold, Black–Silver, Silver

• Warranty: 10 years

• Production: Březolupy, Czech Republic

About the manufacturer – Dalibor Farný

Dalibor Farný is a Czech manufacturer who is the only one in the world specializing in the manual production of modern Nixie tubes. His workshop in the Czech Republic continues the tradition of a technology that went extinct in the 90s, and after more than ten years of development, he managed to restore the complete manufacturing process—from glass blowing to vacuum technologies. Thanks to his work, Nixie tubes, once used in aviation technology and early computers, have once again become a symbol of precise craftsmanship and collector exclusivity.