The Viennese Cube Clock
Chronology of a landmark
The Viennese Cube Clock (German: Wiener Würfeluhr ) was designed, produced and positioned in prominent places for the city of Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century. As street furniture for more than 100 years, the Wiener Würfeluhr is currently visualizing normal time at 73 locations in the city and has developed into a pioneering model and cult meeting place.
1907
The first Viennese cube clock is mounted on a light pole at the intersection of Opernring and Kärntner Straße in the center of Vienna. Conceived and manufactured by the Vienna City Building Department together with Ing. Emil Schauer, it attracts everyone’s attention with its innovative design. The case is octagonal and is bevelled at the corners. Instead of numbers, the watch face has dots and lines in deltoid form. Overall, the Viennese cube clock weighs around 70 kilograms and is more than a cubic meter in size. A mother clock in the nearest poster pillar on Vienna’s Ringstrasse controls the hands in the cube case with electrical impulses.
Picture: OENB
1910
Vienna introduces Central European Time. From now on it is considered normal time.
Picture: Gerhard Jagschitz
1926-1938
Parallel to the advancing electrification, further cube clocks will follow in the Viennese cityscape. In 1938 there were already 37 cube clocks. The clock faces become advertising media. Both the producer company and the city of Vienna perpetuate themselves with Ing. Emil Schauer. Vienna XIX or Schauer and normal time as well as the Vienna city arms.
1950-1980
After the end of the Second World War, the second expansion phase follows. In 1971 the first radio-controlled Viennese cube clock went into operation. At the end of 1980 Vienna had the record number of 78 cube clocks.
Picture: Bildarchiv ALBUM VERLAG
2002
Satellite navigation now controls the Viennese cube clocks.
2007
The Wiener Würfeluhr is privatized. All Viennese cube clocks will be replaced by new ones and handed over to Wiener Städtische Versicherung for ten years. At this point in time, the art trading company lichterloh acquired the still intact historic cube clocks and recognized them as design objects.
2010-2011
To mark the company’s 20th anniversary, lichterloh initiated the art project Normalzeit. Two decades of lichterloh and a book. Twelve internationally renowned Austrian artists of the visual arts interpret the theme of time in an exhibition based on the Vienna Cube Clock. The Vienna Technical Museum is adding an original Viennese cube clock to its collection.
2012
The internationally acclaimed Austrian Design auction – objects from the years 1920 to 1960 – will take place in the Dorotheum for the first time. Among the top lots is the Viennese cube clock that adorned Stock-im-Eisen-Platz at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna until 2007.
Picture: Fritzkarl Stumpf
2015
Based on the Viennese cube clock, lichterloh, Dagmar Moser, Philipp Markus Pernhaupt, Christof Stein presented the normal time wristwatch as a world premiere in New York and shortly afterwards in Vienna in a limited and numbered special edition of 1907 pieces.
2016
The normal time wristwatch comes on the market worldwide in a smaller version and unlimited as the Red 36. At the same time, the starting shot for the Normalzeit brand was given. For the time being, 7 well-known Austrian companies are interpreting and designing high-quality everyday objects and food based on their own production history, playing with the dial of the Viennese cube clock. Demmers Teehaus, J. & L. Lobmeyr, Porzellanmanufaktur Augarten, R. Horn’s Vienna, Staud’s, Weingut Mayer am Pfarrplatz and BarriqueAffairs
2019
Christof Stein becomes the sole guardian of Normalzeit and promotes the internationalization of the Viennese icon.
2024
In January 2024, Christof Stein opened his NORMALZEIT showroom at Theobaldgasse 14, 1060 Vienna. Soft Opening of the second showroom “Kulturelle Bestandsaufnahme” (which loosely translates to cultural assessment/iventory – together with Elisabeth Gottfried) in 1100 Vienna, BROTFABRIK WIEN.
2025
The guardian of Normalzeit, Christof Stein, and designer Fredi Brodmann invite guests to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the NORMALZEIT watches. Brodmann is presenting his Normalzeit-inspired “ARToons” under the title “Now It Strikes Thirteen!”, The 10-year anniversary of the Normalzeit wristwatch was celebrated on June 27, 2025, at the Brotfabrik in Vienna. Since its first presentation in 2015 by the art dealership lichterloh, the watch—based on the design of the historic Viennese cube clock—has become an iconic design object.Visitors enjoyed a varied evening program featuring an exhibition, traditional Viennese songs, and entertaining anecdotes about the history of the cube clock. The evening’s guest of honor was New York–based watch designer Fredi Brodmann, who created the original model in 2015. Every additional model since then has also come from his hand. The highlight of the night was the unveiling of the new special edition with a black case, created for luxury jeweler Wempe. With five different models—from the limited 1907 series (sold out) to the pandemic-inspired “Time To Date”—the Normalzeit watch today stands for timeless design, Viennese history, and a wearable piece of urban culture.