Different type of clock hands

A detail of clocks that is not very often discussed are clock hands. Interestingly enough however, as the clock hands is the most crucial visual part of the clock. Even without a clock face you could still get an idea of what time it is by looking at the clock hands.

Throughout the years clock designers have been very creative in the different clock hands designs they came up with.

When we look at vintage clocks such as the industrial slave clocks, we see a very simple straightforward design that matches the overall look of the clock.

In some cases the clock hands are solid and there are no openings, such as these examples of a Brillie wall clock, an Art Deco mantel clock and a French carriage clock:

Hand clocks that do not have a solid design are often open at the tip of the hand where the hand widens.

Although sometimes the entire hand has a comprehensive design, such as this Swedish Cartel Clock

In some cases the small and large clock hand have different designs, there is truly no limit to the designs possible. The only convention that has been introduced is that the small hand depicts the hours and the large hand tells you the minutes.