Sure, Analog:Shift is a business built around the love of watches — mostly mechanical watches. But in essence, it’s our love for timepieces and timekeeping more broadly that is the common theme throughout the items we procure. And that includes the love of clocks in general: pocket watches, travel clocks, and more. 

After all, in the couple-hundred years before the First World War, personal timekeeping was all about the pocket watch, and before that, it was larger clocks that were front and center, horologically. We still believe a good clock — such as a classic travel model from the 1920s or 1930s — has a place in the watch lover’s collection.

This particular timepiece is a vintage Gruen travel clock. Dating to the 1930s, it's housed in a 30mm square aluminum case covered in brown leather. When hinged open, it reveals an inner square case with a silvered dial featuring an outer 'railroad' minute track, luminous Art Deco 'Arabic' indices, and a luminous 'spade' handset. Hand-wound via a crown at 12 o'clock, it was meant to be kept in a purse or set upon a nightstand during travel. 

A beautiful reminder of a simpler time, this handsome travel clock might have been technologically usurped by the iPhone, but that doesn't mean it won't do faithful service sitting on a desk or shelf. After all — great design is truly timeless!