Veda #12 : 10:10 rules in clock's advertising

Day 12
Question by : None - "Why clock's hands always pointing at 10:10, sometimes 10:08 or 10:12, in clock advertising or clock shop?"



Have you ever realized, that most of the clock used in clock's advertising, or the one that displayed at the clock shop, always set to default 10:10 time? except of course, the digital one. There are plenty of people out there who think that clocks in advertisements and in shop displays are set this way to memorize Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. because that was the time at which they were shot or died. Another theory has it that 10:10 was the time that an atomic bomb was dropped on either Nagasaki or Hiroshima, and the setting is in memory of the casualties. But apparently, that's not the reasons.

So what's the real reason for this default setting?
The truth? just Aesthetics. The 10:10 position gives the clock or watch a number of benefits:

• The hands not overlapping, so they’re fully and clearly visible and their styling can be admired.

• The arrangement of the hands is symmetrical, which people generally find more pleasant than asymmetry, making the product more appealing to customers.

• The manufacturer’s logo, usually in the center of the face under the 12, is not only visible, but nicely framed by the hands of the clock.

• Additional elements on the face (like date windows secondary dials), usually placed near the 3, 6, or 9, will still be visible.

According to the folks at Timex (who set their products at 10:09:36 exactly), the standard setting used to be used to 8:20, but this made the face look like it was frowning. To make the products look “happier,” the setting was flipped into a smile (occasionally, you’ll still see the 8:20 setting on some clocks or watches where the manufacturer’s logo is at bottom of the face above the 6).