Visible sand timer,
Borosilicate glass, metal frame,
Desk Set — auto discount applies
Time that you can see.
Powder-coated metal frame with borosilicate glass bulbs. Fine mineral sand with a smooth, satisfying flow. 15cm tall. Available in Pink, Blue, Gold, and Black. Use it for focused work sprints, cooking, meetings, or just to have something worth looking at on the desk. Part of the Desk Set with the Travel Cup and Mini Stapler.
134 reviews
An hourglass that earns its place on the desk.
Day 1
Flip it. Watch the sand start. Unlike a phone timer, it doesn’t disappear into the screen — it sits on the desk, visible, doing its job.
Week 1
Tea steep timer. Meeting time-box. Focus sprint. Pasta timer. The hourglass gets used because it’s already out. Availability changes habits.
Long-term
Pair with the Travel Cup and Mini Stapler for the Desk Set. Three objects that make a workspace look like someone thought about it.
Chip-resistant bulbs that stay clear. The sand flow is visible and smooth — no grit, no clumping.
Metal frame in matching colour to the sand. Stable on any desk surface, light enough to flip one-handed.
Unlike a phone timer, it doesn’t disappear into a screen. It stays in your peripheral vision and keeps you honest.
Pink, Blue, Gold, Black. Each designed to sit on a desk without demanding attention — present but not intrusive.
Buy with the Travel Cup and Mini Stapler as the Desk Set and save £10 automatically at checkout at checkout.
From the Danish design house. An object made to be used, not displayed. Functional and considered in equal measure.
Phone timers disappear. The Time Hourglass stays on your desk, visible and physical — a reminder that time is passing without pulling you into a screen.
| Time Hourglass | Phone Timer | |
|---|---|---|
| Visible, physical time tracking | ||
| Borosilicate glass bulbs | ||
| Powder-coat metal frame | ||
| No batteries or charging | ||
| Desk-worthy aesthetic | ||
| Part of the Desk Set |
I use it for every focus session. Watching the sand is different from a phone timer — you don't pick up the phone.
Bought the gold for my desk and it looks exactly right. My colleagues have all asked where it's from.
My kids use it for screen time limits, I use it for focus sprints. One object, two completely different use cases.
Got the pink one. The colour is a blush — not garish. It sits on my desk without looking out of place.
Bought the Desk Set with the travel cup and stapler. My home desk looks like somewhere I want to work.
Used as a tea timer. Steep for exactly the right amount of time every single morning.
Great gift. Very well-packaged. The blue sand in the blue frame on a white desk looks beautiful.
The borosilicate glass hasn't clouded or scratched after five months of daily use.
Available in 5-minute and 10-minute versions. The duration is fixed — choose at purchase via the variant selector.
Pink, Blue, Gold, and Black. The sand and frame are matched in each colourway.
Borosilicate glass is more chip-resistant than standard glass. It won’t shatter from a normal knock, but it’s still glass — don’t drop it on a hard floor.
No. It’s a sand timer — no batteries, no charging, no apps.
Yes — select the Desk Set bundle above. Add all three to cart and use the discount (auto-applied) at checkout to save £10.
Welcome to Element Homeware
Enter your email and we’ll remind you. New arrivals and design notes — no spam.
No thanks, I’ll pay full price