In an age when smartphones synchronize effortlessly to atomic clocks, mechanical timepieces might be seen as obsolete. However, as Hackster reports, maker Math Campbell has just demonstrated quite the opposite, showing that 3D tech and modern microcontrollers can offer a new life to a centuries-old form factor – with amazing results, too.
At the core of Campbell’s design is Waveshare’s ESP32-S3 Development Board, paired with a 1.28-inch, 466×466 round AMOLED display. The hardware footprint is reduced to a minimum, but the functionality is not. The device connects to the internet for network time updates, which guarantees atomic-level accuracy. Information is presented through a custom interface built using LVGL, a popular open-source graphics library for embedded systems.
In his Reddit post, Campbell outlined the process as programming “a UI that looks suitably sci-fi for my gaudy tastes.” The result? Much more than just a clock. In addition to precise timekeeping, the watch can display weather data via the OpenWeather API and even track coastal tides – practical additions with a cinematic, sci-fi aesthetic.
The enclosure completes the transformation. Campbell designed the case in Autodesk Fusion 360 and had it 3D printed in stainless steel, giving the invention a distinctly Victorian silhouette with a futuristic twist. As he noted in the same Reddit post, “this is the first time seeing it assembled and working, so I wanted to show it off.”
A sterling silver version might follow, but even in its present stainless steel form, the project is a great illustration of how 3D printing and embedded tech can redefine a true classic.
