Wall Clock Guide

Clocks Central guide

How to choose a wall clock

Most people buy a wall clock that's too small. Here's how to get the size right for the room, find one that doesn't tick, and hang it at the right height.

Shop wall clocks

Get the size right

Sizes are the diameter of the clock.

Size	For scale	Where it works	Examples	From
20cm and under	About a side plate	Bathrooms, small kitchen walls, above a door, kids' rooms	LOLA, MIA, FIRA	$40
25 to 31cm	A dinner plate (27cm) to the long side of an A4 page (30cm)	The everyday size for kitchens, bedrooms and offices	BRADLEY, GEORGE, JOYCE	$53.50
34 to 40cm	About a 40cm cushion	Above a sofa, bed or dining table	CLARA, CONTOUR, NED	$64.50
50cm and over	60cm is the depth of a standard kitchen bench	A feature wall, high ceilings or an open-plan room	DAISY, Paris XXL, OLD TOWN XXL	$205

Stuck between two sizes? Go bigger. A clock nearly always looks smaller on the wall than it did in the box. If you want to be sure, cut a paper circle the same size and stick it up for a day. Looking for 60cm specifically? Read is 60cm the right size?

Ticking, or not

It matters most in bedrooms and quiet offices.

A standard quartz clock ticks every second. You won't notice it in a busy kitchen, but you will at 2am. A silent sweep movement glides instead, and digital wall clocks don't make a sound. At Clocks Central, the silent analogue clocks say silent sweep in the name.

BRADLEY

26cm, silent sweep. $53.50

LOLA

20cm, silent sweep. $40

ALAN XL

37cm digital, no ticking at all. $465

Room by room

What to look for in each space.

Kitchen

Big numbers you can read from the stove. The NANCY has a timer built in, and the ANGUS adds temperature and humidity. See the kitchen range.

Bathroom

Small clocks made for bathrooms, like the LULU (11cm) and the suction bathroom clock (17cm), which sticks to tiles or glass.

Bedroom

Go silent sweep or digital. A 25 to 30cm clock is plenty above a bed, and the CORONA has a backlight for reading it in the dark.

Kids' rooms

Clear numbers help them learn the time. Try the POLO or the LUCY/WILLY owl with a swinging pendulum. More in kids' clocks.

Living room

This is where a bigger clock earns its place. Think 35cm and up, or an XXL piece on a long wall.

Office, shed or garage

Readability beats looks. A large digital clock like the REGGIE XL or the 12/24-hour wall clock works well.

Hanging it

Two measurements to get right.

Centre at eye level

About 1.5 to 1.8m from the floor on an empty wall. An easy check: most Australian internal doors are 2.04m tall, so the centre of the clock should sit 30 to 50cm below the top of the door frame. Go a little higher if the ceilings are tall.

Above furniture

Leave about 20 to 30cm between the top of the sofa, bed or sideboard and the bottom of the clock. That's roughly the length of a school ruler.

Wall clock questions, answered

What size wall clock do I need?

For most kitchens, bedrooms and offices, 25 to 31cm. Above a sofa, bed or dining table, 34 to 40cm. For a big empty wall or high ceilings, 50cm or more. If you're stuck between two sizes, go bigger.

Are there wall clocks that don't tick?

Yes. Wall clocks with a silent sweep movement glide instead of ticking, and digital wall clocks are silent too. At Clocks Central, the analogue ones say silent sweep in the product name, like the BRADLEY and LOLA.

How high should I hang a wall clock?

With the centre roughly at eye level, about 1.5 to 1.8m from the floor. Above furniture, leave a gap of about 20 to 30cm between the furniture and the bottom of the clock.

What is a good clock for a kitchen?

One with big, clear numbers you can read from the stove. A 25 to 31cm clock suits most kitchen walls, and the NANCY adds a built-in timer.

Do radio-controlled clocks work in Australia?

Not reliably. Radio-controlled clocks set themselves from time signals sent out in Europe, the US or Japan, and those don't reach Australia. Clocks Central sells quartz clocks you set once by hand.

What is the best large digital wall clock?

For reading from across a room, the ALAN XL or the REGGIE XL. Both are 37cm and show the room temperature. The TIMELINE MAX is a smaller 20cm option.