A timeless tradition

The history of grand clocks at Waldorf Astoria began in New York City, when business magnate and real estate developer John Jacob Astor IV purchased an ornate clock built by Goldsmith’s Company of London. It had been commissioned by England’s Queen Victoria for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Displayed in the original Waldorf Astoria location where the Empire State Building now stands, the clock became an instant symbol of timeless elegance. When the hotel relocated to Park Avenue in 1931, the clock was moved to the new lobby, where it continues to be a rendezvous point for hotel guests.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, a monumental, one-of-a-kind clock that was once featured at the 1867 and 1878 Paris World Fairs (Exposition Universelle) can be found at The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The antique conical masterpiece stands at nearly 10 feet (3 meters) tall. Atop the base of solid Algerian onyx, a bronze sculpture depicting a robed female figure holds a scepter. This figure gives the clock its name — The Mystery Lady Timepiece. Rotating silently, the scepter adds to the clock’s sense of grandeur.

Inspired by local cultures

As time went on, Waldorf Astoria’s clock designs drew more and more from the inspired surroundings and ambiance of the brand’s hotels. Take the centerpiece of the lobby at Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. Created by Smith of Derby and HBA, this spectacular masterpiece stands nearly 20 feet (6 meters) high and boasts a pearlized domed glass dial set with striking hour markers and an aquamarine center. The clock honors its cultural surroundings with five rotating prayer rings at its base, showing the exact minute of each prayer throughout the day. The inscription on the clock, “From your homeland travel abroad to find glory,” is taken from a 1,200 year-old Bedouin song about travel and adventures.

It took Smith of Derby 18 months to build the clock at Waldorf Astoria Kuwait, a timepiece that was meticulously crafted to reflect the significance of the solar system to the Islamic world. The clock components are made from stainless steel with a brushed gold finish, and its distinctive sphere is made from handcrafted, curved glass panels. Arab nomads historically studied the sky and calculated the positions of stars to find their way around the desert landscape. With this as the inspiration, the solar system was modeled into the clock’s globe and base.

Evoking the proud maritime legacy of the Dutch, Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam’s clock is an armillary sphere referencing the city’s nautical past. The design pays homage to a navigation tool used by Dutch sailors, who steered their ships by determining the position of the sun and stars.