Why Is a Naqshi Wall Clock's Dial Left Plain? How the Painted Bezel Is Made
Why a naqshi wall clock keeps a plain dial, and how its 24-inch bezel is turned, lacquered and cut so the pattern runs unbroken all the way round.
Short answer: the dial is kept plain so the time stays readable, because a patterned face and a patterned bezel fight each other. All the craft goes into the 24-inch sheesham bezel: it is turned as a ring, coloured in lac, then cut back by hand with the sathri so the pattern runs unbroken all the way round. The Naqshi Wall Clock costs PKR 5,500.
Why is the dial plain?
A clock has one job before any other: telling the time at a glance. The product page explains that the dial sits behind glass at the centre and is deliberately left plain, because a patterned bezel and a patterned face fight each other and the time stops being readable.
Keeping the centre quiet lets the bezel be as detailed as the artisan can make it, while the hands stay easy to read from across the room.
How is the bezel made?
The bezel is the piece. It is made from sheesham (rosewood) in three stages:
- It is turned as a ring on the lathe.
- It is given its ground colour in lac.
- It is cut back with the sathri, the iron tool that opens the furrow, so the colour beneath shows through as the pattern.
This is naqshi: the pattern is scratched back through the colour rather than painted on top.
Why is a closed circle harder than a flat panel?
On a flat panel, a pattern can simply stop at an edge. On a ring, there is no edge. The pattern has to run unbroken all the way round, with no visible start and no visible finish. The product page notes that on a closed circle this takes more judgement than on a panel, because the artisan has to plan the bands so they meet seamlessly where they began.
Why are no two clocks the same?
Each clock is painted individually in the Sillanwali workshop in Sargodha, so no two bezels carry the same pattern. The wood grain and colour also vary a little from the photo. That variation is normal and is what makes each clock its own.
Which colourway should you pick?
The clock is made in three colourways, and each changes the room differently:
- Red and blue reads warm and traditional.
- Teal reads cooler and more modern.
- Purple is the one people choose when the wall is already neutral.
At 24 inches across, it is a wall piece rather than a clock you glance at from a desk. For help with sizing, wall space and placement, read our guide to choosing a handmade wooden wall clock.
How to choose a handmade wooden wall clock
What does it need day to day?
- It runs on a single AA battery.
- It hangs from one hook.
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth.
- Keep water, chemical cleaners and polish sprays off the lac.
- Keep it out of direct sunlight so the colour stays true.
- Handle the glass carefully.
Shop the Naqshi Wall Clock
Naqshi Wall Clock: PKR 5,500. https://sillanwalihandicrafts.com/products/naqshi-wall-clock
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the clock?
- 24 inches across. It is a wall piece rather than a desk clock.
- What powers it?
- A single AA battery.
- Will my bezel match the photo exactly?
- No two bezels carry the same pattern, because each is painted by hand. The design and colourway will be the same.
- How much is shipping?
- At the time of writing, the product page shows standard shipping of PKR 400 added to your total, with delivery by Leopards in 3 to 4 days anywhere in Pakistan.