The idea of waking up “on time” isn’t new—alarm clocks date back thousands of years. In ancient Greece, water clocks were designed to sound a whistle when a set amount of water had drained. In ancient China, some even used burning incense to set off chimes or miniature gongs!
Mechanical alarm clocks appeared in Europe during the 1400s, though they were expensive and often imprecise. It wasn’t until 1876 that the first adjustable mechanical alarm clock was patented in the U.S. by Seth E. Thomas. Mass production in the 20th century helped bring affordable alarm clocks into homes worldwide.
From clever ancient devices to digital snooze buttons, alarm clocks have shaped how we live and work—one ring at a time.