When we set out to design the Arc Alarm Clock, we wanted a wake-up experience that felt natural, calming, and—most importantly—non-jarring. That's where the idea of a mechanical chime came in. It’s one thing to design a beautiful clock, but another to engineer a custom chime that gently wakes you up with just the right tone. Here’s how we did it.

Crafting the Perfect Sound

Designing the chime for Arc turned out to be one of the most intricate parts of the entire process. The journey began over nine months ago when we teamed up with acoustic engineer Eric Luakkanen, a specialist in percussive sound. Eric’s expertise in musical beams was crucial in helping us shape a chime that would hit a clear B4 note (493 Hz)—a frequency chosen for its ability to alert without causing morning anxiety.

Above: Illustration highlighting the vibration patterns “modes” of a chime bar with a uniform rectangular cross section (Source).

Multiple Iterations, One Perfect Chime

Refining the chime wasn’t a one-and-done process. It took six physical prototypes, along with countless simulations and tweaks, before we landed on a design that worked for both acoustics and manufacturing. The balance between achieving our desired sound quality and meeting the practicalities of production was delicate, but essential to the Arc's final form.

Our Low-Tech Sound Lab

To test each chime iteration, our team built a makeshift soundproof box from a repurposed shipping crate, lined with acoustic foam. While it wasn’t as polished as a high-end recording studio, this scrappy solution helped us save time and money—allowing us to iterate quickly without leaving our workshop.

Crafting Arc’s chime was a journey of precision and creativity, from tuning the perfect note to balancing every overtone. The result? A mechanical chime that gently wakes you up, without the jarring start of traditional alarms. Each ring is designed to bring calm, making your morning routine a little more mindful.