Yes, this is an hourglass. You turn it over and it measures out 10 minutes as the particles inside run through the small hole in the center of the glass. But that's where the similarities with hourglasses you know end. It's hard to think of a simple object hiding more complexity than this one.
The Marc Newson Hourglass for HODINKEE stands 150mm tall, and is 125mm across at the widest point. It is made of hand-blown borosilicate glass (which you might also know as Pyrex), which is optically very clear, but also stronger than something like crystal. Inside, the time isn't kept by sand, or another common filler. No, inside are approximately 1,249,996 little spheres called "nanoballs." Each nanoball is just 0.6mm in diameter, and they're made from solid stainless steel with a fine copper coating (and an anti-corrosion layer, so you won't have to worry about them turning green in a few years' time). Look under a loupe and you'll notice they're entirely seamless, so they won't catch on one another or scratch the glass. They move together almost like a liquid, and weigh 1.1kg. All together, the Hourglass weighs in at 1.5kg that's a little over 3.3 pounds for those of you in the United States.
