The Cifra 3 is a clock designed by Italian architect Gino Valle (1923-2003) in 1965 and is widely considered a masterpiece of industrial design

Industrial design

Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...

. It uses a Split-flap display

Split-flap display

A split-flap display, sometimes simply flap display, is a display device that presents alphanumeric text, and possibly fixed graphics, often used as a public transport timetable in some airports or railway stations, often called Solari boards, named after display manufacturer Solari di...

 to display both hours and minutes. The clock won the prestigious Compasso d'Oro

Compasso d'Oro

Compasso d'Oro is the name of an Industrial Design award originated in Italy in 1954 by the La Rinascente company from an original idea of Gio Ponti and Alberto Rosselli. From 1964 it has been hosted exclusively by Associazione per il Disegno Industriale . It is the first and most recognized award...

 prize for design and has been shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and is in the permanent collection of the Science Museum (London)

Science Museum (London)

The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....

. It is made by Solari di Udine S.p.A.