Clock tattoo meaning is inextricably linked to the passage of time and the relationship between the dreams, goals, and achievements you have between the beginning of life and its end.

It’s been said that time is the most valuable thing a man can spend in his lifetime. It’s quite easy to see why the measurement of time can have such a meaningful impact.

It’s important to understand the unique ideas clock tattoos and the supporting imagery represents. For some, a clock tattoo design can be a symbol of two things: life and death.

Time never stops, but you can be certain of one thing – it will always catch up to you.

A broken clock, melting clock, or one without hands may be favored by those who answer to no one but themselves.

Since their creation, whether sundial, hourglasses, roman numeral grandfather clocks, or old pocket watches, these devices on the skin have come to represent the fleeting nature of time, specifically of man’s life.

Below you’ll find a thorough breakdown of different clock tattoo symbolism you can apply to your own body art.

Traditional Clock Tattoo Symbolism

1. Clock and Skull Tattoo Meanings

The ultimate representations of our own mortality, skulls have been common elements in tattoos for decades, and they still hold plenty of symbolic weight. 

Skulls make for great tattoos thanks to the variety of styles that can make use of these designs, and when incorporated into a flowing forearm tattoo or sleeved grim reaper arm tattoo, they gain a special symbolic meaning. 

We’re all racing against the clock, with a finite amount of time laid out before us, and a clock and skull tattoo is a great way to let the world know you’re fully aware of your limited time on this earth.

2. Cogs Within Clocks Tattoo Art

At the heart of a timepiece lay the cogs, wheels, and springs that allowed for accuracy and longevity.