The NixiModerne is designed around the VERY LARGE German made Z5680M Nixie tube. These tubes are GORGEOUS, and in my opinion, the prettiest Nixie’s ever made. The digits and internal structures are truly beautiful! The Z5680M is also one of the largest Nixie tubes ever manufactured. I believe only the Rodan CD-47’s are larger. See comparative pic below where the Rodan towers over the Z5680M. The clock’s direct drive electronics are not mine, they are those of the venerable, Jeff Thomas, Nixie Clock builder extraordinaire. The black PCB is a current revision of the original. All the wonderful features of the Thomas clocks are present  in this device.  I have modified this clock to accommodate the HaiCom 204II GPS or the GlobalSat BR355  which makes this a much more reliable device. I have also added a beautiful little INS-1 as a center-mounted ‘pilot light’. The case just seemed to beg for it! The casework design is an effort to emulate the Streamline Moderne style, the U.S. answer to the Art Deco movement! Constructed of polished 1/2” X 6” T-6061 aluminum flat bar and 0.125” brass plate, the clock weighs in at a formidable 25.5 pounds. Measuring 16” X 6” at it’s base the clock is a monster,  and it would take upwards of a 7.0 to even make it budge! Tubes for this bad boy are scarce and ridiculously priced, thereby rendering this device impractical as hell to leave running. So this clock gets by on it’s non-illuminated good looks most of the time.