Gaging Time with Chemical Clocks: A Crazy Idea?

[ljfe]

I am really very new to chemistry and physics, although I hope to study in the future. I have a question regarding chemical clocks. Is it possible to gage time using a specific chemical clock or chemical reaction that you may know of? my first,idea was standard chemical clocks like the Briggs-Rauscher reaction. perhaps slowing it down as much as possible so it changed colors on the hour mark. My second idea was maybe doing something with rust. The main problem would be controling the temperature, also I would have to replenish the ingredients and set it up again after the few hours ran out. Any ideas direction or suggestions would be appreciated. I'd like to set up some kind of chemical time telling device. I hope this isn't too crazy. Thanks!

 

[Ygggdrasil]

Researchers have discovered a set of biochemical reactions inside certain cyanobacteria that function as a circadian clock and oscillate on a ~ 24 hr period. Researchers have been able to purify the components of the circadian clock and get it to oscillate inside a test tube with a ~ 24 hr period as well: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/318/5851/809.long

 

[ljfe]

so for me to do something like this is pretty much impossible? i would like to design "weird" timepeice. perhaps steel wool in salt water at a controlled temp. and a color coded refrence chart to figure out the indicated time it took to change colors?