They really could only have been invented by Americans. Far more useful than a goldfish Jacuzzi, more fun than a magnetically floating fountain pen, The Billable Hour watches and clocks must be birthday nirvana for some lawyers out there - probably the same ones who like ties featuring TV cartoon characters, admittedly, but there are obviously enough of them around.

The timepieces - sold by US couple Mark and Lisa Solomon - have faces delineated not by standard five-minute sections, but by the six-minute increments used by many lawyers to break up their chargeable hours. Now you too can tell at a glance whether to interrupt that favourite client during one of their fascinating phone tales... or just leave them to slip over to the next unit. If you really must have one, visit www.thebillablehour.com.