It is actually referred to as the "William Barthman Sidewalk Clock."
William Barthman was a jeweler, and he had a store at 174 Broadway which opened in, you guessed it, 1884. William Barthman Jewelers. In 1899 he came up with the idea to put a clock in the sidewalk. All over lower Manhattan there were apparently tall standing sidewalk clocks, and William Barthman originally planned for his clock to be one of them. Then in 1899 he got the idea for a sidewalk clock. Originally the clock was an analog clock. This meant that clock was square and the numbers flipped by the minute. The clock was made and place in the sidewalk by the end of 1899 and was maintained by a man named Frank Homm. During Frank Homm's life the clock behaved perfectly. After Frank Homm died, however, the clock became problematic. So problematic that sometimes Barthman would have to cover the clock with a piece of cardboard! So in 1940, Barthman replaced the analogue clock with a round traditional clock with hours and minute hands.
In 1983, after being scratched so much you could barely read the clock, it got a facelift thanks to Cartier. It allegedly says Cartier on the clock, but I do not see it. Let me know if you do!
William Barthman Jewelers has since moved a few blocks away from its Maiden Lane and Broadway location, but the sidewalk clock remains. Barthman Jewelers build a replica clock to place in front of their new store front, but you will have to look up above the door, not down to see it. The authorities let Barthman know "there is only one New York Sidewalk Clock."
This clock epitomizes one thing I have learned about New York. Sometimes you can learn more by looking at your feet than at the sky.
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