[JonathonW]

Split-flap clocks don’t have to be as expensive as the Solari clock. They don’t seem to have the economies of scale to be super-cheap these days, but their mechanisms are fairly simple (essentially analog clocks with really weird-shaped hands) and can be had in the ballpark of $50-$100 if you’re not buying what is essentially a name-brand art piece.

Alphanumeric split-flap displays are way more complex and expensive; you won’t find those anywhere for cheap. The higher-end Solari clocks (the ones with added complications like day and date) likely sit somewhere in the middle; I wouldn’t be surprised if these resemble big watch mechanisms with similar complications.

[dreamcompiler]

True. I had a split-flap clock radio in the 80s made by Panasonic that probably cost about $30.