One of the most visible changes to the tower has been the restoration of the clock-face framework to its original colour of Prussian blue, used when the tower was first built in 1859, with the black paint that was used to cover up the soot-stained dial frames now having been stripped away.

While the structural "face" of the Great Clock remains the same, its visual appearance underwent a dramatic transformation during the multi-year restoration completed in 2022. The most striking change is the color: the clock hands and Roman numerals, which had been painted black for decades, were restored to their original "Prussian Blue" as designed by Augustus Pugin in the 19th century. Additionally, the stonework surrounding the four dials was meticulously cleaned of pollution and black paint, revealing the intricate floral emblems of the United Kingdom—the rose, thistle, shamrock, and leek—in their original vibrant colors. The glass panes of the dials were also replaced with hand-cut opalescent glass, and the 24-carat gold gilding was refreshed, giving the tower a brilliant, luminous quality it hadn't seen in over 150 years. When you look at the tower in 2026, you are seeing it exactly as the Victorians did, a "time-travel" restoration that replaced the somber black-and-gold look with a regal, colorful, and historically accurate palette.