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WATCHES & STYLE
These Clocks Are Monuments to Time
by Charmian Leong
02 Dec 2024
02 Dec 2024
While wristwatches have had to conform to (largely) wearable sizes and shapes, their ancestors, the clocks, have been able to break free from pure function and embrace the wild imaginations of their makers.
- LOUIS VUITTON MONTGOLFIERE AERO
- MB&F ALBATROSS
- MAISON ALCÉE
For many luxury brands, presenting a clock is often an expression of whimsy, a playful opportunity to tell a unique story. In the case of Louis Vuitton, it’s a tale that harkens back to its rich heritage in trunk-making, high jewelry, and travel. In 1906, the brand created the Aero Trunk, a water-tight, lightweight design meant to be attached to the basket of a hot air balloon. This innovative piece served as the inspiration for Louis Vuitton's Montgolfiere Aero clock, a timepiece that captures the spirit of adventure and the brand’s iconic history.
The balloon is crafted from either red and transparent glass with a brass frame, or from "precious wood" with a copper-beryllium structure, and rests on a miniature trunk that houses the clock’s winding mechanism. The hours and minutes are displayed via two rotating discs – one for the hours, the other for the minutes – and indicated by a Monogram Flower set with a square-cut citrine. Inside the balloon, another open-worked Monogram Flower is set with a 9.06-carat citrine briolette, designed to evoke the flame of a hot air balloon. The balloon itself is adorned with over 1,200 diamonds, while the trunk features additional diamonds – a first for Louis Vuitton. The clock can either be placed on a table or suspended from the ceiling. Only eight pieces of each style have been made and each is presented in its own bespoke trunk.
- LOUIS VUITTON MONTGOLFIERE AERO
- MB&F ALBATROSS
- MAISON ALCÉE
MB&F ALBATROSS
For its 15th collaboration with the master clockmakers at L’Epee, MB&F draws inspiration from Jules Verne’s fictional airships, particularly the Albatross from Robur the Conqueror, to create its most technically advanced clock yet. This 17kg automaton, measuring 60cm in length, 60cm in height, and 36cm in width, comprises 1,520 components. It not only tells the time and strikes the hours and half-hours, but also animates 32 propellers, either on demand or automatically at the top of the hour.
The clock features two movements and two winding systems, with two barrels dedicated to the timekeeping and striking mechanisms, and a separate one for the propellers. The first movement is wound via the front propellers (clockwise for the hour striker and counterclockwise for the time), while the second is wound using the back propellers. Regardless of whether the striking function is activated, the clock runs for eight days. However, if the automaton is engaged, it will run down within a day. Five versions are available – blue, red, green, black, and champagne – each limited to just eight pieces.
(Related: Watch brands that march to a different beat)
- LOUIS VUITTON MONTGOLFIERE AERO
- MB&F ALBATROSS
- MAISON ALCÉE
MAISON ALCÉE
Owning a beautiful piece of horology is one thing, but building one yourself is an entirely different experience. Maison Alcée, a particularly charming startup, has made this possible with its luxurious DIY clock-making kit, which earned the Audacity Prize at the 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).
Founded by Alcée Montfort and developed in collaboration with watchmaker and teacher Thierry Ducret, each Maison Alcée kit contains 233 components along with all the necessary tools to assemble a high-end clock. The comprehensive instruction booklet is easy to follow and includes historical insights, as well as links to video tutorials for additional guidance. The assembly process takes about 10 hours, resulting in a clock with a vertical movement and a 16cm-tall chassis that can be displayed upright, like an hourglass, or laid on its side. Each part is finished to high horological standards, featuring chamfered edges, polished and satin-brushed surfaces, sandblasting, and more. While the base model displays only the time, there’s an option to add a chiming mechanism. Maison Alcée kits are currently available at The Hour Glass.
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