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A true feast for the eyes, the Albatross is the latest offspring of the collaboration between two of Switzerland’s finest houses, L’Epée 1839 and MB&F. Their partnership already spans over a decade, producing fifteen table clocks so far, each one utterly different from the other. In our view, however, the L’Epée 1839 x MB&F Albatross is by far their boldest technical co-creation to date. It is a table clock that doubles as a work of art, crafted from brass, steel, and aluminum.
With no fewer than 1,520 components, the Albatross features an impressive timekeeping mechanism, striking the hours as well as the half-hours with a single strike. But it also carries a truly unprecedented complication, which could be called “hélices au passage” or, in plain English, “propellers in motion.” It is an automaton made of 32 propellers – or more precisely, 16 pairs of them – that spring into action once every hour.
The brainchild of designer Eric Meyer, the clock draws inspiration from the airship of the same name in Jules Verne’s novel Robur the Conqueror. Verne, of course, was fascinated by flying objects, and this creation pays homage to that visionary spirit. The clock’s technical specifications are equally breathtaking: beyond its 1,520 parts, it weighs 17 kilograms and measures 60 centimeters in length, 35 centimeters in width, and 60 centimeters in height.
The airship comes alive as the clock strikes the hours, preparing for takeoff with its 32 propellers spinning for about seven seconds each time.
The Albatross is available in five limited editions, each consisting of just 8 pieces, finished in blue, red, green, black, or champagne tones. It can be acquired through L’Epée 1839 and the M.A.D.Gallery in Geneva. Price: CHF 119,000
