L’Epée 1839, a brand with a legacy spanning over 180 years, has consistently pursued innovation while upholding traditional craftsmanship. Known for its precision engineering, the Maison has developed a reputation for creating kinetic sculptures that integrate mechanical complexity with contemporary themes.

Guided by the principle that “form follows function,” L’Epée’s approach to design is rooted in technical ingenuity and thoughtful execution. Each creation is developed with a clear purpose, reflecting the brand’s heritage and its forward-looking perspective.

During ART SG 2025, The Hour Glass had the opportunity to speak with Arnaud Nicolas, CEO of L’Épée 1839. He shared insights into the brand’s creative process, the challenges of balancing artistic ambition with mechanical precision, and the significance of being part of the broader LVMH family. As L’Epée 1839 continues to explore new frontiers, its commitment to pushing boundaries remains central to its philosophy, ensuring its pieces engage collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.

Arnaud Nicholas: First, we start with the idea, not the idea of the object but the idea of the story. The creation process is entirely different from what most other brands are doing. I'm not speaking about a watch brand, but any brand in general. We start with designing an engine, and when the engineers are happy with it, they will call up the design team to design a case to house the movement.

Next, the marketing team communicates the product's technical and storytelling aspects. For example, I love cars, so why was this design chosen? Does this creation speak to enthusiasts? What makes this car famous, and why did it become so? We link the inspiration behind the product with our vision for clockmaking.

Once we have the story and how we will express it, I ask the engineering team what I want to be embedded inside the creation. Sometimes, the engineering team will further refine the concept and come up with new ideas to add on, and other times, they will say, "This isn't feasible; how can we find ways to make this possible?" It's a long process; it's not straightforward as we move in cycles, but we always do it with an open mind.

AN: Many people say this is one of the most complicated parts of watch and clockmaking, but it's one of the simplest for me. I don't know why; it just feels natural, so it's not a problem. It could be because we start with a blank page to overcome many issues that people have. As we design everything from scratch, we don't have to work to change existing designs to fit what we want in the future. This makes our lives more straightforward in some respects and more difficult in others; for example, we have to consider overcoming new technical challenges.

AN: When I joined, L'Épée 1839 still made conventionally styled clocks with few complications or unique artistic elements incorporated into the designs. The creations were still quite lovely, with the occasional funky element. The early work speaks to you. I never considered a clock just a clock.

I have always considered clocks to be kinetic artworks. But what is the function of a piece of art? It's not to give time. For me, the primary purpose is to communicate something. This can be done by inspiring, evocating, or shocking people. These are the three ways to spread the message, and that is the reason. It's the idea behind the piece of art.

AN: L’Épée 1839 has long been known for its ability to merge technical mastery with artistic expression. Each creation is a testament to mechanical ingenuity, designed with precision while embracing a distinctive sculptural form. The artistry is not what defines it as exceptional—instead, its technical depth and meticulous execution elevate it beyond conventional craftsmanship.

Every detail, no matter how subtle, is considered essential. This commitment to precision and finishing has always been central to L’Épée 1839’s identity. At its core, it remains a mechanical object—where innovation in form does not come at the expense of technical integrity. The foundation of expertise in engineering and horological savoir-faire remains unchanged; only the shape evolves.

AN: Well, yes and no. When you look at the heritage, some people may be mistaken. Heritage isn't about the shape of the hands or the dial's colour. If it were, I'm sorry, but the brand isn't strong.

For us, L’Épée 1839's DNA represents meticulous craftsmanship in an object that provides time. No detail, including the mechanics and the finishing, can be overlooked. A brand's DNA can be passed down from generation to generation and can technically last forever – it goes beyond an object's literal shape and colour.

AN: Yes. It's part of the DNA, and that's why L'Épée 1839 was very powerful when it came to escapement on the Carriage Clock, as it mixed both form and function. In 1839, we didn't have electricity, so telling time at night was difficult. The chiming from the clock was created to indicate the hour, making people's lives a little easier.

Within the products of L'Épée 1839, it had always been about form and function. Even the case of the Carriage Clock came inside a wooden case with a small window that also acted as protection. You could remove the protection to peer through and tell the time while travelling. Form and function have always been a part of the brand's DNA, as it's all about paying attention to the details. You have to not look at what is obvious but look one step further than that.

DNA is something that you need to think about. If you create a new brand, you must think about it carefully. If you acquire a brand, you must consider why things are how they are. You chose a specific shape for the hands, but why? Once you have found the 'why', you should ask yourself, "Why is this the answer?" Ask yourself five times, and then it'll start to make sense.

AN: When we have difficulties, it will be much smoother for us to overcome them with their help. However, they do not generate significant changes to the brand. They want the brand to remain as it is; they want to keep the brand's DNA and spirit. One of the most essential elements for LVMH was keeping the spirit alive in our small team. We are flexible and quite fast at doing things, and they want us to keep the agility.

It's very important for them because it's a part of our DNA. They don't want to introduce constraints. Instead, they want to provide help, which greatly benefits us. When you are independent, you always have that question in mind: What will the brand's future be? Not in terms of the following product to launch; it's what can happen to the brand if a crisis occurs. If I make a mistake, I get fired. (laughs)

But when it's your own company, you get to make mistakes, but there will also be more consequences. If you're owned by a big corporation like LMVH, you will not disappear, which is very good for the customer. If the company disappears, how am I going to get something serviced? It's about establishing stability in a way that will make it very difficult to put it to the ground.

AN: Oh yes. We have always done crazy objects. But it also depends on what the market is looking for. The quiet clocks — when I say quiet, I mean nothing fancy — are dead. Like a piece of quiet art, nobody wants it because there's nothing in it. You want something that speaks to you. It's the same with our products. So yes, we will continue creating crazy objects. We have one that is coming soon and another very crazy one that is coming in the near future.

AN: So, what I can share is that we will be introducing a watch box. Many people have big watch boxes that aren't very convenient. What we are going to do is have a nice transparent watch box. You press a button, and it opens the door, with the cushion moving up to place the watch on. Place your watch on it, close the door, and you can now admire your watch because it's fully transparent.

It's also fun to watch because when you open or close it, you can see the mechanics turning and moving. It's pretty nice. The case itself is polycarbonate and entirely mechanical. It's not a watch winder; it's a watch case.

AN: What I'm expecting from the show is meeting new customers. Well, not necessarily new customers, but new people who have never heard about us. That's where our weakness is. People who are familiar with and in love with watches have heard about us. But the population of watch lovers compared to the rest of the world isn't big; it's a drop of water in the ocean. This means that 99.99% of the world doesn't know us.

And when I say they don't know, it's not about knowing L'Épée 1839. It's about knowing that a new kind of clock exists. For most of the population, a clock is a square box that provides the time. It's almost always ugly but valuable at its core, which is not what we do at L'Épée 1839. We're doing kinetic pieces of art.

I hope people will consider it a kinetic piece of art because it expresses a message for me. Every single piece we have made has a message embedded inside it. Sometimes, it's a way to shock you, like the Grenade. You pull the pin to put it alive with the idea that it reminds you: "Guys, you have to seize the moment. Life is precious and can be easily stolen, so enjoy it." And people are like, "Wow, it's a grenade."

We have a message behind all our objects; that's the idea. I hope to meet enough people to really convince them that there is something new. Whether they like it or not is no problem. I just want them to find something different outside. It's not always about boring objects; some things can be fun and playful.

AN: I love cars and I love boats. I collect cars but I can't collect boats because they're too expensive (laughs). I also do some car racing; I just love cars, especially vintage cars or even new cars and many other types of sports.

THG: Okay that's all from us. Thank you so much for your time!

AN: It's no problem!