The likes of MB&F have been around for nearly two decades, while Swiss clockmakers L’Epée 1839 have been around since the 19th century. One is known for its futuristic take on watches, while the other is well-renowned for its clocks and has been recognised for platform escapements since its inception. Having been collaborators over the last decade, it all started with creations like the Starfleet Machine, Melchior Robot, and The Orb, to name a few, to now having finished 15 clocks in total. For its 16th creation, both L’Epée 1839 and MB&F introduce their latest creation: the Albatross.

L’Epée 1839 and MB&F have been partners since 2014, and over their decade-long collaboration, they have always been able to up the ante. From rocket ships to robots and even arachnids, each creation has outdone the last by a considerable margin in innovation and technical display. The creation of the Albatross follows in a similar vein to the storied history of many of L’Epée 1839 and MB&F's past marvels in aviation. The Albatross was created by designer Eric Meyer, who was inspired by the airship of the same name from the 1886 science fiction novel by Jules Verne, Robur the Conqueror.

The French author's fascination with aerial machinery since the 1800s has also inspired past MB&F creations, including the Legacy Machines collection of watches. This also included a unique series of watches introduced by MB&F for the LM Split Escapement "Eddy Jaquet" edition, which had eight unique pieces. Each watch showcased the talent and skill of the engraver who depicted another Jules Verne classic, 'Around the World in 80 Days'.

Unlike the large seabirds that roam the southern hemisphere, the L’Epée 1839 x MB&F Albatross is a mechanical masterpiece shaped like an airship. It encompasses 1,520 components with a combined weight of 17 kg, showcasing its immense size and weight for a high-end clock. The Albatross measures almost two feet in height and length while also being one foot wide.

There is also a striking hour function on the Albatross that chimes on specific hours of the hour and a single strike every half-hour. And with every chime on the hour, the Albatross prepares for take-off as its 32 rotating propellers spring to life and spin for about seven seconds. This is all due to the two movements and dual-winding systems within the aircraft (all created in-house by L’Epée 1839) – one powers the time and striking hours with the help of two separate barrels, whereas for the other provides the energy for the propellers, powered by a third barrel.

The movements itself are manually wound via the propellers at the front of the aircraft. Turn it clockwise for the striking hour and anticlockwise for the time. As for the propellers at the back, that is what powers the automaton, which ensures the propellers prepare for take-off when the hourly chime begins. As for its power reserve, the Albatross has an average eight-day lifespan while the automaton lasts about a day.

But what makes the L’Epée 1839 x MB&F Albatross truly unique is that it is the first-ever 'propeller-hour' clock to be invented with the mechanical capabilities to match. With the help of its two movements, the future owners of the Albatross can turn the propellers on or off entirely. It is also possible to have the propellers turn without hourly chime and vice versa. Equipped with the Albatross are two 'on-demand' buttons to chime the time and/or turn the propellers separately.

The propellers turn at a speed of seven seconds for half a turn or 14 seconds for a complete turn; this ensures that it always remains visible without creating any wind. Each propeller also turns in unison to give the impression that it's going faster while working in pairs. With propellers on both sides of the airship, the uniformity within the Albatross is absolute – the propellers on the left will turn one side whilst the right will turn in the opposite direction. This gives an accurate impression that the Albatross will truly take off.

Another detail of the Albatross is that the propellers will turn instantaneously upon the hourly strike. This is a testament to the creator's innovation to ensure it starts every hour. This level of attention to detail has also seen fail-safes included to ensure that any manipulation of the propellers won't cause anything to break. As the creators themselves were once children with curious minds, the Albatross also features a crafted miniature cockpit complete with a steering wheel and a dashboard. This is located behind the porthole to give curious young eyes a glimpse into the clock's inner workings.

The L’Epée 1839 x MB&F Albatross is made of brass, steel, and aluminium, which explains its nearly 20 kg weight. It comes in five different colours: blue, black, green, red, and champagne, with only eight pieces created for each shade. These shades are most noticeable on the propeller bars as well as on the front and tail ends of the airship.

The colours are achieved by using a translucent cold lacquer, which is something like enamel that allows the different finishing techniques to be observed closely beneath. Unlike typical anodising treatment, this technique of colouring gives greater depth and complexity, not only to the shades but to the clock as well.

Want to discover more about MB&F and its collections of clocks and watches? Check out our catalogue to learn more about the Manufacture or drop us a message to enquire further.