Persée luxury clock

“I’m not really someone who works with their hands; I’m not at all used to fiddly work and I have no watchmaking experience apart from being able to wind my watch regularly. I was a little worried about how things would go when I got my clock kit and whether I’d be able to assemble it.
I soon realized my fears were groundless; the manual is very clear and I had no major problems with assembly.
Assembling the table clock calls for a degree of dexterity and concentration, but no particular skill; I quickly found it to be both accessible and fascinating; I had no idea how a watch mechanism worked. The combination of the process of assembling this beautiful table clock and the very clear instructions in the manual made me feel I’d really learned something and enjoyed myself immensely in the process.
When you hear the clock ticking for the first time, it’s a very special moment that instantly makes the ten or so hours spent assembling the timepiece worthwhile. When the heart of the clock starts to beat and this inert object comes to life, it’s really quite emotional.
The final result is a beautiful little piece of design; being able to make it oneself results in a really unique relationship to the clock, which is ultimately your own handiwork.
Enabling beginners to get something of a feel for the art of horology at their own modest level is a brilliant, intelligent, and engaging initiative; I’m delighted with the experience. “

“I’ve taken a keen interest in watchmaking for many years; I first discovered Maison Alcée last May, when my wife was wondering what to get me for my fortieth birthday. My brief to her was simple: something useful that could one day become a family heirloom. I did also mention that I’d quite like a decorative timepiece.
There’s a lot of competition in that field, but that’s when we discovered Maison Alcée living room clocks. They met all my criteria and also stood out from the competition in one important way: you had to put your desk clock together yourself, and taking up this challenge proved to be a real delight. Right from unboxing, you’re drawn into the world of luxury watchmaking. Everything looks really good and the presentation is excellent.
You simply can’t wait to start assembling your table clock!
I began by reading the note in the box (shout-out to Alcée for this mark of attention!); I then devoured the opening pages of the book and also noticed that for my fortieth birthday, Maison Alcée had entrusted me with clock no. 40/500! It’s little details like that which make all the difference.
Then it’s time to assemble your timepiece! You prepare your workspace, get out the tools, don the appropriate protective gear, take a deep breath and dive into the calm, peaceful world of
the watchmaker. It’s like being in a bubble where strangely enough, time stands still.
You follow the assembly instructions; these couldn’t be clearer. Everything’s perfectly described. If there’s something you’re not sure about, you reach for your tablet and check out the video of the stage in question. If you still have questions, there’s no cause for concern: they’ve thought of everything. Simply post a message in the group that’s been set up especially for this type of query. You don’t need any background in watchmaking or mechanics. If anything, the less you know, the more you’ll learn about the whole thing.
Make sure to take some horological time out: as well as taking your mind off other things, you’ll learn lots about this amazing universe!
As time goes by, your desk clock will start to take shape. It’s a proud moment when you hear your luxury clock start ticking and chime for the first time. Having reached the end of the manual, you can sit back and admire your handiwork. And there you have it! If it wasn’t already the case, by now you’ll have definitely caught the Fine Watchmaking bug!
It’s not often that you’ll see such a high-quality table clock and presentation box. The choice of materials and the high quality of the tools are impressive. The service is top-notch and the result exceeds all expectations!
I can’t thank Maison Alcée often enough.
I wish you all the best; your shortlisting for the GPHG is well-deserved. “

“I work at Franche-Comté University, where I teach mechanics; I’ve taken an active interest in microtechnology and watchmaking for some years now.
I found out about Maison Alcée in the watchmaking news. Later, I had an opportunity to learn more about this innovative project and was immediately captivated: the idea of a shared experience has immense potential. Over and above the technical aspect, there’s the human element. There’s an educational approach coupled with a solution that’s reliable and long-lasting. The table clock will clearly age well because it uses historic watchmaking expertise that’s been around for decades. These modern desk clocks are made in the Jura mountains. In addition to the actual timepiece, owners are offered an entire experience, and what I was really after was that experience, with the aim of sharing it with my students. They’re being trained in mechanics for industry, so we offer a general course covering the fundamentals of mechanical engineering and production science. I thought it would be a good idea to give them some idea of the skills involved in watchmaking.
I’d already taught some introductory classes using watch movements, but students found it difficult to get to grips with them because they’re so small. It’s hard to share experience working on watches because the process is a very individual one. Each person has their own magnifying glass and there’s no room round a movement for two of them, so you need to use cameras and digital technology, which distances you from the real-life aspect. As soon as I got the opportunity, I set to work assembling the desk clock, doing so in two phases: half a morning and half an afternoon. It’s worth taking your time to really get the most of out of it!
Installing the balance wheel is a truly magical moment. You watch as the energy from the main barrel travels towards this oscillating component that serves as a regulator. Savouring the first tick-tocking of the clock as it resonated through my beechwood workbench was a really moving experience – an instant of pure delight. I started assembling my desk clock in a calm and relaxed frame of mind; I’d been waiting for this moment for some time! I found it was worth using the magnifying glass on larger timepieces too, because the parts could be examined in more detail. For instance, during lubrication, when you add a drop of oil with the oil stick, it’s really worth taking the time to watch it work its way into the mechanism, and that can’t be seen so easily on the scale of watches.
I’d recommend this experience to anybody who enjoys being absorbed in something to the point of forgetting the outside world. It’s a great way of learning about mechanical watchmaking, taking a first step into this universe and realising just what’s going on in a watch movement by seeing it on a much larger scale. It helps you get an idea of all the hard work that goes into the process, too. When you use your fingers to wind a little barrel spring with a tiny watch crown, it’s nothing like winding using a key; the latter makes it easier to understand what’s happening; you can feel the power and understand where it’s coming from. Beginning to grasp the inner workings of watches is a fascinating process. We’re talking about a desk clock here: a clock that uses all the components of a watch.
We’re fortunate to be able to enjoy this experience and produce our very own timepiece; our very own desk clock. There’s plenty of potential for sharing this experience with a very wide range of people too, from ages 7 to 60 or indeed 97! Moreover, once it’s finished, the clock will work for decades to come, so thank you, and well done!“