R&D,
UNE EXPERTISE
UNPARALLELED
THE BEGINNINGS OF INTUITION
As is often the case in beautiful stories, we see a kind of alchemy at the beginning: that of intuition, passion, perseverance, talent and encounters, which leads to the blossoming of a project that you had to be a little crazy to dare to imagine!
“They didn’t know it was
impossible, so they did it! »
This well-known formula sums up in a somewhat mischievous way the legitimate pride of the founders and the ambition of Maison Alcée.
At the beginning, there is the intuition of a young woman engineer by training whose professional experience is developing in the sector of traditional crafts of excellence.
Alcée has just left her job in a beautiful watch manufacturer and, still fascinated by this world of talent and passion, let an idea germinate that is close to her heart: it is a question of rethinking the experience of luxury by making it yourself high-end, and in doing so, of spreading a practice of excellence by expanding the circle of enthusiasts.
She naturally turned to watchmaking.
The confirmation of his intuition will then come through the astonishing unifying effect of this unprecedented intention.
The project proved to be so convincing that it immediately brought on board exceptional profiles from the world of watchmaking, such as one of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, and an expert professor in watchmaking microtechnology, as well as specialized designers.
And even Benoît, Alcée’s husband, also an engineer, who participated in this foundation from the beginning!
Convinced and convincing, these enthusiasts entered into synergy and the adventure was launched…
At the beginning, there is the intuition of a young woman engineer by training whose professional experience is developing in the sector of traditional crafts of excellence.
Alcée has just left her job in a beautiful watch manufacturer and, still fascinated by this world of talent and passion, let an idea germinate that is close to her heart: it is a question of rethinking the experience of luxury by making it yourself high-end, and in doing so, of spreading a practice of excellence by expanding the circle of enthusiasts.
She naturally turned to watchmaking.
The confirmation of his intuition will then come through the astonishing unifying effect of this unprecedented intention.
The project proved to be so convincing that it immediately brought on board exceptional profiles from the world of watchmaking, such as one of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, and an expert professor in watchmaking microtechnology, as well as specialized designers.
And even Benoît, Alcée’s husband, also an engineer, who participated in this foundation from the beginning!
Convinced and convincing, these enthusiasts entered into synergy and the adventure was launched…
A major challenge
Our promise is to transmit the beauty of watchmaking know-how to all curious people, with no skills required, with a high demand for quality.
For a judicious and educational learning, watchmaking practice is necessary.
Thus, it was obvious that we had to develop our own timepiece, including the mechanical movement, so that it could come to life in the hands of all neophytes.
An ambitious project that we were ready to take on.
Each step of our creation is a learning opportunity, a journey to the heart of watchmaking.
Our ambition is to surpass the usual standards.
The adventure was launched!
From idea to sketch
Before embarking on clever calculations, it is the hand that applies itself to transcribing the creative projections… In October 2020, the Persée clock by Maison Alcée was born from a real crush by our team for the designs developed by Antoine Tschumi, a designer specializing in watchmaking.
From the specifications, he drew by hand several concepts of the Perseus clock.
Among these sketches, one was able to capture the essence of the hourglass, with a fascinating view of its apparent movement as initially desired, thus offering the possibility of vertical or horizontal exposure.
The designer then carried out an in-depth technical study to bring the clock to life.
It proposed three first trim versions for the launch of the Persée model: Persée Azur, Persée Douce and Persée Nuit.
Before embarking on clever calculations, it is the hand that applies itself to transcribing the creative projections... In October 2020, the Persée clock by Maison Alcée was born from a real crush by our team for the designs developed by Antoine Tschumi, a designer specializing in watchmaking.
From the specifications, he drew by hand several concepts of the Perseus clock.
Among these sketches, one was able to capture the essence of the hourglass, with a fascinating view of its apparent movement as initially desired, thus offering the possibility of vertical or horizontal exposure.
The designer then carried out an in-depth technical study to bring the clock to life.
It proposed three first trim versions for the launch of the Persée model: Persée Azur, Persée Douce and Persée Nuit.
The birth of the prototype
WINTER 2021
Maison Alcée is committed to developing its own watch movement, which can be assembled by a layman.
This technical challenge requires both exceptional skills and pedagogical talent from the watchmaking teachers who accompany this process.
The expertise of Jean-Marie Desgrange, an expert in watchmaking, was the starting point of this adventure.
Based on the specifications and sketches, a meticulous design study was carried out, including mechanical feasibility calculations.
The digital model as well as the technical and aesthetic plans were carefully constructed, constituting a pivotal step between the design and the manufacture of the components.
The partnership of professors in watch construction has proven to be an unprecedented asset in this daring concept of do-it-yourself.
The observation of the students’ mistakes guided the technical choices that anticipate and circumvent the pitfalls.
Thanks to their pedagogy, Maison Alcée has been able to reduce the “pre-edited” to the strict minimum and thus maintain the course of honest transmission of know-how.
Based on the specifications and sketches, a meticulous design study was carried out, including mechanical feasibility calculations.
The digital model as well as the technical and aesthetic plans were carefully constructed, constituting a pivotal step between the design and the manufacture of the components.
The partnership of professors in watch construction has proven to be an unprecedented asset in this daring concept of do-it-yourself.
The observation of the students’ mistakes guided the technical choices that anticipate and circumvent the pitfalls.
Thanks to their pedagogy, Maison Alcée has been able to reduce the “pre-edited” to the strict minimum and thus maintain the course of honest transmission of know-how.
DECEMBER 2021
When the prototypes of the Perseus clock arrived, Alcée and Benoît had assembled a
prototype, bringing this exceptional timepiece to life.
Every minute detail takes shape and reflects the attention and passion that the House brings to the creation of each component.
January 2022
Benoît, an engineer, then launched a first limited series of Persée timepieces, coordinating more than thirty manufacturing partners with precision, step by step.
Each of them is made with the greatest care, guaranteeing the quality and excellence of each Perseus clock.
The finishing touches and verifications were carried out by Thierry Ducret, M.O.F. This is an eminently complex and meticulous step. This major phase of the process includes operations such as polishing, stretching, strapping, and sandblasting.
Under the expert hands of Thierry Ducret, inert components come to life thanks to pre-assembly and assembly.
He also carries out touch-ups, adjustments, checks and, before sending them back for packaging, he validates the quality of the components.
The clock then joins our engineers for a two-week lantern period, thus ensuring a second verification and thus assuming the final expertise.
When the idea comes to life
There is no doubt that the Persée clock by Maison Alcée is much more than just an initial design.
It is the result of a meticulous process, a shared passion and a constant quest for watchmaking excellence, resulting in the creation of an exceptional prototype and a prestigious timepiece.
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