Can’t get enough of MB&F’s forays into weird clocks for homes and offices? You know, like that robot clock, that spider clock, or that alien octopod timekeeper we’ve seen them put out in earlier times. If you’re a sci-fi fan, then you can doubly appreciate the new MB&F x L’Epee 1839 Starfleet Explorer, a desk clock inspired by the concept of intergalactic space stations.
That’s right, they’re going with a clock decked in the likeness of a space-faring vessel this time around, so you can turn any random side table in your home into a veritable science-fiction diorama. We know, you won’t be making a convincing diorama with just one piece of spaceship on the table, but this definitely sets a unique aesthetic that you can easily reinforce with a few curated pieces of sci-fi-themed awesomeness.
The MB&F x L’Epee 1839 Starfleet Explorer is a desk clock that, according to the outfit, uses essentially the same mechanism as their wristwatches, albeit with a larger gear train, a larger mainspring barrel, a larger escape wheel, and, basically, larger components. It even integrates L’Epee 1839’s Incablock shock protection system, a protective element typically found in wristwatches, which, they claim, will minimize the risk of damage whenever the clock is being transported. Yes, that includes transport from the store to your home, your home to another home, or your home to another galaxy, assuming you have a facility for interstellar travel.
As with any proper clock, it displays the hours and minutes in plain sight, although, as is always the case with MB&F’s creations, you’ll have to know what you’re actually looking at. In this case, you read the minutes on a rotating disc through a fixed metal aperture and the hours on a stationary ring using a revolving brightly-colored hand. Suffice to say, a first glance at this thing will likely leave you confused when it comes to figuring out the current time of the day.
The MB&F x L’Epee 1839 Starfleet Explorer comes with three elements around the central clock that the outfit refers to as “spacecrafts.” These spacecrafts line up along the same axis at regular intervals, all while revolving around the clock at a rate of one full turn every five minutes. Do note, they don’t actually look like space-faring vessels, so it needs just a little extra imagination.
It has an exposed mechanism, so you can appreciate the intricacies of the complication powering its timekeeping function. This movement, which is designed and manufactured by L’Epee 1839 (hence, the partnership), comes with 11 jewels and runs at 2.5Hz. Because of the integrated Incablock, by the way, the clock can be set down in different positions without affecting its function, so you can plop it down normally (the C-shaped structure is horizontal and the indicators are facing upwards), upside down, and even on its side with no issues. The whole thing measures 4.3 x 6.5 inches (height x diameter).
Only 99 examples of the MB&F x L’Epee 1839 Starfleet Explorer will be made. Price is CHF9,900 (a little under $10,200).