This month MB&F and L’Epée 1839 announced their 14th mechanical clock collaboration, in the form of a sphere that looks like a futuristic eye ball.
The L’Epée 1839 x MB&F Orb has four “elytra” (the name of a beetle’s protective wing covers) that not only open up but can swivel to display Orb in a variety of different positions. The Orb clock can be displayed completely closed — or with one, two, three, or four elytra opened. A saucer-shaped stand prevents the sphere from moving around.
An eight-day L’Epée movement — with nicely finished components visible from different angles, and especially if the four elytra’s are all open — powers the clock’s hour and minute hands. There’s also an hourly chime function that chimes the actual hour, either automatically (which can be turned on and off), or on-demand via a button on the side of the clock. There are two mainspring power barrels — one drives the hour and minute hands, and the other powers the chiming function.
“Orb was created by German designer Maximilian Maertens, who started his artistic career at MB&F as an intern before setting up his own design studio in Berlin. Maertens worked with our own Maximilian (Büsser) and L’Epée on the T-Rex clock presented in 2019, before being given free rein to create the TriPod last year and now Orb,” according to MB&F.
Available in white or black, each Orb clock retails for approximately $30,000 and is limited to 50 pieces.
Photos by MB&F.
