Six years after the launch of the Starfleet Machine, the first clock co-created by MB&F and L'Epée 1839, the horological space station returns in 2020. Designed by MB&F, the Starfleet Explorer is an intergalactic spaceship-cum-table clock crafted by l’Epée.
This new version returns in a more compact size and enhanced with bright colours, accompanied by a fleet of three small spacecraft exploring the universe; it rightfully bears the name of Starfleet Explorer. The three tiny spacecraft lined up along the same axis are placed inside the actual Starfleet movement, the heart of the mechanism, around which they revolve at a rate of one full turn every five minutes: a space exploration guided by the mothership.
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The minutes, on a revolving radar dish, appear through the centre of a fixed metal aperture. The hour hand indicates the hour by spinning in its place and performing a complete rotation in 12 hours.
Starfleet Explorer features an animation in which three brightly coloured spacecraft perform a five-minute orbit of the station.
The Starfleet Explorer’s movement is placed horizontally, but to offer an optimal view into its mechanical heartbeat, the escapement is positioned vertically.
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The original Starfleet Machine, launched in 2014, was the first clock ever co-created by MB&F and L'Epée 1839; it marked the 175th anniversary of L’Epée and the beginning of a long series of collaborations with MB&F. Inspired by an intergalactic space station, it stood out like a Vulcan at a terrestrial dinner party - even compared to other contemporary table clocks!
Six years after the launch of that first Starfleet Machine, the horological space station returns in 2020 in a more compact size and enhanced with bright colours, accompanied by a fleet of three small spacecraft exploring the universe; it rightfully bears the name of Starfleet Explorer.
One of the biggest challenges for L’Epée 1839 was respecting the movement configuration required by MB&F’s space station design. L’Epée’s calibre usually equips vertically standing clocks, but here it is laid flat – except the escapement, which has been placed vertically.
Maximilian Büsser and Arnaud Nicolas CEO of L’Épée 1839Dedicated to making high-end clocks, L'Epée has been a prominent Swiss Manufacture for over 180 years. Founded in 1839 by Auguste L’Epée in France’s Besançon region, the company originally focused on producing music boxes and watch components. The brand was synonymous at the time with entirely hand-made pieces.
From 1850 onwards, the Manufacture became a leading light in the production of ‘platform’ escapements, creating regulators especially for alarm and table clocks, as well as musical watches. It became a well-known specialist owning a large number of patents on exceptional escapements and the chief supplier of escapements to several celebrated watchmakers of the day. L'Epée has won a number of gold medal awards at international exhibitions.
L'Epée 1839 is now based in Delémont in the Swiss Jura Mountains. Under the impetus of its CEO Arnaud Nicolas, it has developed an exceptional table clock collection, encompassing a full range of sophisticated clocks.
www.lepee1839.chStarfleet Explorer is available in 3 limited editions of 99 pieces each in red, green and blue. Starfleet Explorer is available in 3 limited editions of 99 pieces each in red, green and blue. Discover the original Starfleet Machine.
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