R&D,
UNRIVALLED
EXPERTISE
THE BEGINNINGS OF
INTUITION
As is often the case with great stories, there's a kind of alchemy at the start: intuition, passion, perseverance, talent and a meeting of minds, leading to the birth of a project that took a bit of madness to dare imagine!
"They didn't know it was
impossible, so they did it!"
This well-known phrase mischievously sums up the legitimate pride of the founders and the ambition of Maison Alcée.
In the beginning, there was the intuition of a young woman trained as an engineer whose professional experience was developing in the sector of traditional craftsmanship of excellence. Alcée had just left her job at a fine watch manufacturer and, still fascinated by this world of talent and passion, let an idea germinate that was close to her heart: the idea was to rethink the luxury experience through high-end do-it-yourself, and in so doing, spread a practice of excellence by widening the circle of enthusiasts. She naturally turned to watchmaking.
His intuition was then confirmed by the astonishing unifying effect of this unprecedented intention. The project proved 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 a professor who is an expert in watchmaking microtechnology, as well as specialized designers. And Alcée's husband Benoît, also an engineer, was involved in the foundation right from the start! Convinced and convinced, these enthusiasts joined forces and the adventure was launched...
In the beginning, there was the intuition of a young woman trained as an engineer whose professional experience was developing in the sector of traditional craftsmanship of excellence. Alcée had just left her job at a fine watch manufacturer and, still fascinated by this world of talent and passion, let an idea germinate that was close to her heart: the idea was to rethink the luxury experience through high-end do-it-yourself, and in so doing, spread a practice of excellence by widening the circle of enthusiasts. She naturally turned to watchmaking.
His intuition was then confirmed by the astonishing unifying effect of this unprecedented intention. The project proved 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 a professor who is an expert in watchmaking microtechnology, as well as specialized designers. And Alcée's husband Benoît, also an engineer, was involved in the foundation right from the start! Convinced and convinced, these enthusiasts joined forces and the adventure was launched...
A major challenge
Our promise is to pass on the beauty of watchmaking expertise to the curious, with no skills required, but with the highest standards of quality.
Watchmaking practice is a prerequisite for sound, educational learning. So 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 neophytes. An ambitious project that we were ready to take on.
Every stage 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 on!
From idea to sketch
In October 2020, Maison Alcée's Persée clock was born from our team's love affair with the designs created by Antoine Tschumi, a designer specializing in watchmaking.
From the specifications, he hand-drew several concepts for the Persée clock. One of these sketches captured the essence of the hourglass, with a fascinating view of its apparent movement as originally intended, offering the possibility of vertical or horizontal display.
The designer then carried out an in-depth technical study to bring the clock to life.
For the launch of the Persée model, it offered three initial finishes: Persée Azur, Persée Douce and Persée Nuit.
In October 2020, Maison Alcée's Persée clock was born from our team's love affair with the designs created by Antoine Tschumi, a designer specializing in watchmaking.
From the specifications, he hand-drew several concepts for the Persée clock. One of these sketches captured the essence of the hourglass, with a fascinating view of its apparent movement as originally intended, offering the possibility of vertical or horizontal display.
The designer then carried out an in-depth technical study to bring the clock to life.
For the launch of the Persée model, it offered three initial finishes: 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 the uninitiated. This technical challenge requires both exceptional skills and the pedagogical talent of the watchmaking teachers who accompany the process. The expertise of Jean-Marie Desgrange, an expert in watchmaking construction, was the starting point for this adventure.
Based on the specifications and sketches, a meticulous design study was carried out, including mechanical feasibility calculations.
The digital mock-up as well as the technical and aesthetic drawings were carefully constructed, constituting a pivotal stage between the design and manufacture of the components.
The partnership with watchmaking professors proved to be a unique asset in this daring do-it-yourself concept.
Observing the students' mistakes guided the technical choices that anticipated and avoided pitfalls. Thanks to their pedagogy, Maison Alcée has been able to reduce "pre-assembled" work to a strict minimum, thus maintaining its focus on the honest transmission of know-how.
Based on the specifications and sketches, a meticulous design study was carried out, including mechanical feasibility calculations. The digital mock-up, together with the technical and aesthetic drawings, was carefully constructed, constituting a pivotal stage between design and component manufacture.
The partnership with watchmaking professors proved to be a unique asset in this daring do-it-yourself concept.
Observing the students' mistakes guided the technical choices that anticipated and avoided pitfalls. Thanks to their pedagogy, Maison Alcée has been able to reduce "pre-assembled" work to a strict minimum, thus maintaining its focus on the honest transmission of know-how.
DECEMBER 2021
By the time the Persée clock prototypes arrived, Alcée and Benoît had each assembled a
prototype of their own, bringing this exceptional timepiece to life. Each meticulous detail takes shape, reflecting the care and passion the Maison brings to the creation of each component.
January 2022
Benoît, an engineer, then launched a first limited series of Persée timepieces, precisely coordinating over thirty manufacturing partners, step by step. Each step is carried out with the utmost care, guaranteeing the quality and excellence of each Persée clock.
Thierry Ducret, M.O.F. watchmaker, is responsible for finishing and verification. This major phase of the process includes operations such as polishing, drawing, strapping and sandblasting.
Under Thierry Ducret's expert hands, inert components are brought to life through pre-assembly and assembly. He also carries out touch-ups, adjustments and checks, and then, before sending them back for boxing, validates the quality of the components. The clock then goes back to our engineers for a two-week lantern period, ensuring a second check, and thus assuming the final expertise.
When an idea comes to life
There's no doubt that the Persée clock by Maison Alcée is much more than a simple initial design. It is the fruit of a meticulous process, a shared passion and a constant quest for horological excellence, culminating in the creation of an exceptional prototype and a prestigious timepiece.
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