Your Stories

” 38 years of dedication, challenges, and passion — today, I pause to celebrate not just an anniversary, but a journey. I had the privilege of assembling this stunning Maison Alcée Persée table clock, and it felt like more than just putting together gears and screws — it was a moment of connection with time itself. A quiet thank for this valuable learning experience. ”

ALEX C.

“ Passionate about watchmaking for many years, I discovered Maison Alcée last May. Indeed, for my 40th birthday, my wife was looking for a meaningful gift. My ‘brief’ was simple: an object that is both useful and can be passed down. I also expressed my wish to have a decorative watch piece. In this field, competition is fierce… That’s when we discovered the timepieces from Maison Alcée!

They met all my criteria, with an extra feature that sets them apart from all the others: having to assemble it entirely by myself! A challenge that is taken on with the greatest pleasure! From the moment I unpacked it, I entered the world of High-End watchmaking! Everything is beautiful and beautifully presented. I was eager to start assembling! I began by reading the little note tucked inside the box (thank you Alcée for this delicate attention), then I devoured the first pages of the book and noted that for my 40th birthday, Maison Alcée entrusted me with number 40/500! Everything is in the detail, and that clearly makes all the difference!

Then came the assembly! You prepare your workspace, take out the tools, and put on the protective gear. You take a deep breath and enter the calm and peaceful world of watchmakers. You step into a bubble where, paradoxically, time no longer matters. The assembly instructions are very clear. Everything is described to perfection. Hesitating? You just take your tablet and watch the video of the step that concerns you. Still have questions? No problem, everything is set up! Just send a message to a group created especially for you and your questions. No prior watchmaking or mechanical knowledge is required! On the contrary, the less you know, the more you discover this fascinating world.

Don’t forget to take watchmaking breaks. Besides giving you a moment to rest your mind, you’ll learn many things about this passionate universe! Hours go by and the timepiece takes shape. What a pride to hear the first ‘tick-tocks’ and the first ‘ding’! You turn the last page of the book and admire the result! That’s it, it’s already finished! If you weren’t before, you are now infected with the virus of Haute Horlogerie! It’s rare to find a presentation box and timepiece of such beautiful quality. The choice of materials and the quality of the tools are impressive. The service is outstanding and the result exceeds all expectations! I can’t say it enough, thank you Maison Alcée! Wishing you all the best, your selection at the GPHG is fully deserved. ”

Benjamin d’A.

“ All done. Love it! Thanks for all the pro advice. I also read the directions ahead so I knew what to expect and watched all the videos. Excellent ! Thank. Will be looking to forward to complication add ons when the opportunity comes. ”

Steve G.

“ I’m not really someone who works with their hands and I’m not at all used to fiddly work beyond knowing how to wind my watch regularly. So, I was a bit apprehensive about receiving my table clock and my ability to assemble it. My fears quickly vanished, as the manual is very clear and the assembly posed no particular difficulty. The process requires some dexterity and concentration, but no special skills. In fact, it quickly proved not only accessible but also interesting: I had no idea how a watch mechanism worked, and between the assembly itself and the very instructive explanations in the manual, I feel like I truly learned something while having a lot of fun. I soon realized my fears were groundless; the manual is very clear and I had no major problems with assembly.

The moment you hear the first tick-tock of the clock is a truly special one. It alone makes the ten hours of assembly worth it. It’s the instant the once-inert object comes to life, when the clock’s heart begins to beat — a genuinely moving experience. The final piece is especially elegant and the fact that I assembled it myself creates an entirely unique bond with the clock. Enabling beginners to get something of a feel for the art of horology at their own modest level is a brilliant, intelligent, and engaging initiative; I’m delighted with the experience. ”

David D.

“ I’m very happy and pleased with the whole experience and the end result.
I think it is a piece of art.
Thank you for your help and support. ”

Abdullah A.

“ Dear Alcée, the assembly went perfectly well — your kit is flawless in terms of both quality and clarity of instructions. The timepiece works beautifully, and I find the chime to be excellent — that sound ringing out every hour is a real delight. It accompanies us throughout the day with discretion and pleasure.

We congratulate you for the enthusiasm shown towards a project of this type in today’s watchmaking world, which is often very superficial and lacking in education. You have had the courage to undertake a great challenge, but one that brings great value and satisfaction to you and your apprentice watchmakers.

We hope to see you again very soon. ”

Daniele B.

“ I am already enjoying having the presentation box on my desk and the prospect of assembling it a bit later. After all, taking one’s time is part of the pleasure.

A huge congratulations to Maison Alcée for the clarity of the explanations, the ergonomics of the setup, and the educational quality of the videos. Everything is designed to offer a smooth and captivating experience.

We keep going! Persée is assembled! What an adventure! Bravo to the entire Maison Alcée team, the instructions are very educational. I received real support and guidance. The experience is fascinating and the object is magnificent. I am very proud of it! ”

Marie-Paule P.

“ Dear Alcée, dear Benoît, I want to once again congratulate you on this wonderful idea of giving novices like myself the chance to discover the mysteries of watchmaking by assembling, piece by piece, a little horological gem. After about nine captivating hours, I was able to offer the Persée timepiece to my wife.

For the past 48 hours, it has been keeping precise time, and the chime rings out perfectly at every hour. My only challenge, after the mainspring barrel, was fitting the second hand onto its pivot. Aside from that, it was pure joy. I wish you both all the best and success in the future. ”

Guy V.

“ I just adjusted the regulator to keep pretty accurate time. It was a great experience building the clock as I did it without the videos.
Best wishes to you for a great 2025! ”

Wesley R.

“ After many long months without a moment to slow down, I finally made it. Thank you so much for this timepiece. Building it myself was truly moving. The experience was incredible. I hope to meet you one day when I come to Reims. And thank you again for this wonderful journey. ”

Jean B.

“ Good evening, thank you for your message and for the care you take in following up after the unboxing. What a marvel this case is, with its contents so carefully arranged. It’s even a little intimidating!

For now, I haven’t had much time to dedicate to it, but I take pleasure in simply knowing that I own it. I enjoy knowing the clock is there, waiting to be assembled. I do the same with wine! I appreciate it even before drinking it, so I get to enjoy it twice! I know I can reach out to you if needed — once again, I wish you a successful year ahead. ”

Alain T.

“ First of all, a quick reminder of my very first contact with Maison Alcée. I have great admiration for mechanics in general and for fine mechanics in particular, in which watchmaking holds a special place. I receive the newsletter from a dedicated site called ‘Montres-de-luxe.com’, and it was an article about Maison Alcée that sparked my curiosity.

I studied technical subjects — mechanical engineering, industrial maintenance, robotics, and automated production. I later pursued a career serving the public, working in electricity distribution in Paris at EDF/Enedis. I’ve always had a desire for autonomy and a passion for doing things myself. I suppose you could call me a handyman. However, and this was the main reason for my hesitation before embarking on the adventure of assembling a clock on my own, I suffer from a neurological condition that caused me to lose about 50% of the motor function on my right side and I used to be right-handed. Today, I’ve practically become left-handed.

The object, although beautiful and very much to my taste (especially when placed vertically), required serious thought before making the purchase, as I was afraid I might not be able to complete the assembly. I made a call — Alcée and I had a long, reassuring conversation, and I took the plunge, with no regrets. I broke the assembly process into five stages. First, I carefully read the instruction book and paid close attention to the prerequisites before getting started. Then, I took two to three hours over four consecutive afternoons to complete the assembly. Since then, I’ve adjusted the hourly chime and started testing the theory that one full winding gives about two days of autonomy. I’m also observing whether there’s any time drift depending on the remaining energy in the mainspring. I’m getting to know the piece, taking ownership of it.

Now I’ve returned to reading the instruction book to deepen my knowledge. I had initially skipped over the historical and technical passages. Of course, some steps were a little tricky. I had to repeat certain gestures, find a few clever workarounds but in the end, it works. I only paid attention to the estimated time indications to help plan when I would stop each day. I must also say that having the regulator already pre-assembled brought me a great sense of reassurance. To conclude, I would simply say: now it’s your turn… ”

Fabrice M.

“ I have just finished assembling the Persée Or and it seems to work well. Turns out I put it together quicker than I thought I would! I found the instructions easy to follow and although I am 79 years old I easily managed the 1.2mm screws. ”

Rudolf W.

“ After almost twelve hours of service, Persée just chimed at 7:01, better than NASA! There’s been no drift at all, so no need for any adjustment after 48 hours. It chimes precisely on the hour, to the second. Your pedagogical approach is at the top of its game, both in terms of content and form. It’s a huge job! Bravo ! It’s a massive accomplishment. Bravo! It was truly a wonderful family experience thanks to you! ”

Norbert S.

“ I am a university professor at Franche-Comté, where I teach mechanics. As such, I’ve been curious and interested in microtechnics and watchmaking for several years now. I discovered Maison Alcée through my horological news and quickly came across this original project, which immediately caught my attention. I found the shared experience truly enriching. It’s not just about the technical side—what stands out most is the human aspect.

You offer a pedagogical approach, a solution that is reliable and built to last. A timepiece that will clearly age well, since it’s based on a historical horological know-how that has been used for decades. These types of clocks are made in the Jura Mountains. With your project, you offer the enthusiast an experience beyond simply owning an object. I actually bought the experience more than the object itself, with the idea of sharing it with my students.

They’re studying mechanical engineering, being trained for the industrial world, and we give them a broad foundation in the fundamentals of engineering—particularly mechanics and production science. I thought it would be interesting to bring some introductory horological skills into their training. I had already been doing some watch movement workshops, but those components are so small that it’s hard for students to really engage with them. It’s difficult to share the experience with watches because they create such an individual immersion. Everyone has their own loupe, and there’s no room for two loupes over a single movement. So we have to use cameras, go digital and then we’re no longer in reality.

As soon as the opportunity arose, I began the assembly process in two sessions: one half-morning and one half-afternoon. I wanted to take my time and enjoy every moment. Placing the balance was the magical moment! You wait to see the energy flow from the main barrel to the regulator, to the oscillator. That’s the emotional instant when you hear the very first tick-tock. I could then savor the resonance of that sound on the workbench.

These are joyful emotions. I began the assembly calm and relaxed. I’d been looking forward to it for a while! I also found the experience of using the micros with larger components fascinating. It really lets you focus on the details. For instance, when lubricating: bringing that tiny drop of oil with the oiler and watching it settle into the meniscus—that’s something you see less clearly on a watch.

I would absolutely recommend this experience to anyone who enjoys being in their own little bubble, cut off from the world. It’s a true introduction to watchmaking, a way to step into that universe and understand how watch movements work but at a much larger scale. It allows you to physically feel the mechanisms. For example, winding a small watch crown with your fingertips is not the same as using this key and really feeling the power of the mainspring. The phenomena are better understood. You can feel the energy, and you know where it comes from.

Learning how a watch works is fascinating. Here, we’re talking about a desk clock, but it includes all the same components as a watch. We’re lucky to be able to live this experience. There’s so much potential to share this journey with a very broad audience : from age 7 to 60, even 97, I’d say! This clock will now work for decades to come, so thank you… and bravo! ”

Eric D.

“ Alcée, I just wanted to send you a quick note to thank you for the wonderful experience I had learning and assembling the Persée. I truly took my time and enjoyed the entire process. It was an almost meditative experience. The guidance was perfect, and the final result is stunning! Wishing you and your Maison all the best for the future! Thank you again. ”

Franklin B.

“ My husband gave me the wonderful surprise and beautiful gift of the Persée timepiece. He felt that after two closely spaced pregnancies, a move, and managing young children, I needed to take some time for myself, though I would probably feel guilty doing so on my own.

The desk clock was thus a lovely excuse to give myself that time.

I truly appreciated those timeless hours spent assembling it, focused solely on the booklet steps and videos, with my mind calming and my movements becoming more precise and confident as the assembly progressed.

I enjoyed the pleasure of shifting my perspective in space and scale. My vision concentrated on a small area, handling tiny components with delicate care. How relaxing! Such meticulousness is required, and what a joy it is to work with such beautiful objects!

The presentation box is stunning, and the workbench helps organize the tools and maintain a good posture. After a few hours of calm, silence, and concentration, what pride to see Persée come to life and take shape! I did it.

Thank you for this exceptional experience. ”

Adeline de L.