Maison Alcée Partners with The Hour Glass

Maison Alcée offers a unique horological proposition: the experience of assembling your own clock, an invitation to reconnect with the joy of creation, to reproduce the artisan’s gestures, and grasp their deeper meaning. It was in November 2023, in front of an audience of leaders of the watchmaking industry, that Maison Alcée was awarded the Audacity Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

After its opening at the M.A.D Gallery in Geneva, in partnership with Maximilian Büsser, who was captivated by the concept, Maison Alcée is now set to debut in Singapore at the invitation of Michael Tay, within the prestigious The Hour Glass group. Benoît and Alcée Montfort will also participate in the IAMWATCH exhibition from October 17 to 20, 2024. Over the past two years, the company has presented their Persée clock and already registered numerous orders from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the US. Establishing a presence in Singapore marks another significant step in Maison Alcée's international expansion.

We need to dispel the notion that certain crafts are inaccessible. It is only by bringing them out of the shadows that we can infuse them new energy – and enable a broader audience to see them in a new light.” Alcée Montfort. 

The Genesis of Maison Alcée

It all began 25 years ago. From a young age, Alcée Montfort discovered the joy of reinventing herself through play – whether as a candy maker, soap maker, ceramist, or explorer of materials and colors.

In this connected world, where everything fades away, I want us to rediscover the joy of making. The best way to do that is to return to that serene learning bubble we could so easily enter as children."

All these experiences would naturally guide her towards a career in engineering. She even took courses in fundamental physics. Alcée reflects: “Entering the world of craftsmanship and luxury was a surprising choice given my training. At the same time, it allowed me to combine my scientific discipline with creative expression.”

Her time at Hermès left her in awe of the nobility of materials and manufacturing. “It was magical!” she recalls. From silk fabrics that never fade to leather tanned, brushed, and gilded in gold leaf, she learned to pursue aesthetic perfection. This quest led her first to Cartier, then Richemont, and finally to the small world of Swiss horology, where the mechanics of time are controlled as much by reason as by emotion. Alcée continues: “During my two years at Tag Heuer, managing the workshop, I was constantly impressed by the passion of watchmakers for their craft. The moment you place the balance wheel and the entire mechanism comes to life – it’s an incredibly powerful emotion.”

After leaving Switzerland to follow her husband (also an engineer) to Reims, Alcée took a professional pause. She realized her childhood dream—to rethink the luxury experience through high-end DIY.

In 2019, they welcomed their first child. Their second was born the following year. Shortly thereafter, still in 2020, Alcée founded Maison Alcée, joined by her husband as co-founder.

Two years later, in 2022, they launched Persée, the first high-end clock to be assembled by the owner, reinventing the luxury experience through hands-on creation.

The Pride of Assembling Your Own Clock Maison Alcée offers a unique horological experience: the opportunity to assemble your own clock, entirely on your own. Delivered in a finely crafted wooden box, the set includes 233 movement components, all the necessary horological tools, and a beautifully illustrated book to guide the aspiring watchmaker through every phase of the assembly, including the mechanical movement.

Lifting the lid of the exquisitely finished case instantly reassures the aspiring watchmaker that Maison Alcée delivers on its promise: the joy of creation, of capturing the artisan’s gestures—and in reproducing them, understanding their deeper significance.

• A journey back to the joy of creation

Through this experience, Maison Alcée offers a delightful ten-hour escape. Every detail has been carefully thought out to ensure a complete immersion, where only the precision of the mechanisms and the beauty of the finishes matter. Maison Alcée invites you to a moment of personal reflection, a true break from the frantic pace of modern life.

This experience offers a way to disconnect in order to better reconnect with oneself, and allow the enthusiast to rekindle an intimate sense of wonder while exploring the captivating world of horology.

• A moment of sharing – by capturing the artisan’s gestures to better understand them

The Maison Alcée experience creates lasting memories, whether undertaken solo or with a partner – perhaps between parent and child. This shared moment allows participants to come together around a singular experience where each person brings their unique touch and sensitivity. The clock they assemble becomes the symbol of a strong bond; a precious legacy destined to be passed down from generation to generation.

Values of Maison Alcée

• Transmission

The Maison Alcée experience guides curious minds through the discovery of watchmaking expertise. The book that accompanies the aspiring horologist was written in collaboration with horological professors and museums to pass down the history and science of horology. The hands-on experience fosters deeper learning, as intellectual reflection and manual work complement each other.

All the necessary materials – the components and the tools necessary for assembling them – are provided to enable the aspiring clockmaker to build their own one-of-a-kind creation, one worthy of becoming a treasured heirloom passed down through generations.

The act of assembling becomes a symbol of family history, a moment shared with pride and affection, creating memories that last a lifetime.

• The sense of personal achievement

To enable you to experience the pride of creating your own timepiece” – this is Maison Alcée’s deepest desire.

Maison Alcée ensures successful completion for the enthusiast through its meticulously crafted guidebook, optional video tutorials, and a private discussion group where every question is answered. The experience, while uniquely rewarding, also presents a personal challenge, requiring one to set aside time—a few hours dedicated to fully immersing in the process.

By assembling their own timepiece, enthusiasts gain a deep sense of fulfillment, a satisfaction that goes beyond mere ownership of the object.

• A sensory experience that sparks wonder

Whether through the quality of the finishes or the meticulous attention to every detail, Maison Alcée is dedicated to offering clocks of exceptional beauty that inspire admiration. For Maison Alcée, beauty is not only found in the finished piece; it reveals itself through a sensory experience that evokes awe.

The Clockmaker’s Set

The presentation box of Maison Alcée contains all 233 parts of the clock, all the necessary tools (some of them specially developed to ensure they can be used by the uninitiated) and a beautiful book to accompany clockmaking apprentices on their journey to build a way of measuring time – and in the process, perhaps even to gain an insight into time itself in the process.

The assembly and learning process of the Persée table clock, Maison Alcée’s debut collection, takes about ten hours, during which the enthusiast is never left to struggle alone.

Two plates complete the casing of the Persée clock: one engraved with the aspiring watchmaker’s initials, and the other with the limited-edition number—only 500 pieces are made.

Whether an expert collector, a passionate enthusiast, or an eager novice, each creator becomes, for a moment, the guardian of age-old craftsmanship, experiencing the pride of bringing something to life with their own hands.

• A team of professors and experts in horology

To bring the crafts that make up watchmaking out of the shadows and make them known to a wider audience, Maison Alcée has teamed up with Thierry Ducret, holder of the rare and coveted title of ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de France’ (best craftsperson in their domain in France) who is also a professor of horology, Jean-Marie Desgranges, professor of horology at the prestigious school in Morteau, Jura, and Swiss designer Antoine Tschumi. Alcée surrounded herself with experts whose caliber is reflected in the clock she had envisioned.

This multidisciplinary team shares a common vision: to promote exceptional heritage by passing it down to all curious minds through the assembly of their own clock, complete with a mechanical movement.

I love everything about this project: the ingenious design that gave us two clocks in one, and Maison Alcée’s ambition to share a craft so dear to me with a wider audience." Thierry Ducret, ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de France’ in Watchmaking and Professor of Horology.

• A book to guide the enthusiast through the assembly

To ensure every enthusiast can assemble their numbered object with confidence, Maison Alcée penned a clear and comprehensive guidebook to accompany them through the process.

The book is a treasure trove of meticulously composed stories and details, along with delightful anecdotes and step-by-step guidance to navigate the hundreds of tools and components – from bridges to plates, from keys to bells.

More than a manual, it is a beautiful collection of instructive, inspiring and entertaining pages that forms an integral part of our Clockmaker’s Sets. Assembling your Persée table clock requires that you to set aside time, to refocus on an activity that demands concentration.

The aspiring watchmaker will also have exclusive access to a series of video tutorials – via QR codes in the book – that offer practical demonstrations to support the assembly process.

• Tools created for those new to the craft

True to the tradition of horology, often called "the craft of a thousand tools," the Maison Alcée kit includes all the tools necessary to assemble the Persée clock: a watchmaker's loupe, tweezers, screwdrivers with specialized blades, finger cots, a membrane box, a chamois, and an oil pick.

Just like the watchmaking components, the screwdrivers are also 100% made in the FrancoSwiss Jura Arc. Their blades have been specially developed in a copper-beryllium alloy to reduce hardness, limiting the risk of scratches. This is the first time this manufacturing partner has adopted such a solution, designed to protect the clock during assembly.

These horological tools, made from high-quality materials, have been carefully designed to make them easy to use for beginners, ensuring that the assembly of your clock becomes both an exceptional and educational experience.

• A watch movement designed for first-time assemblers

The beating heart of Maison Alcée is the movement that powers the Persée timepiece. This hand-wound mechanical movement was crafted by a team of expert watchmakers exclusively for Maison Alcée, designed to come to life in the hands of any fine watchmaking enthusiast, including those new to the craft. It is the result of meticulous work and years of dedicated research.

This movement was developed in collaboration with Thierry Ducret, a 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France' (Best Craftsperson in France) in horology, and Jean-Marie Desgranges, both esteemed professors at the prestigious Morteau horology school. It reflects a deep understanding of the challenges faced by first-year students in the field. Only the regulating organ is pre-assembled.

Technical and Aesthetic Features of the Persée Table Clock

Persée is available in three versions

• Persée Douce, an ode to gentleness – EUR 6,900 / USD 8,100 (excl. taxes)
• Persée Azur, a tribute to heritage (Winner of the Audacity Prize at the GPHG) – EUR 7,500 / USD 8,900 (excl. taxes)
• Persée Nuit, resolutely contemporary, (nominated for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize) – EUR 8,300 / USD 9,500 (excl. taxes)

Technical Features

• Movement similar to that of a wristwatch
• The balance wheel operates at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour
• This movement offers a power reserve of 14 days
• 11 jewels
• Functions include hours, minutes, and seconds, along with an hour-strike complication

Aesthetic Features

• Persée measures 100 x 100 x 160 mm and weighs 900 grams
• A nod to the traditional hourglass when placed vertically, or a more modern version when placed horizontally—the choice of positioning is left to the owner (a Maison Alcée innovation)

Surface Finishes

• Brushed finish on the plates and bridges
• Circular graining on the wheels, barrel, and dial
• Chamfered edges on the cylindrical feet
• Polished finishes on the brackets
• Sandblasting and microbeading on the bell and hands

Over 90% of the manufacturing is completed between France and Switzerland.

In horology, excellence is deeply rooted in historic cities such as Besancon in France, and Geneva or La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland. Maison Alcée proudly carries forward this legacy, with every component of the Persée table clock serving as a tribute to this rich craft.

Following the recognition of Franco-Swiss watchmaking craftsmanship as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2020, Maison Alcée has committed itself to its enduring preservation. From design to production, each element of the Persée is meticulously designed and crafted to honor this Franco-Swiss tradition.

Over 90% of the components' value is created in the Jura region, sustaining both French and Swiss craftsmanship through numerous indirect jobs dedicated to the production of the Persée clock. Behind every horological component lies a rich history—the story of a mountainous region, home to the proud Franco-Swiss Jura community.

Our materials are carefully sourced and crafted in the tradition of French and Swiss watchmaking excellence, deeply rooted in the Jura Mountains—something quite rare for this type of creation. All our components are designed in-house at Maison Alcée, because creating jobs while uniting beauty and craftsmanship matters, too."

A Guaranteed Success

Assembling a Persée clock takes approximately ten hours, an experience accessible to everyone—whether hands-on, passionate about mechanics, or simply curious about the workings of time.

Maison Alcée offers private, personalized support for each client, often via WhatsApp, to address any questions before, during, or after assembly. Once the clock is completed, the Maison Alcée team assists with the final adjustments: perfecting the chime, setting the twoweek power reserve, and fine-tuning the timing rate.

Maison Alcée Today

• Maison Alcée recognized at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

In 2023, Maison Alcée won the Audacity Prize for its concept at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the Oscars of the watchmaking industry. The fledgling Maison has risen to the challenge of redefining the horological experience, with a special focus on outstanding craftsmanship and high-end home assembly.

It was something of an epiphany for me: we have an extraordinary heritage—and a responsibility to pass it down to future generations. Our goal was clear, albeit ambitious: to allow anyone with an interest to discover the beauty of watchmaking and clockmaking expertise by assembling their own table clock from the comfort of their home."

• Maison Alcée partners with M.A.D Gallery in Geneva

In April 2024, the prestigious M.A.D Gallery in Geneva welcomed Maison Alcée. Led by Maximilian Busser, this initiative creates a space where the art of watchmaking meets creative expression—a fusion of creativity, childhood, and joy that offers a truly unique watchmaking experience.

The MB&F M.A.D. Gallery invites you into a fascinating world of kinetic art where horological machines meet mechanical art installations. This collaboration between Maison Alcée and the M.A.D. Gallery promises an unprecedented watchmaking experience, where each timepiece tells a story, creates a moment to cherish, and evokes emotions to share.

• Maison Alcée expands to Singapore with The Hour Glass

After its debut at the M.A.D. Gallery in Geneva in collaboration with Maximilian Busser, Maison Alcée is now poised to expand its reach with the prestigious watch retailer, The Hour Glass, a key reference in Southeast Asia.

Invited by Michael Tay, the founders of Maison Alcée, Alcée and Benoît Montfort, will take part in the IAMWATCH exhibition, held from October 17 to 20 in Singapore.

Testimonials

Benjamin d’A. – Company CEO

“As a longtime horology enthusiast, I discovered Maison Alcée in May of this year. From the moment I opened the box, I was transported into the world of Haute Horlogerie! Everything was beautifully presented, and I couldn’t wait to start the assembly.

I began by reading the note tucked inside (thank you, Alcée, for the thoughtful touch), then dove into the first pages of the book. To my surprise, for my 40th birthday, Maison Alcée had given me number 40/500! It's all about the details, and that’s what truly makes the difference.

Then came the assembly! After setting up my workspace and laying out the tools, I took a deep breath and entered the calm, serene world of watchmaking.

Once inside, time itself seemed to stand still. The assembly guide is incredibly clear, and every step is explained to perfection.

Hours passed as the timepiece gradually took shape. What a proud moment it was to hear the first ‘tick-tock’ and the first ‘ding!’ I turned the last page of the book and marveled at the result. It was done! If I wasn’t already a fan of Haute Horlogerie, I certainly am now!

It’s rare to find such a beautifully crafted clock and kit. The choice of materials and the quality of the tools are impressive. The service is impeccable, and the result exceeds all expectations! I can’t say it enough—thank you, Maison Alcée!”

Norbert S. – Company CEO

“After nearly twelve hours of operation, Persée chimed at exactly 7:01—better than NASA! It hasn’t lost a second in 48 hours, not a single adjustment needed!

Your educational approach is top-notch, both in content and presentation. It’s clear you’ve put a tremendous amount of work into this—well done!

Once again, thank you and congratulations—it was a wonderful family experience, all thanks to you!”

Daniele B. Company CEO

“Kudos to you for taking such a formidable challenge! The clock works perfectly and accompanies us throughout the day with quiet pleasure.”

David D. – Company CEO

“I’m neither particularly handy nor meticulous, and I have absolutely no horological skills beyond winding my watch. So, I was a bit apprehensive when I received my clock and the thought of assembling it.

But my worries were quickly put to rest, as the manual is clear and the assembly surprisingly straightforward. It does require some dexterity and focus, but no special skills are needed, and it quickly became not only manageable but also enjoyable.

The moment you hear the clock's ‘tick-tock’ for the first time is incredibly special—it made the ten hours of assembly completely worth it. It’s the moment the once lifeless object springs to life, as its heart begins to beat. Truly an emotional experience.

The finished piece is stunning and visually delightful, and the fact that I assembled it myself has created a unique bond with the clock.

Enabling novices like myself to experience the beauty of horological art, even in a modest way, is a brilliant, thoughtful, and sensitive initiative. I’m absolutely thrilled to have had the chance to experience it.”