L’Epée

Named for its Swiss co-founder Auguste L’Epée, the eponymous manufacturer of horological curios and music boxes was founded in 1839. Along with partner Pierre-Henri Paur, L’Epée developed a specialty in producing platform escapements - a vital component for the alarms and carriage clocks that were popular in the early 19th century. The company became such a leader in this field that by 1889, they produced 200,000 escapements annually.

Following the company’s acquisition by Swiza SA (itself a notable manufacturer of clocks), production of the L’Epée collections was transferred to Delémont - the capital of the Swiss Jura. 

With a heritage of more than 180 years, L’Epée may be considered Switzerland’s preeminent maker of high-end mechanical clocks. The company was initially founded in the picturesque French village of Sainte-Suzanne, where its artisans made numerous breakthroughs in mechanical clockmaking (like the “anti-knocking” system) throughout the 20th century.

Despite its vaunted heritage - including an entry in the 1994 Guinness World Records - since 2014, L’Epée has enjoyed a particularly acclaimed association with MB&F. The co-branded Starfleet Machine proved pivotal to steering L’Epée’s current direction: wherein the company focuses on whimsical “horological sculptures,” inspired by eclectic subject matter ranging from animals to science fiction.

Grenade, Time Fast II, T-Rex, The HODINKEE Travel Clock, Starfleet Explorer