“A new jewel of fine watchmaking.” These are the glowing terms in which LVMH’s press release dated Tuesday describes the L’Épée 1839 brand, now owned by the world’s number one luxury goods company. For the clock manufacturer, founded in 1839 in Sainte-Suzanne, near Montbéliard, this is undoubtedly a form of coronation; Bernard Arnault, as rich as he is, is not in the habit of wasting his money by betting on second-rate brands.
It is true that for several years, L’Épée had been sparkling brightly in the watchmaking galaxy. A radiance due to the vision of one man, Arnaud Nicolas. When he took over the reins of the house, relocated to Delémont, he immediately propelled it into a new dimension. More modern than the slightly dusty pioneering officer’s clock. L’Épée broke free from the straitjacket of the traditional clock by taking other paths, including that of the air with this clock plane. Photo Dr The Orb model embodied another variation of the timepiece according to the house. Photo Dr TriPod: on the borders of reality, on the limits of possibility. Photo Dr A revolver designed to kill time… the time of a collaboration between The Unnamed Society and L’Épée. Photo Dr Fusion of two universes and two areas of expertise with the Starfleet Explorer, the fruit of the collaboration between MB & F and L’Épée. Photo Dr. Another delirium in the form of this singular Medusa. Photo Dr. Moon objective, with this The Sword in the shape of a rocket. Photo Dr. The 5e element. Breathtaking! Photo Dr A cylinder from the mists of time. It’s like being at Barjavel’s. Photo Dr The Octopod, the mechanical octopus that devours time and spreads its tentacles. Photo Dr What a long way L’Épée has come with its traditional clocks built in Sainte-Suzanne in the last century. Photo Francis Reinoso
The in-house novelties have seduced, leading to some nice collaborations, both with MB&F and with The Unnamed Society. At the last Grand Prix d’horlogerie de Genève, L’Épée won the prize in the mechanical clocks category.
It is therefore now under the flamboyant LVMH banner, alongside the watchmaking flagships of Zenith, Hublot and TAG Heuer that L’Épée will draw out its new kind of clocks.
