Piecé Unique
Melchior 'Only Watch' is a unique robot table-clock commemorating MB&F's 10th anniversary under the theme "A creative adult is a child who survived". Melchior is the robot buddy a child would love to have as his best friend. But Melchior is also a unique high-end table clock featuring jumping hours, sweeping minutes, double retrograde seconds and a 40-day power reserve.
Conceived by MB&F and crafted by L'Epée 1839 Switzerland's only specialised high-end clock manufacture Melchior is a hymn to childhood dreams.
The case is done in palladium-plated brass, stainless steel, red anodized aluminum and polished glass. Dimension are: 30.3cm x 21.7cm (depending on the position of the arms) x 11.2cm. It weighs 6.3kg.
Movement is an in-house l'Epée mechanical caliber with 50 jewels and five barrels. Jumping hours and sweeping minutes: Twin discs forming part of Melchior's breast plate, one disc displaying hours, the other disc minutes, both featuring MB&F's signature numerals. Bi-retrograde seconds: Flyback discs mark 20-second intervals behind a steel mask. Power reserve indicator: Dial on abdomen providing intuitive view of remaining energy (40 days of power reserve).
The left forearm (Gatling gun) is a detachable winding key.
Maximilian Büsser developed the concept with designer Xin Wang. Hours and minutes are displayed via discs on Melchior's chest while a dial on his abdomen indicates the exceptionally-long power reserve: 40 days, thanks to five mainspring barrels.
A combination of fixed vents and revolving discs gives the impression that Melchior is blinking his eyes, endowing the robot with a hint of human-like personality. Further animation is provided by the regulator, its gentle beating made visible thanks to its polished glass dome cover. The regulator symbolizes Melchior's brain at work; just as the brain governs the body, the regulator governs the clock's remarkable precision.
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