L’Epée 1839 stole the show at the recent Watches and Wonders 2026 where they unveiled two mechanical clocks that blurred the line between horology and art.
True to L’Epée 1839’s signature, every component of the Belly Tank Racer and The Gekko serves a purpose, with form shaped by pure function.
The Belly Tank Racer captures the spirit of a golden age of ingenuity, an era defined by rebuilding and bold reinvention as it mimics the land-speed racers built from old airplane fuel tanks.
Designer Eric Meyer stripped away the excess, leaving a low, teardrop aluminum body that looks fast even when sitting still.
Time displays on transparent rotating discs wrapping around the body like racing graphics.
Look closely, and you will see every gear moving inside.
The clock’s beating heart − the escapement − sits right up front in the nose cone.
Beside it sits a tiny, sculpted V6 engine.
The best part is how it winds.
All one needs to do is simply pull the car backward across the desk.
The rubber tyres turn, winding the eight-day power reserve just like a childhood toy.
The clock comes in blue, green, grey, red or black.
If the world of motorsports does not appeal to you, then let the natural world change your mind.
The Gekko features a delicate, openworked skeleton movement that you can set on a shelf or mount directly to the wall.
Through the vision of designer Marie Siebenborn, L’Epée 1839 transforms this humble companion into a refined horological object – both whimsical and sculptural, yet deeply symbolic.
True to its organic inspiration, the mechanical lizard clock uses its tail for power.
Shifting the articulated tail from side to side winds the mechanism.
The craftsmanship here is masterful; artisans finish every limb by hand, mixing sand-blasted matte sections with mirror-polished edges to catch the light.
You can find it in gold-plated, black-and-silver or champagne finishes.
Both creations are limited to 99 pieces per style.
