Maison Alcée x MB&F Nostromo: An Alien-Like Mechanical Creation

A 50-piece limited edition transforms Maison Alcée’s watchmaker-at-home concept into an unconventional mechanical table clock designed by MB&F’s Maximilian Maertens.

Maison Alcée and MB&F have joined forces to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the M.A.D.Gallery with the Nostromo, a mechanical table clock that combines traditional watchmaking craftsmanship with an unusual, almost extraterrestrial design. Limited to just 50 pieces, the Nostromo takes Maison Alcée’s philosophy of allowing collectors to assemble their own mechanical clocks and gives it a distinctly MB&F interpretation.

Rather than being delivered as a finished object, the Nostromo is designed to be assembled by its owner. The experience transforms the clock from something simply purchased into something actively created, bringing the collector closer to the mechanics and craftsmanship behind the finished piece.

From Maison Alcée’s Persée to the Nostromo

Founded in 2021 by Alcée and Benoît Montfort, Maison Alcée was created around the idea of making the process of mechanical watchmaking accessible to enthusiasts. Its first creation, the Persée, is supplied as a complete kit containing 233 components, professional tools and a beautifully illustrated 250-page book explaining the assembly process step by step.

Additional video explanations are available through QR codes, while owners can also receive support through a private discussion group. Some of the supplied tools were specifically developed for enthusiasts, including components made from beryllium copper to reduce the risk of scratching delicate parts.

The philosophy is deliberately more ambitious than simply offering a construction kit. Maison Alcée wants the owner to experience the concentration, patience and satisfaction associated with creating a mechanical object from its individual components. The Nostromo continues this approach while introducing a completely new visual identity.

An Alien-Inspired Design by MB&F

The Nostromo was designed by Maximilian Maertens, MB&F’s Creative Designer, who reinterpreted the Maison Alcée architecture as an alien-like mechanical creature. The design draws naturally from MB&F’s long-standing fascination with extraterrestrial forms, science fiction and unconventional mechanical objects.

The clock has effectively been turned on its side and fitted with three organic-looking feet, giving the finished creation a distinctly creature-like appearance. Once assembled, it can also be rotated on these feet, introducing an additional element of interaction and play.

The inspiration extends to the name itself. Nostromo is the name of the spaceship featured in the first Alien film, while Maertens has also cited the work of H.R. Giger as an important influence behind the visual direction of the clock.

The result is very different from a traditional mechanical table clock. Instead of hiding its mechanical nature behind a conventional case, the Nostromo embraces its gears, bridges and structural elements as part of the design.

A Mechanical Experience, Not Just a Clock

One of the most interesting aspects of the Nostromo is that the owner is expected to participate in its creation. The movement is based on wristwatch mechanics, enlarged and adapted for use in a table clock, while the general assembly of the gears, wheels and pinions remains similar to Maison Alcée’s Persée.

The regulating organ is supplied pre-assembled, but the remaining components are intended to be assembled by the owner. Maison Alcée estimates that the complete process takes approximately 10 hours, making the Nostromo a substantial but approachable horological project.

Keeping the assembly accessible was particularly important during the redesign. Creating something for professional watchmakers would have allowed far greater freedom, but the Nostromo had to remain suitable for enthusiasts and newcomers who may have no previous experience assembling a mechanical movement.

That balance between complexity and accessibility is arguably what makes the project so interesting: the finished clock is sophisticated enough to appeal to collectors of high horology, while the process itself is designed to be understood and enjoyed by the person building it.

The Dial Opens Up the Movement

The visual transformation from Persée to Nostromo goes beyond the shape of the case. The original complete circular dial has been separated into individual sections, creating openings through which the movement and its gears become much more visible.

The dial elements are finished in the distinctive peacock blue associated with the M.A.D.Gallery, a colour also used for the decorative wall orb found in MB&F retail spaces. Against this backdrop, the black hands provide additional contrast and improve the readability of the time display.

The time indication has also been angled upwards, allowing the owner to read the hours, minutes and seconds more easily when looking at the clock from above.

The Nostromo also features an hour chime that can be activated or disabled, adding an audible dimension to the experience. Its movement provides a remarkable 14-day power reserve, meaning that the clock can continue running for two weeks before requiring another winding.

A Combination of Stainless Steel, Brass and German Silver

The Nostromo measures 160 mm in width, 135 mm in depth and 123 mm in height, while weighing 760 grams. Its construction combines 316 stainless steel, brass and German silver, with these materials contributing both to the structure and to the visual character of the clock.

Brass is used for the gears, while the base plate, dial, axles, gears and base incorporate 316 stainless steel. Nickel silver is used for the bushes, with stainless-steel spacers completing the construction.

The exposed architecture means that these materials are not simply functional elements hidden from view. They become part of the aesthetic, reinforcing the mechanical and industrial character of the Nostromo.

Created for the M.A.D.Gallery’s 15th Anniversary

The collaboration has a particularly fitting connection to the M.A.D.Gallery. The gallery was one of the first to support Maison Alcée’s concept, recognising the natural relationship between its focus on mechanical art, creativity, play and community and Maison Alcée’s approach to horological assembly.

The Nostromo has been created specifically as part of the celebrations marking the M.A.D.Gallery’s 15th anniversary in 2026. The gallery began its story in Geneva before expanding to Dubai, while smaller MB&F Labs have since opened in Taipei, Singapore, Paris, Beverly Hills and Menlo Park in Silicon Valley. More recently, New York joined the network with an MB&F Lounge in Manhattan.

The anniversary programme includes a series of special mechanical creations from artists connected with the M.A.D.Gallery, making the Nostromo part of a wider celebration of mechanical art rather than simply a standalone collaboration.

The Maison Alcée Philosophy

At the heart of the Nostromo is a philosophy that differs from the traditional luxury-watch model. Maison Alcée argues that contemporary luxury can also be experienced through the act of creation: taking time, learning a mechanical process and ultimately producing an object with your own hands.

That philosophy has already received recognition from the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, where Maison Alcée received the Audacity Prize in 2023. The Nostromo continues the same idea, but with the added creative influence of MB&F.

The collaboration therefore brings together two complementary approaches. Maison Alcée provides the mechanical foundation and educational experience, while MB&F introduces the imaginative design language that transforms the clock into something closer to a piece of mechanical sculpture.

Limited to 50 Pieces

The Maison Alcée x MB&F Nostromo will be produced in a limited edition of just 50 pieces. Each example is accompanied by a dedicated 250-page book and instruction manual, with additional video content accessible through QR codes to explain the specificities of the Nostromo assembly.

Priced at CHF 12,000 excluding VAT, the Nostromo occupies an unusual position between mechanical clock, horological project and interactive work of art.

More than a conventional timekeeper, it is an object designed to be experienced. From the moment the box is opened to the final assembly and subsequent interaction with its alien-like form, the Nostromo turns mechanical watchmaking into something the owner actively participates in.

By combining Maison Alcée’s philosophy with Maximilian Maertens’ imaginative design for MB&F, the Nostromo becomes a fitting celebration of the M.A.D.Gallery’s 15 years of exploring the relationship between mechanics, art and play.

Technical Specifications

For more information, please visit the official Maison Alcée and MB&F websites.

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