Maison et Objet | The Ultimate Time Machines

Time Machine TM1 by Florian Schlumpf Time Machines.

Maison et Objet hasn’t limited itself to tableware and furniture. Instead the design fair has opened its doors to a host of possibilities for living and gathering spaces. Enter timepieces and the way in which we use them and/or store them.

Florian Schlumpf Time Machines

And then some are just simply gargantuan. Take for instance some of the most recent work rendered for the public. Time Machines received a commission for Detski Mir Shopping Mall in Russia where they constructed one of the biggest clocks in the world. For Baselworld, they erected a huge four quadrant structure in the center of one of the exhibiting halls. Both of these colossal undertakings marked a brilliant 2015 for Time Machines. So, naturally, the only direction left is up.

Here at M&O the time machines in question are a bit more discreet, taking up only a fraction of the kind of real estate necessary to house those aforementioned giants. In their display, one finds four different incarnations of time machines, each ticking effortlessly. A common design theme here is the use of a long pendulum that effortlessly drips down a facade of clock faces. With the stainless steel pendulum rocking barely above a steel or aluminium base, each clock face has its own identity: big for a minute hand, smaller for a second hand and larger even still for the hour. 

Stockinger

How does it work? Specific data for each watch is downloaded to the cabinet to keep precise winding times on schedule. The German brand manufactures the unique cabinets locally in Germany, shipping worldwide to connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.

The cabinets range in look from smoked oak to brushed metal. Various takes on wood such as a fiery rosewood give the cabinets a traditional luxurious look, while incarnations like the apple green lacquer give it a modern sense of urban chic. Whatever the case, the cabinets have proven to be scene stealers at M&O.

Other gems from the Stockinger catalog include multipurpose safes that house wine collections in conjunction with timepieces and other essentials of a luxury lifestyle.

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