Collecting is a thrilling adventure. What usually starts as a casual interest, maybe sparked by an intriguing object shown by a friend or discovered by chance, often unwinds in a long journey fueled by passion and built on study, research and exciting discoveries. The watch collector is especially lucky since, over decades and centuries, the art of horology has taken on countless different forms.
Wristwatches, pocket watches and clocks all embody the human quest for accurate timekeeping. Still, these objects transcend the bare necessity of knowing the hour precisely - they often are wonders of craftsmanship in full right.
Would they still fascinate us otherwise, now that a clock more accurate than anything else sits comfortably in our pocket in the form of a smartphone? Most likely, not. And yet, most enthusiasts seem to overlook one very important kind of timepieces.
Wristwatches and (in a minor measure) pocket watches find their spot in collections all over the planet, but what about table clocks? If you think they only belong on the mantlepiece of a spooky Victorian manor we can see your point, but let us (try to) change your mind.
Despite the image of overdone baroque decorations and usually paired with them, table clocks can be much more than that: up until the Seventies, actually, you’d find one on any desk or bookshelf in homes and offices alike - and they naturally had to match the style of the room and owner.
This means that the elegant geometries of Art Deco, the straight-forward minimalism of Mid-Century Modern or the futuristic sinuous lines of Space Age all have a table clock iteration.
Moreover, the generous size of most clocks offered their makers a canvas way larger than the tiny dial of a wristwatch; this often resulted in decorations that simply wouldn’t fit elsewhere and make such pieces immensely attractive.
In short, no matter what style or design era you like, there will always be a clock that meets your preference - a tasteful addition to your collection and one that brings an unexpected accent to your home: shall we take a tour of those we selected at Momentum?
Asprey “Chinoiserie” Bodoir Clock
Based in London, Asprey is renowned for being one of the finest jewellers in the world. It should come as no surprise, then, that their impeccable taste in precious objects and decorative arts also came together in table clocks.
The dial on this particular piece depicts a Chinese garden at night, with the thoughtful detail of a pearl representing the moon and finely depicted greenery.
The silvered hour disc stands clear and readable against the deep-lacquered background, but only unveils to those who open the decorated hinged doors. Buy here.
Kienzle World Timer Clock
It’s not hard to picture the first owner of this one: in a time when real-time communication was only possible via phone, a serious businessman needed a world timer clock to handle his calls.
The hour and minute hands display home time, while the revolving disc visible through an aperture at the bottom of the dial allows to glance at any other time zone before picking up the phone.
Whether you make calls around the globe daily or just love a testimony of the Jet-Set era, this clock has a place in your collection. Buy it here.
Eight Days Luxor Desk Clock
This Luxor desk clock comes all the way from 1947, and it boasts a timeless aesthetic built around a clean dial and a minimal yet decorative ribbed case profile.
A quick look at the dial reveals the “8 Days” print right below the hands: this clock is, indeed, powered by a manual movement with an impressive eight days power reserve, like some of the most coveted Cartier wristwatches in history.
To make things even more appealing for the seasoned collector, it also comes complete with its original box and warranty papers, something extremely rare for a watch of this kind and age. Buy here.
LeCoultre Lapis Dial Clock
If you enjoy minimal design but find the Luxor clock a little plain, don’t worry: we still have you covered.
The case of this stunning piece from LeCoultre is clean and geometric, but the dial is something else entirely. A deep, sparkling hue of blue is the clear tell-tale we’re looking at lapislazuli-like finishing - let alone on desk clocks!
The trained eye will also spot an “Eight” on the dial: just like the Luxor, this clock has an eight days power reserve. Buy it here.
If these four clocks have sparked your interest, you might as well check out the full selection available in our shop: we have several more available, each special in its own way. Has the time come to broaden your collection?
