Maison Alcée x MB&F Nostromo

A mechanical clock from another world, designed to be built by hand

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the M.A.D.Gallery, Maison Alcée and MB&F have created Nostromo, a mechanical clock designed to be assembled by hand, produced in a limited edition of just 50 pieces.

This creation was born from the convergence of Maison Alcée’s educational approach and MB&F’s offbeat mechanical universe. Designed by Maximilian Maertens, a designer at MB&F, then developed and manufactured by Maison Alcée, Nostromo takes the form of a strange extraterrestrial creature resting on three organic legs.

Its name is a direct reference to the Nostromo, the spaceship from the first Alien film, while its architecture draws inspiration from the biomechanical universe of H.R. Giger.

A true watchmaking experience

Nostromo is not delivered as a finished clock: its owner is invited to build it.

The kit includes 222 components as well as the necessary assembly tools. Gears, wheels, pinions, and the mechanical structure are gradually put into place to give rise to a true mechanical clock.

The project was designed to be accessible to watch enthusiasts without professional training. Assembly takes approximately ten hours, with only the regulating mechanism supplied pre-assembled.

A richly illustrated 250-page manual guides you through each step. QR codes also provide access to supplementary video content dedicated to the unique features of Nostromo.

The value of this project thus extends far beyond the finished object: its owner gains a hands-on understanding of how a mechanical movement works by participating in its construction.

14-day power reserve and a mechanical alarm

The movement’s design is based on the architecture of a watch caliber, but on a scale that makes it much easier to observe its inner workings.

It displays the hours, minutes, and seconds and also features an alarm function that can be turned on or off.

Its generous 14-day power reserve allows Nostromo to run for two weeks after being wound.

An extraterrestrial design by MB&F

Maximilian Maertens has profoundly transformed the traditional architecture of the Maison Alcée clock. The movement is positioned horizontally and rests on three organically shaped legs, giving Nostromo the appearance of a small mechanical creature.

The body can rotate on its legs, while the dial faces upward to make it easier to read the time.

The largely open construction allows the gear train and mechanics to be viewed from multiple angles. The dial, composed of several elements, features the peacock blue characteristic of the M.A.D.Gallery, paired here with blackened hands that enhance the contrast.

316 stainless steel, brass, and nickel silver make up a mechanical architecture that deliberately blurs the line between watchmaking, kinetic sculpture, and art object.

Maison Alcée x MB&F: Watchmaking to Experience from the Inside

Founded in 2021 by Alcée and Benoît Montfort, Maison Alcée offers a unique approach to watchmaking: allowing the owner to participate directly in the creation of their mechanical timepiece.

Following Persée—whose concept helped put the brand on the map and earned it the Prix de l’Audace at the 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève—Nostromo takes this philosophy into a radically different aesthetic realm.

This collaboration with MB&F transforms the process of learning watchmaking mechanics into a creative and personal experience.

Limited to 50 pieces, Maison Alcée x MB&F Nostromo celebrates the 15th anniversary of the M.A.D.Gallery in its own way: not simply by watching a machine operate, but by understanding how it comes to life through building it oneself.