BALTHAZAR | L'Epée 1839

INTRO

THE DUALITY OF MAN AND MACHINE

Balthazar is a sophisticated and imposing high-precision robot clock displaying jumping hours, retrograde seconds and a 35-day power reserve. But beware . . . there is also a dark side to Balthazar, as there is in all of us.

THE STORY

Inspired by epic sci-fi movies and cartoons, Balthazar is your new robot companion, your childhood dream robot.

Balthazar rotates around the hips 180° like the high-precision machine that he is; Then everything changes: smiling Balthazar becomes a darker terrifying version. The cold hard skull with menacing teeth and deep-set ruby-red eyes, all inspired from the Terminator movies. Its chest contains the moon phase display, which you can adjust manually, providing one of many of Balthazar's tactile pleasures.
In a good or bad mood, Balthazar does more than display horological events as well as rotating around the hips, his arms articulate at both the shoulders and the elbows, and his hands can clasp and hold objects.

Named after Max Büsser's ancestry and family tradition, Balthazar doesn’t just look like an incredibly solid piece of complex high-precision micro-engineering, he is just that: an incredible 618 components go into the construction of his body and clockwork, which are more pieces than in most complicated wristwatches.

“L’Epée 1839 are amazing, a joy to work with,” says MB&F founder Max Büsser. “They always step up to the plate, no matter how original, how challenging the design”.

Needless to say l'Epée 1839 makes no compromises and Balthazar is full of surprises...

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INSIGHTS

Rotate his torso 180 degrees and discover a terrifying Balthazar, along with a dual hemisphere moon phase indicator that should help you anticipate the evolutions of your mood. To quote Darth Vader in Star Wars, "If you only knew the power of the dark side."

Light side: boasting a month-busting 35 days of power reserve, Balthazar's clockwork displays "slow" jumping hours and trailing minutes via two discs on the chest, while the power reserve indicator is located on his belly. This side of Balthazar may be serene, but he is still always on guard: his red eyes, which continually scan the surroundings, are actually 20-second retrograde displays.

Dark side: The absolute nature of Balthazar's darkness is revealed by the cold hard skull with menacing teeth and deep-set ruby-red eyes. But it's not all threat here as Balthazar's chest also contains a moon phase display accurate for 122 years. You can adjust the moon phase manually, providing one of many of Balthazar's tactile pleasures.

Balthazar does more than display horological events: as well as rotating around the hips, his arms articulate at both the shoulders and the elbows, and his hands can clasp and hold objects.

Finally, Balthazar's shield conceals and protects the secret of his awesome power: an integrated clock-winding and time-setting key.

Time display and power reserve

Moonphase displayed on the robot's dark side

Integrated winding & time setting key in the robot's shield

Robot's eyes acting as 20-second retrograde displays

SPECIFICATIONS

EXCLUSIVE LIMITED EDITION

Balthazar is available in Limited editions of 50 pieces per color in black, silver, blue or green armour

Also available in 2 special Limited Editions of 20 pieces: in full gold, and full black versions

DESIGN & DISPLAY

"Slow" jumping hours and sweeping minutes: twin discs on the chest feature MB&F's signature numerals and respectively display hours and minutes.
20-second retrograde second display in eyes: red "pupils" in each eye scan over 20-second intervals and indicate seconds
35-day power reserve indicator: dial on the belly provides intuitive view of remaining energy
Double hemisphere moon phase indicator: phases of the moon are displayed on a disc on the "dark side" chest

618 beautifully finished, micro-engineered components

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT

39.4 cm high x 23.8 cm wide x 12.4 cm (boot size)
Weight: 8.2 kg

MOVEMENT

L’Epée 1839 in-house designed and manufactured movement.
Balance frequency: 18,000 bph / 2.5Hz
Barrels: 5 in series
Incabloc shock protection system
Power reserve: 35 days

MATERIALS & FINISHING

Polished glass dome
Brass and stainless steel
Full Black version: Palladium plating / Full Gold version: Gold plating

CVD colour-treated shoulder pads and forearm: on black, blue, green versions
PVD colour-treated full armour on full black version
Geneva waves (moon phase and power reserve bridges), polishing, sandblasting, circular and vertical satin finishing and starburst decoration

FEATURES

"Slow" jumping hours and sweeping minutes, displayed by twin discs on the chest
20-second retrograde displays in the eyes: red "pupils" in each eye scan over 20-second intervals and indicate seconds
35-days power reserve indicator: dial on the belly provides intuitive view of remaining energy
Double hemisphere moon phase indicator: phases of the moon are displayed on a disc on the "dark side" chest

Action Figure robot with movable arms and fingers, which can hold objects like a pen, a cigar or a wine glass...