Editor’s pick — Accessory quick take: key highlight (movement/specs for watches, materials/finish, limited run, pricing tier) in 1–2 lines.
Maison Alcée is back with something owners have been asking for: a moon-phase module for the Persée, the brand’s signature clock that arrives in pieces and is assembled at home. It must be noted that it’s not a standalone release—you’ll need to already own a Persée to add this on—but it feels like a natural next step for a young brand that’s been building momentum since launching in 2020 with that concept, then picking up the Audacity Prize at the 2023 GPHG.
Mid-assembly.
The Persée itself is built around that hands-on, do-it-yourself experience. It ships disassembled, and it’s up to the owner to put it together, with plenty of support along the way (including a private WhatsApp group). Within that group, one request kept coming up: add a moon phase. Now, it’s here—and, naturally, it’s something owners will get to install themselves.
The kit that the parts come in is just as elegant as the clock itself.
Getting there wasn’t straightforward. Benoît and Alcée Monfort—who we profiled in Volume 13 of Hodinkee Magazine—had to design a module that works across every existing Persée variant (Azur, Nuit, Or, Douce, and Fantôme). It also had to function whether the clock is assembled vertically or horizontally, which is a pretty unusual constraint for a moon phase, and adds a real layer of complexity.
The result is an 18-piece add-on kit, complete with tools, instructions, and video guidance for assembly. Installation requires partially disassembling the original clock, which already consists of 233 components and takes about 6–8 hours to build from scratch.
Nearly all of the components are made in France, where the company is based, and the finishing leans into that same hands-on ethos. The moon is hammered and polished on its convex upper surface, with a satin finish underneath, and each crater is worked by hand. It gives the display a bit more texture and life than you might expect at this scale.
Functionally, the 29.5-day lunar cycle is displayed at the bottom right of the dial, advancing daily around midday. Adjustment is done directly by hand via the ratchet, which is very much in the spirit of the project.
The moon bridge uses the brand’s proprietary gratté finish—a mix of hammered and frosted textures that creates a subtle shimmer—while the ratchet is lacquered and engraved with a gilded constellation of Persée (the father of Alcée in Greek mythology) set against a starry sky. The surrounding track is finished with delicately lacquered moon phase numerals.
If you want extra credit on your assignment, the kit also includes optional Super-LumiNova for the hands and markers—applied by the owner, of course.
We had the pleasure of collaborating with Maison Alcée on a limited-edition release late last year that sold out quickly. If you’re looking for more information on the Persée Fantôme and how it all works, you can find it here.
The moon phase add-on is available now, priced at $2,100 (excluding VAT). For more on Maison Alcée, click here.
Source: www.hodinkee.com — original article published 2026-03-27 21:42:05.
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