MB&F Albatross
A mechanical airship that marks the hour with 32 propellers. L’Épée and MB&F turn the passage of time into a small act of theatre.
Most clocks ask for a glance. The Albatross asks you to wait for something to happen.
Above its exposed mechanism, slender masts carry rows of propellers. Blue lacquer marks the ends of a metal hull; the hours and minutes sit on revolving drums at its centre. It resembles a flying machine drawn before anyone had agreed on what flying machines should look like. Designer Eric Meyer took his cue from Jules Verne, and the reference is unusually well earned: this is an object built around the pleasure of an impossible departure.
A clock with a flight deck
Dimensions are length × width × height. Specifications: MB&F. Price: GPHG’s Albatross entry, checked September 10, 2026; a published reference, not a current delivered quote or confirmation that the Blue edition is available.
You are buying the interval
A basic clock already answers the useful question. The Albatross makes the interval between answers interesting. Its propellers animate on the hour; the chime and motion can be switched independently. Two mechanical movements separate timekeeping and striking from the automaton.
That separation is the heart of the appeal. Time becomes an occasion you can choose to hear, watch or leave quiet. For someone who collects mechanical art, the relevant comparison is another automaton or a sculpture that rewards repeated attention. Comparing it with a wall clock will explain the extravagance, but not the desire.
The visible structure helps. A closed luxury case asks you to trust what is inside. Here the rods, drums and supports are part of what you spend time looking at. Its complexity has a public life in the room.
The Catch
At 17kg and 60cm tall, this needs a planned display position. It is not an ornament to balance on an already crowded shelf. Leave room around the mechanism and ask the maker about handling, service arrangements and insured transport before committing.
Manual winding belongs to the experience. So does dependence on specialist support. A tiny edition is a production fact, not evidence of future resale value; the price should make sense as money spent on enjoyment, without an assumed investment return.
For the collector who still wants to be surprised
We admire the Albatross for giving mechanical skill a playful purpose. Consider it as a major piece of kinetic art after seeing and hearing an example in person. Decline it if you want low-maintenance decoration, practical timekeeping or an asset whose future value can be predicted. Its strongest argument is the moment you stop talking because the propellers have begun to turn.
Researched September 10, 2026. Row & Ledger has not physically tested this product. Official manufacturer photography. Historical and configuration-specific prices are identified above; current availability and delivered costs require confirmation. Product links are not affiliate-tracked.