Created by the horological artisans of Switzerland’s Jaquet Droz, this analog clock is a true thing of wonder. La Machine à Ecrire le Temps (The Machine that Writes the Time) took thousands of hours of hand and machine craftsmanship over nearly a decade to build.

The clock uses over 1200 mechanical components to work its magic including 84 ball bearings, 50 cames and 9 belts. Crafted primarily from metal, the unusual clock is hand-wound and then activated by a single touch.

And if you don’t believe how truly amazing this mechanical contraption is, check out this video of the clock in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

And now that they know how to make one, they’d be happy to create one (of a limited edition of 28) for the low, low price of 400,000 Swiss Francs (appx. $351,000 USD). So mortgage the house, pawn the Bentley, sell some internal organs on the black market, and place your order now.

[Jaquet Droz via BornRich via The Awesomer]

This design marks the 80th anniversary of Atmos clocks by the Swiss maker Jaeger LeCoultre (try spelling that 10 times really fast!) Now bear with me while I explain how it works, because it’s a little science-y. The power source is a capsule that contains gas and ethyl chloride. When the temperature rises, the gas/chloride mix expands and compresses a spiral spring, whereas when the temperature falls, the gas condenses and loosens up the spring. Somehow that equals a constant winding of the clock, so no human intervention is necessary.

The original Atmos clocks also relied on this temperature change-o presto gimmick, but using different variations on the chemical reaction (like the one shown below, which showcases a rather unfortunately placed cable.)

For the Atmos 561, you only need a change of 1 degree Celsius to get 2 days worth of winding power. Ergo, I’d like to do an experiment where I move it from fireplace to freezer a bunch of times and see if I can get it wound so tightly it explodes. Is that so wrong?

[via The Watchismo Times]

The artist is currently selling a limited-edition series called “Treasure Island”, which feature a vivid scene of tropical waves, islands and even a detailed skull if you look close enough.

While I love the pirate theme, I have to say this earlier “Molten Stone” faceplate really knocked my socks off. It looks like a hot lava flow busting through a slab of rock.

While the Molten Stone one isn’t for sale, you can find one of the Treasure Island faceplates on the artist’s Etsy shop ($120), but since each one is handmade, you might have to wait a little while if the current listing sells.

Luxury Swiss watch maker Hublot has revealed to our friends over at WatchLuxus that they’ll be setting up an impressive virtual shop on Second Life a little later this month. You’ll be able to immerse yourself in the upscale environs of the Hublot Island store, complete with elegant contemporary interior design, fancy landscaping, bars to hang out in and even a place to dock your imaginary yacht.

You’ll be able to peruse the collection of Hublot’s elegant high-tech and traditional watches and let your avatar accessorize with them. The Hublot virtual store will open its doors on September 12th. I’m not sure how many virtual bucks their timepieces will cost, but given the fancy digs, I’m sure that you’ll have to save up a few Lindens. But your virtual friends will certainly be impressed.

[via WatchLuxus]

The Urwork 103.08 not only has a unique dial and case design that looks like something Master Chief might don, it’s coated with Titanium Aluminum Nitride (a.k.a. “TiAlN”), meaning it might actually survive some plasma rifle blasts too. Even a 4-micron thin layer of TiAlN coating is enough to significantly strengthen the underlying steel and protect it from scratches, shocks, aging and even damage from chemicals.

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but judging by the $89,000+ retail prices on other watches in the Urwerk 103 series, I’d expect to drop a few months mortgage payments when it is released.

[via WatchLuxus]

The appropriately named Big Bang 44mm All Black Carat watch may have traditional analog dials, but its design is anything but conservative. Featuring an all black face with all black dials, it’s just too cool for words.

The self-winding chronograph is made using incredibly high-end parts, including a ceramic case made from the same materials used in Formula 1 race cars. A precision Swiss movement made from 252 individual components means you’ll never drop a second of time.

Oh yeah, you might not notice them at first, but those little trapezoids gracing the watch’s 18-carat white gold bezel are actually 48 individual black diamonds, totaling 2.8 carats in weight. With a street price of around $47,000, it’s out of reach for us mere mortals. For the rest of us, we’ll just look and drool.

[via Watchluxus]