Inside the movement
The beating heart of every clock
Behind each dial lies a mechanism of brass and steel, made of hundreds of parts working in perfect harmony. Here is how it works, and who brings it to life.
Three-train chiming movementHow a mechanical clock works
A mechanical clock turns a simple force, gravity, into perfectly measured time. Four elements work together, second after second.
- 01The energyBrass weights, raised when you wind the clock, slowly descend on their chains or cables. Their pull is the only power the clock needs: no batteries, no electricity.
- 02The gear trainBetween two solid brass plates, a train of precisely cut wheels and pinions transmits that energy and turns the hands at exactly the right speed.
- 03The escapement & pendulumThe pendulum swings at a constant rhythm. With every swing, the escapement releases the gears by a single tooth: the steady tick-tock that keeps the time.
- 04The chimeA pinned barrel lifts a row of hammers in sequence. They strike tuned rods or tubes to play the melody each quarter hour, then count the hours.
Precision brass movementBuilt to be handed down
A good movement is not made to last a few years, but generations. The brass plates are thick and finely finished, the wheels are cut with precision, and every pivot turns smoothly to keep wear to a minimum.
With a little care, regular winding and occasional servicing, a mechanical clock keeps running, ticking and chiming for decades, and becomes part of the family story.
The people behind our clocks
The craftsmen we work with
Since 1945, clockmaking has been a family affair. Today we work hand in hand with experienced professionals who share the same standards.
Movement makers
Specialists in mechanical movements who cut the wheels, assemble the brass plates and fit the escapement and chime, part by part.
Cabinetmakers
Woodworkers who shape, assemble and finish each case: carved hoods, turned columns, fine veneers and inlays, polished by hand.
Our clockmakers
They regulate each pendulum, check the timekeeping and the chime, then prepare the clock for a safe journey to your home.
Chronicle Horlogerie
Since 1945
Our story
A craft handed down from generation to generation
Clockmaking has been part of our family since 1945. Long before Chronicle had a name, it lived in our workshops and living rooms: in the patient gestures of those who wound, repaired and cared for clocks, and in the know-how passed quietly from parents to children.
Chronicle Horlogerie was born from that heritage. Today we choose every clock for the same things that have always mattered to us: noble materials, honest craftsmanship and a movement worth listening to. Pieces made to be wound, admired and, one day, handed down in turn.