Read more about The Gekko

The Story

Thanks to millions of microscopic hairs on its toe pads, the animal can grip even the smoothest surfaces, defying gravity with remarkable precision. Inspired by this natural agility, The Gekko by L'Epée 1839 can be mounted on a wall or placed on a table, allowing time to be read either as a wall clock or a table clock. Both timepiece and artistic object, The Gekko inhabits its surroundings like a living sculpture, bringing quiet mechanical life to the space it occupies. 
Once mounted on the wall, The Gekko reveals a new dimension of versatility. Thanks to its attachment system, the piece can be fixed in 11 different positions, allowing the creature to adopt a variety of orientations. Like a living gecko choosing its place on a surface, it can be arranged to climb, stretch, or rest—up, down, or sideways—each position offering a new perspective on the sculpture. In a clever extension of this adaptability, the dial features a rotating ring that can be adjusted to match the chosen orientation of the Gekko, repositioning the hour markers to ensure optimal legibility of time from any angle. In this way, the object adapts not only to its environment, but also to the vision of its owner.
Time is displayed on an open dial set upon the creature’s back, where two hands indicate the hours and minutes. Extending beyond the central ring, a delicate metal structure unfolds across the dial, its openworked design evoking the organic texture of the gekko’s skin. Light flows freely through the airy architecture, giving the dial both depth and lightness while echoing the intricate patterns found on the lizard’s body. Integrated seamlessly into the sculpture, the dial feels like a natural extension of the creature itself. 

At the heart of the creation lies a playful and poetic feature: the clock is wound by shifting its tail from side to side. In nature, the gekko’s tail serves as both a reserve of energy and a means of survival—capable of detaching in moments of danger before eventually regenerating. Here, the tail becomes the source of the timepiece’s vitality. Winding it stores the energy that sets the movement in motion, powering the slow and steady passage of time. Time itself is set beneath the clock using a dedicated key. As the movement unwinds, the stored energy is gradually released—echoing the natural cycle of loss, renewal, and continuity. 
The experience of winding and setting the time become more than simple mechanical actions; they form a quiet ritual through which the owner revives the creature, and connect with it. 
As time often feels like calm moments punctuated by sudden leaps, marked by deadlines, special events, turning points, from our busy daily lives, the gekko often appears perfectly still, resting quietly against a wall—yet always ready to move.

This same philosophy lives within The Gekko by L’Epée 1839. The sculpture seems calm and composed, while inside an openworked movement reveals the intricate inner architecture of the mechanism. Like a living anatomy, the gears remain fully visible, bringing the creature’s mechanical life to the surface. At the head, the escapement - positioned like the gekko’s mind—sets the rhythm of time, echoing the animal’s quiet vigilance.
Great care has been devoted to the finishing of the creature’s body, legs, and tail, each element meticulously crafted and finished by hand. In-house techniques such as anglage, mirror polishing, satin finishing, circular satin finishing, sand-blasting, and polishing bring depth and contrast to the surfaces. By playing with light across every curve and facet, the finishes reveal the sculptural character of the piece, allowing reflections and shadows to animate the gekko’s form—much like light gliding across the skin of that fascinating living animal.
 

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