The Oak used in this clock originally served as flooring and walls of French Railway Wagons hauling goods for the SNCF (Société nationale des chemins de fer français). These wagons are up to 80years old and are nearly all now decommissioned and replaced with less romantic steel versions. When we first get our hands on the Oak boards they are coated with decades of soot from the old steam trains that hauled them. Hiding under that soot lays an incredible timber full of characterful burls, knots and cracks. Time has allowed the soot to seep into the cracks and holes beautifully highlighting them in jet black. The larger blackened holes in some of the pieces were created when red hot rivets were forced through the timber to join them to the steel frames of the wagons. This process was used in the days before mechanical drills were portable or practical enough to do the job. The charred edges of these holes are a fantastic feature that really helps to describe their past.

The clock is framed within a gloss white powder coated aluminium frame. The clean geometry of the folded metal contrasts beautifully with the mottled unpredictable surface of the timber. The gloss finish helps to accentuate the character of the reclaimed French Oak. We inlay hand machined and polished solid brass inserts to denote 12 and 6 o’clock. The clock uses a continuous motion Quartz mechanism that has a smooth and silent movement. Each clock is unique and will differ from the picture due to the nature of the reclaimed timber. However, all the timber has the same origin so you can be assured it will retain the same character. It’s a real privilege to work with timber with such an amazing story and a real joy to give it new meaning and a new life. We love this French Oak Clock and we hope you do too : )