Made in Switzerland and inspired by the Scandinavian aesthetic, the design studio gives us a new take on clock making, and even the Swiss cuckoo clock.

As some of you might already know, we’ve been all about wooden watchmaking recently. If you’ve missed it, check out the latest issue of Europa Star TIME.KEEPER for a summary of some of the better and more innovative wooden watch brands out there.

Just this week, we’ve come across yet another one: the Søren Henrichsen Design Studio. Established in 2013, the young company blends Swiss precision and Scandinavian designs very well. And you might have guessed as much, since the studio is based in Geneva, and the company’s lead designer Søren Henrichsen has Danish roots.

The brand produces wooden furniture, household accessories and even cardholders. It produces all of its products in-house, usually sourcing wood from local Swiss forests and fine leather from French. Because everything is kept within the neighborhood, as it were, the studio has a strong relationship with local craftsmen and distributors on the ground, yet most of its business is done online.

What really got our attention is their clock making. For the time being, the clock collection includes two models. One is a modern and minimalist take on the cuckoo clock, a Swiss classic. Called the Hansruedi, the handmade clock is available in five colours – red, black, white, oak and ash wood – and it isn’t the stereotypical cuckoo clock you might be familiar with.

It is sober and simple in design, which really demonstrates the Danish design influence. Adding a bit more functionality, the clock (thankfully) also uses a light sensor to mute the sound during the night so as not to disturb sleep.

The second offering is called the Freedom Clock. There has already been a lot written on how the advent of timekeeping has enslaved humanity in one way or another – think the working week we’re so used to today. Without getting into all the philosophical implications, the Freedom Clock provides a way out, kind of.

On the one hand, you get a finely made table clock that retails online for only 189 Swiss francs. When in the mood for some peace and quiet, the clock can be simply flipped over, hiding the time and revealing a beautifully crafted conical wooden room accessory.

That makes the Freedom clock the perfect timekeeper, especially during the weekends when the hours and minutes don’t matter so much. And on that note, it’s also time for me to flip over my proverbial clock until next week.