TIMEBURNER. Making Time Visible.
Experience Mechanical Watchmaking.

The Timeburner is a nostalgic tribute to the earliest internal combustion engines—a celebration of noise, grease, chrome, and the men and women who created and mastered these remarkable machines. This extraordinary timepiece was born from the collaboration between kinetic artist Miki Eleta and independent watchmaker Marc Jenni. Eleta conceived the original idea and built a working prototype, while Marc Jenni contributed his expertise in mechanical watch construction, developing and producing the final production models.

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The inspiration for the Timeburner originated from Eleta's lifelong fascination with mechanical systems, particularly his memories of a two-cylinder BMW boxer engine from the 1950s. The distinctive sound of the engine and the experience of maintaining and restoring it shaped his understanding of movement and mechanics. From this fascination emerged the idea of translating the operating principle of an internal combustion engine into the display of time, creating a mechanical sculpture for the wrist.

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The Timeburner follows the same principle of energy conversion found in a combustion engine. Winding the watch via the spark plug-inspired crown stores mechanical energy inside the movement. A modified hand-wound calibre drives a crankshaft and piston that travels along a deliberately non-linear minute scale. The piston replaces the traditional minute hand, while the hours are displayed on a rotating disc positioned at the bottom of the dial.

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At its heart is a Unitas 6497-1 hand-wound movement, extensively modified by Marc Jenni. The original minute mechanism was transformed into a camshaft that drives an aluminium piston through a connecting rod. Because the piston naturally slows at each end of its stroke and moves faster through the centre, the minute scale becomes characteristically non-linear. The entire mechanism remains intentionally visible, making the movement itself an integral part of telling the time. Every movement is engraved with "powered by Marc Jenni", highlighting his engineering and watchmaking contribution to the project.

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The Timeburner combines kinetic art, historic engine technology, and independent Swiss watchmaking into a truly exceptional mechanical timepiece. Its industrial, steampunk-inspired design, visible mechanics, and unconventional time display make it a compelling creation for enthusiasts of engineering, mechanics, and independent watchmaking. The three editions—Silverlight, Chrome-Rider, and All-Black—are each limited to 99 pieces, transforming every watch into a mechanical tribute to the fascination of motion and the passion of those who bring complex mechanics to life.