Nestled on the eastern border of France, closer to Geneva than Paris, the commune of Morbier seems an unlikely place for a horological cottage industry. Thanks to an abundance of raw materials and a combination of skilled blacksmiths and agricultural laborers who needed employment in the winter, a market developed among people who needed inexpensive, dependable clocks that could be repaired locally. Out of this perfect storm rose the morbier clock, an interesting contrast to the finely crafted, often elaborate clocks for which France is known.

In this guide Lawrence Seymour brings...