Connected tide clock module - an OEM solution for instrument makers
The HMC module (HMC, for Horloge des Marées Connectée - the connected tide clock) is an OEM solution for clock and instrument manufacturers. It lets you offer a connected, self-contained precision tide clock under your own brand, in your own case. The OEM supplier stays behind the scenes - you keep the entire relationship with the end customer.
What the module contains
The HMC module ships as a ready-to-integrate circuit board, available in production runs, carrying:
⚙️ ESP32 processor
A capable microcontroller with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It handles synchronisation, hand position computation and communication with the HMC servers.
🔄 Stepper motor
Drives the analogue hand precisely. Compatible with standard clock mechanisms - no mechanical redesign required on your side.
🔌 USB connector
For initial setup, firmware updates and battery charging. A simple interface, with no special tooling.
🔋 Rechargeable battery
Three to six months of runtime depending on use. The instrument runs without permanent mains power - suited to wall cases and onboard instruments.
What it gives the manufacturer
Connected to the HMC prediction servers, the module computes the exact hand position in real time from the harmonic algorithms of CNES, the French national space agency - the same class of hydrographic model that oceanographic institutes rely on. No manual setting, no drift: the instrument stays accurate for years. You move upmarket and offer a premium precision instrument that stands apart, without building the technology in-house.
Why it is not a conventional tide clock
A mechanical tide clock runs on a fixed lunar interval of roughly 12 hours and 25 minutes. That is an average, not a prediction: real tides shift day by day with the Moon, the Sun and the shape of the coast, so the hand drifts away from the water. The HMC module does not approximate the tide - it computes it, for the specific port your customer chooses, and resynchronises on its own.
We work in partnership with Maison NAUDET, our first industrial partner. A French maker of measuring instruments since 1860, they design and build the horological part of the Connected Tide Clock, case, dial and hand, and assemble the instrument. marees.org supplies the connected module and the forecasting service behind it.
Tide clock manufacturers who would like to explore an OEM integration are welcome to get in touch through the contact form, selecting the Professional / Integrator profile.