H. Moser & Cie. has always been synonymous with no-compromise quality and exalted finishing. Its founder Heinrich Moser (1805 – 1874) had an interesting and highly successful career. His life was a rich tapestry of events, challenges, personal influence and, most notably, commercial successes. It is a reputation precious to the company and its current owners. In late 2012 H. Moser & Cie. received investments and invaluable experience from the Meylan family through MELB Holding and was joined by CEO Edouard Meylan in April 2013. Since this time, the company has embarked on a journey of innovative products and fresh ideas, whilst taking care not to lose the essence of what makes H. Moser watches truly special and very rare. Edouard Meylan is an entrepreneur, in common with the company founder, Heinrich Moser. Today, H. Moser & Cie. is supported by Roger Nicholas Balsiger, Heinrich Moser’s great -grandson, as Honorary Chairman. The industrial and commercial development of the Schaffhausen region was close to the heart of Heinrich Moser, and H. Moser & Cie plans to continue this support of the local community for generations to come. Nowadays H. Moser & Cie. produces approximately 1000 watches and 1000 movements in-house each year and is the antithesis of mass production. Their watches are very rare. Heinrich Moser’s entrepreneurial spirit is celebrated with the new Venturer Collection of watches, for which the company has just revealed a new movement with a small seconds function, the HMC 327. The in-house caliber was developed specifically for the new Venturer Small Seconds. State-of-the art technology is delivered in the form of a silicon lever with ruby pallets and a silicon escape wheel. H. Moser & Cie. is not afraid to embrace innovation when it delivers benefits to its customers. Silicon is anti-magnetic and confers low-friction; benefits which cannot be ignored. The in-house Straumann Hairspring^® features a hand-applied Breguet overcoil, enhancing isochronism. The balance wheel includes gold screws facilitating precise poising of the balance. Clearly, designing and producing an escapement requires mastery of the whole balance spring production process – from casting the metal right through to completing the finished spring. Together with its associate company Precision Engineering AG, H. Moser & Cie. developed the Straumann Hairspring^® based on the formula used by the inventor of Nivarox, Prof. Dr. h.c. Reinhard Straumann. This ensures the necessary homogeneity of the material.

 

Pure understatement

Conversely, traditions are respected and beauty is not restricted to merely the exterior of H. Moser watches. The small gap between the two large bridges of the movement allows an enticing view of the circular -grained wheels below and proffers a charming insight into the watchmaker’s doma in. A power-reserve indicator, located on the movement side of the timepiece, provides a restrained insight into the status of the mainspring, which yields a minimum power reserve of three days. In keeping with the H. Moser design philosophy of pure understatement, the functionality of the power-reserve indicator is provided but without corrupting the pure appearance of the main dial. Drawing from the tradition of H. Moser pocket-watch movements produced since 1828, a minimum of engraving is displayed, including the H. Moser company hallmark, expertly engraved in gold.

 

The Venturer Collection is infused with design elements from traditional pocket watches but also with a clever mix of cues from the Bauhaus era of the 1920s and convex forms of the 1960s. This includes a larger bezel opening, revealing the extremely restrained and elegant H. Moser signature fumé dial. In keeping with the clean lines of the crystal, bezel and case, the dial surface has a convex profile and the hands follow this contour, according a delightful depth to their form and an attention to detail that grows on closer inspection. The baton design and the curved edge of the swallow-shaped hands are long and slim, expressing a dynamic character. Refined lines are a key attribute in the design language of the new Venturer Collection. The choice of three 18-carat red gold models, includes an ardoise or a sensual argenté dial, as well as the unusual, and highly attractive, new signature dial in red gold fumé.

 

 

One of the most innovative yet user-friendly complications ever produced

 

Belonging to the few perpetual calendars that may be adjusted forward and back at any time of day, the Perpetual Calendar Black Edition is the first in a series of developments from H. Moser & Cie. that are both exceptional and very rare. This unique movement not only marks time by adjusting for leap years and the different number of days in certain months, the Flash Date Calendar harnesses the energy to switch the date accurately in a fraction of a second. The month indication is a further mastery of understatement, using the hour indexes to mark the months with a small third hand shaped like an arrow. Last but not least, its double barrel guarantees a power reserve of minimum 7 days. No surprise that the Perpetual Calendar was awarded the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix for this combination of ground-breaking features. Now, with the Black Edition, the Manufacture ventures into new territory and explores high-tech materials to complement its collection in gold and platinum, in search of the perfect functional material to accompany its pure design. Titanium was chosen for its exceptional mechanical properties. It is very hard, easy to wear, hypoallergenic and extremely light. It also brings a unique urban yet timeless black finish to the watch that puts a focus on form and perfect surfaces.  The burnished glow of the new version hints at the material within  : the case and pin-buckle clasp are titanium with a DLC treatment. Even the extrusions of the Moser “M” on the crown are purely etched from this hard metal and finished immaculately. The dial’s black surface is punctuated by rose gold indexes and hands, enhancing both the timeless character of the watch and the legibility. The off-center seconds dial reveals impeccable gold accents, marking time with a hacking seconds function. The matte black finish on the movement includes a blackened escapement bridge that lets the Moser escapement gleam from within. The mood is continued by the extreme matte finish of the carbon-coated alligator leather band. Thanks to the rigorous attention-to-detail by H. Moser engineers and watchmakers, the tradition initiated by Heinrich Moser in 1828 continues with new vigor.

 

H. Moser set the stage to introduce new products in their Moser Lounge in Basel, one example of the fresh new take on horology at this company.

 

Venturer Small Seconds

Case  :  three-part 18-carat red gold, screw-in crown adorned with an “M”, curved sapphire crystal, see-through sapphire crystal case-back, water-resistant to 30m Diameter : 39mm Movement : hand-wound mechanical movement (Caliber HMC 327, minimum 3-day power reserve), Moser teeth for all wheels and pinions, original Straumann^® hairspring with stabilised Breguet overcoil Functions : hours and minutes, small seconds hand and sub-dial, power reserve indicator on movement side Dial : available in ardoise (above), argenté (left) and red-gold fumé (not shown) with sunburst pattern with 18k red gold hands and appliqués indexes Strap : hand-stitched brown alligator strap with solid 18-carat red gold pin buckle

 

Endeavour  Perpetual Calendar Black Edition

Case : three-part DLC-treated titanium, see-through curved sapphire crystal case-back, water-resistant to 30m Diameter : 40,8mm Movement : hand-wound mechanical movement (caliber HMC 341, 7 day power reserve), double barrel, interchangeable Moser escapement, original Straumann^® hairspring with stabilized Breguet overcoil, pallet fork and escapement wheel made from gold, all components hand-finished and decorated, black finish on movement Functions : hours, minutes, off-center seconds dial, perpetual Flash Calendar, big date display, centre-hand month indicator, power reserve indicator, leap-year cycle indicator on movement side Dial : black, appliqué rose gold indexes and hands Strap : hand-stitched, carbon-coated black alligator with solid titanium DLC-treated pin buckle