H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon
The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon features a sublime ‘Electric Blue dial’, housed in a 43mm titanium case. Consistent with other models from this prestigious Maison, it juxtaposes traditional elements, such as leaf-shaped hands, with contemporary details such as the vibrant dial hue. It would appear that H. Moser & Cie’s ascent to greatness shows no signs of abating.
The current pandemic has reached most parts of the world and affected virtually all business sectors, including the watch industry. Sadly, as a result, I suspect that over the next 12 months, some brands will disappear from view. However, despite the prevailing sense of gloom, there are beacons of optimism glinting within the darkness.
H. Moser & Cie was founded in 1828 and despite its lengthy history, one of the most significant events occurred in 2012 when the firm was acquired by the Meylan family. The following year, Edouard Meylan was appointed CEO of H. Moser & Cie. The company has since embarked on a journey, retaining the mechanical excellence synonymous with the brand’s products but giving the brand a shot in the arm with youthful vigour and creative marketing. Suddenly the term ‘funky blue fumé dial’ became familiar to every self-respecting horophile.
The brand’s ‘concept’ watches shunned branding and conventional indexes. By adopting a pared back aesthetic, H. Moser & Cie distilled the dials of some models, removing any superfluous details. The Alp Watch Concept, presented in a rectangular case, mimicked the appearance of a ‘smart watch’ but incorporated a mechanical movement.
Today, the Swiss brand’s portfolio is extensive, incorporating sporty watches, dress watches, time-only and complicated options. Despite growing accustomed to the sweet taste of success, it has not rested on its laurels, conceiving models few could have predicted. The Streamliner, with its integrated metal bracelet, is a radical departure from its forebears and received ‘The Chronograph Watch Prize’ at the GPHG 2020. The brand has also released two models in collaboration with MB&F, one of which won the ‘Audacity Prize’, again at GPHG 2020. Since acquiring H. Moser & Cie, the Meylan family have transformed the brand from conservative to ‘cool’.
In 2019, the brand from Neuhausen am Rheinfall ascended to the highest plane of Haute Horlogerie when it released the H. Moser & Cie Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon, a grand complication par excellence. As its name implies, the watch featured a minute repeater and a flying tourbillon, the dial was presented in black lacquer and the case was executed in 18-carat white gold. Upholding the brand’s ‘concept’ theme, the timepiece eschewed branding or indexes, bestowing a very clean, uncluttered dialscape.
Now, the firm has released a new Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon. The specification is virtually the same as the 2019 model, but the dial is now presented in ‘Electric Blue’ and the model is housed in titanium. This latter material, with its lightweight characteristic, helps to accentuate the sound of the chiming sequence. However, despite the complexity of the watch, it is probably the dial that will become the subject of much discussion within the blogsphere and watch press. When H. Moser & Cie unveiled the funky blue fumé dial it signalled the start of an interesting period in the company’s history. Could the advent of the Electric Blue dial be the start of another fascinating phase for the Swiss luxury marque?
The brand’s press release (January 2020)
For the Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon, H. Moser & Cie. presents one of the most traditional watch complications and combines it with a magnificent flying tourbillon performing a spinning waltz. Two shaped chimes and the minute repeater hammers are resplendent against a dial featuring the newest colour in the H. Moser & Cie. catalogue, Electric Blue, intertwining with the tourbillon at 6 o’clock. To develop this marvel of ingenuity, H. Moser & Cie. drew on the expertise of Timeless SA, a specialist in minute repeaters. Together, the two manufactures created a brand-new design, showcasing the beauty of the complication by positioning the chimes and the hammers on the dial side. This involved overcoming many technical challenges. In particular, the chimes (which are placed on one level to preserve the finesse of the piece) had to be curved so as not to interfere with the flying tourbillon and to respect H. Moser & Cie.’s main focus to keep the design understated.
In creating the movement and the case, significant effort has gone into ensuring the diameter and thickness retain their elegant proportions. The sliding bolt, fitted on a Teflon runner to ensure it slides perfectly smoothly, is built into the main plate to save space. The case middle has been widened to the maximum in order to accommodate the movement while allowing enough space to create a soundbox. This amplifies the chiming of hours, quarter-hours and minutes by two gongs, onto which fall two hammers that are raised based on information provided by different feeler-spindles. The geometry of the case has been meticulously designed, developed and adapted to maximise the properties of titanium and enhance its impact, amplifying the resonance chamber whilst allowing the essential walls to form part of the resonance. Titanium has a high elastic modulus, which means that this material deforms very little under stress and is consequently more rigid; its low density ensures that it is also lightweight, and it retains the vibratory energy from sound well, rather than allowing it to dissipate thanks to its low damping effect. While ensuring the functioning of the minute repeater mechanism was already a complex technical feat, it also required perfect understanding of the subject to achieve a beautiful sound that combines amplitude, a certain length and a pure note.
The one-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock is certainly eye-catching. Visible behind a skeletonised bridge, it is fitted to a ball bearing that improves the accuracy and chronometry. Resolutely contemporary, an icon for our modern times, the tourbillon appears to float weightlessly on the Electric Blue dial stripped of both logo and indices. The strap, made from black alligator leather, adds the final touch of elegance to this unconventional piece, which reinterprets this most romantic of complications in an understated, minimalist style.
H. Moser & Cie.’s own and unique take on Haute Horlogerie.
Further reading