H. Moser & Cie
Introducing the H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Lime Green
This year, for the latest addition to the Endeavour Collection, Moser is sticking with green, with the more literally named Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Lime Green. The case is the familiar 40mm sculpted block of highly polished stainless steel, with a svelte concave side profile that is the most voluptuous Moser makes. And yet this beauty of a case plays sidekick to the main attraction underneath the sapphire crystal of every Endeavour — the stripped-down dial. The fumé dial effect is synonymous with Moser and is often expressed as a painted sunburst brushed finish that requires more than 200 steps to achieve. This new Endeavour steers slightly away from that norm with a dial in “grand feu’’ enamel and a textured surface that mimics the dappled effect of hand-hammered gold.
The rest of the caliber HMC 200, Moser’s workhorse movement, if you could call it that, is an absolute beauty. The Straumann Double Hairspring swings a free-sprung balance wheel with four timing weights, secured by a balance bridge shaped of gentle curves that brings to mind a coiffed handlebar moustache. The rest of the movement bridges are decorated with Moser stripes, a variation on Côte de Genève, with alternating thin bands at the crest and thick bands at the trough of the wave. Bridge bevels are diamond polished to achieve a distortion-free reflection at the edges. The H. Moser hallmark is engraved on the oscillating weight, which is part of a bi-directional pawl winding system. Pawl winding automatic systems, while they take up more movement real estate, are generally considered to be superior to more common reverser wheel systems. The oscillating weight is not connected directly to the automatic winding wheel train, and the system is therefore more resistant to shocks. The movement can also run for no less than three days on a full wind, which is fast becoming an industry norm. When you have a dial that is so “less is more”, it is design touches like these on the rear side that prove Moser spared no expense in designing their simple three-hand watch.
IMHO
It would not be overstating a fact by saying that H. Moser & Cie should be credited with reviving the use of the fumé dial effect in contemporary watchmaking. In the last eight years, it has become the core of the brand’s design language that is so instantly identifiable — like a calling card every other watch brand wished they had. As CEO Edouard Meylan once put it, at the launch of the first Endeavour Centre Seconds without logo or indices, “When our customers buy an H. Moser, they are looking for a manufacture watch with a distinctive design created by real craftsmen. We place the emphasis on the product, not on the logo or marketing.”
This new hammered texture fumé enamel dial may seem more mellow on the surface than its livelier painted cousins, but the manufacturing process is no less intensive, and it is no coincidence that Moser decided to bless this new Endeavour with its special double hairspring. It can be seen as an evolution of Meylan’s original bold statement and of the original fumé design. Will we eventually see more intricate enamel techniques such as champlevé or cloisonné being employed in Endeavour dials? That might seem like a departure from the Endeavour’s minimalist bent, but trust Moser to find a way that’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Creating a simple three-hand watch is way more challenging than meets the eye. A simplicity of design has no room to hide any flaws, and because every element of this watch strives for perfection as its name suggests, it remains a strong contender to be the ultimate three-hander.
Tech Specs
H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Lime Green, Ref: 1200-1233
Movement: Self-winding caliber HMC 200; minimum 3-day power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Case: 40mm x 11.2mm; stainless steel; sapphire crystal; see-through caseback
Dial: Lime Green fumé with hammered texture; “Grand Feu” enamel
Strap: Hand-stitched gray kudu leather; stainless steel pin buckle
Price: TBC
Availability: TBC