Home » The Salon International De La Haute Horlogerie » SIHH 2016 Preview – H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Concept – Hidden Complexity
The next edition of Salon de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva will mark the first participation of cult watchmaker H. Moser & Cie. For this occasion, the brand has prepared Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Concept, a piece with pure and simple design which absolutely hides its complexity. The watch has a minimalistic brown fume dial with a single aperture and four hands which make the face look rather simple, despite the fact that the watch includes a perpetual calendar feature. Additionally, Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Concept possesses an opulent power reserve that lasts for an entire week. It is set in a white gold case and made in the restricted series of just 10 pieces which are valued at $61,000.
The novelty by H. Moser & Cie. is basically a refurbished version of its Endeavour Perpetual Calendar piece. This watch launched a decade ago was designed for the manufacturer by Andreas Strehler. Its success and appeal can be backed up by the fact that the piece was awarded with the Complicated Watch Prize at the Grand Prix de Geneva in 2005.
The Same Basis as the Original Award-Winning Model
H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Concept bases its functioning on this award-winning piece and has the same type of movement. However, it is actually a revamped version which further simplifies the design of its prized predecessor which was pretty minimalistic on its own and did not have the common perpetual calendar outlay of the dial.
The original had the same basic type of display for its features. It includes three central hands of which hour and minute ones are leaf shaped, while the another shorter one in the shape of an arrow is used to show the current month. Since it is likewise fixed at the center, it revolves around the dial and shows the respective month where positions of 12 months correspond to 12 hour marker places. There is also an aperture for its date display at the three o’clock position, as well as a power reserve indicator on the opposite part.
The new model is notably more minimalistic in its nature since it omits several elements that were originally used. As for the difference in the indications that are supported, the new one does not have a small seconds sub-dial at the bottom which was originally present. As for the design, the simplification is even more prominent. Novel Concept piece is made without hour indices, as well as without inscriptions of any kind. It does not even have the brand’s logo on the face which is very rare. This way, the minimalistic nature of the original which on its own “hides” its perpetual calendar complication is pushed to the extreme.
Intricate Movement with Patented Features
While the appearance is simple, the watch in its essence is actually immensely intricate and implements complex and original technical solutions, such as interchangeable Moser escapement with Straumann Double Hairspring, as well as solid gold plates and bridges. Further characteristics of hand-wound mechanical Claber HMC 341 are bevel wheels and Moser’s own tooth system for all of the included wheels and pinions. It also integrates a pair of functional diamond end-stones in its Incabloc shock-absorbing system, as well as twin barrels that ensure a long-lasting power reserve which lasts for seven days.
Caliber HMC 341 has the width of 15 lignes (34 mm) and the thickness of 5.8 mm It integrates 28 jewels with screw gold mounts and operates at the lower frequency of 18,000 vph. Naturally, it is also enriched with Haute horlogerie finishes. Its main-plate and bridges are with matte finish, hand-performed chamfering and the brand’s hallmark made in the same manner.
It is very important to note that the leap year indication of the perpetual calendar lays at the rear side of the exposed movement. Additionally, the calendar complication allows date setting in both directions regardless of the time which is likewise a rarity.
H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Concept is made with a round three-part housing made of 18 K white gold. The case is 40.8 mm wide and 11.1 mm thick. Inside the fixed bezel there is a sapphire crystal with a glare-proof treatment on the underside. The rear side of the housing includes a curved case back made of sapphire. Its minimalistic dial and the included hands are all made of solid 18 K gold.
The novelty by H. Moser & Cie is paired with a beige hand-stitched kudu leather strap which fastens with a pin buckle made of solid 18 K white gold and engraved with the brand’s logo.
Just like some of the previous variants of Endeavour Perpetual Calendar, the novel one is launched in just 10 pieces and offered at the price of $61,000. What separates Concept from the previous incarnations is its minimalistic design which makes it much more striking than all of the other versions during the decade of its existence.
