There are few brands that can give you the bare minimum while giving you so much, and H. Moser & Cie. is one such brand. Driven by elegance and simplicity, Moser has elevated ultra-minimalism (their word) to an art through their “Concept” series, which reduces a model to its bare necessities. The Concept treatment is both a reaction to other haute horlogerie giants’ sometimes-obsession with overcomplicating things, and also an effective marketing tool. So confident is Moser in the recognizability of its design language, it’s willing to remove all the typical dial branding. There may be no more representative execution of the Concept approach than the H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept Aventurine Dial.
History
While the original H. Moser & Cie. brand was founded in 1828 in St. Petersburg, Russia, the state took control in 1918 after the October Revolution. It was resurrected again in 1953 in Le Locle, Switzerland, but stripped for parts during the quartz crisis. Finally, in 2005 the brand was relaunched. From the start, Moser has created exceptional timepieces, in Russia catering to the upper echelons of society. While the watches are decidedly more modern these days, they continue to deliver only the highest level of watchmaking.
The original Perpetual Moon was released in 2010. Some years later, Moser smartly decided to give the Perpetual Moon its Concept treatment. Initially released in 2018 with a dial coated with Vantablack (one of the least reflective materials known to man), in 2019 the brand released the watch with a stunning astral dial: the Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept Aventurine, limited to just 50 pieces each in red gold and stainless steel.
Design Details
It must be mentioned that with a stainless steel case with a 42mm diameter and 13.1mm height, the H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept Aventurine is pushing the limits of what one can consider a dress watch. Nevertheless, Moser delivers an incontrovertibly seductive case that characterizes the Endeavour line. The hallmark concave bezel is polished and mirrored by polished concavities along the midcase. Thin strands of brushing along the case side contrast the dominant polishing. In profile, the watch features a sleek case with precipitous lugs, which help mitigate the case presence on the wrist.
At 9 o’clock, a small corrector for the moon phase can be found. At 3 o’clock, the flared pull-out crown features the Moser ‘M,’ the only branding visible when the watch is on the wrist. Flipping the watch over, the sapphire caseback is secured with 4 screws through a polished ring with the brand, serial number, and edition number. Through the glass can be seen the exceptional HMC 801 movement, including a power reserve display. The has 30m of water resistance and watch comes standard on a vibrant blue alligator strap with a branded tang clasp.
The aventurine dial is pure beauty. As if carved from the starry night itself, aventurine shimmers as it catches the light, small cobalt or manganese particles suspended in the blue mineral glass. With a name meaning “by chance,” that’s just how the spectacular glass was discovered on the Venetian island of Murano, long celebrated for its glassmaking. Only two things disturb the luster of the blue dial, the first being the leaf handset. Obvious are the minutes, hours, and seconds hands, but subtly protruding from the cannon pinion is a small day/night indicator, allowing for more accurate time setting.
The second interruption is the namesake complication: the moon phase. While the large aperture at 6 o’clock certainly disrupts the magic of the dial, one would be quite out of line to say it detracts from the watch as a whole. Featuring a silvery textured moon against a dark blue surface, the disc has a slight shimmer. Truly astonishing is the accuracy of the complication: the moon phase deviates just one day per 1,027 years and can be adjusted to the minute. That makes it one of the most precise on the market, and certainly at this price point.
Inner Workings
The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept Aventurine is powered by the H. Moser & Cie. caliber HMC 801. The handwound movement is rhodium plated and constructed with 26 jewels, featuring an antishock device and a beat rate of 18,000 vph. Twin mainspring barrels deliver an impressive 7-day power reserve, with a reserve indicator at the top of the movement between the two barrels. It includes an interchangeable Moser escapement, which simplifies adjustment and servicing, and epicycloidal Moser teeth on all wheels and pinions, which improve power transmission and reduce friction. The monometallic balance features a Straumann hairspring with a stabilized Breguet overcoil. Each component is exquisitely finished and the bridges are decorated with the brand’s typical double striping and the gold Moser logo.
Versus the Competition
Perhaps the closest contemporary to the Perpetual Moon Concept Aventurine is the Hermès Arceau L’Heure de la Lune, an absolutely stunning piece also available with an aventurine dial. Looking at more traditional maisons, the Patek Philippe 4947G has a lovely blue dial with a prominent moon phase as part of its annual calendar; Vacheron Constantin offers its Patrimony Moon Phase Retrograde Date; and A. Lange & Sohne makes the Saxonia Moon Phase. However, one should not ignore the collections of Andreas Strehler or Christiaan van der Klaauw, arguably the two most impressive watchmakers when it comes to astronomical complications.
Personality
For those who revere a custom suit in blue with a crisp white shirt and a perfectly knotted tie, there is the Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept Aventurine. For those who value beauty without ostentation, look no further than this watch. The Perpetual Moon Concept in Aventurine is one of the cleanest designs on the market and will suit best someone who values such simplicity in their life and on their wrist.
Final Thoughts
No other brand does what Moser does at the level Moser does it. It brings the same level of execution as the other names in luxury watchmaking, with an entirely different approach to design. As they say in jazz, the notes you don’t play are just as important as the ones you do. So too is it with the H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Moon Aventurine Dial: the absence of traditional watch elements is as important to the design as what remains. And that’s a beautiful thing.
