H. Moser & Cie. is rapidly approaching its 200th anniversary, tracing its heritage back to 1828 and there’s no better way to celebrate such a long history than with vintage designs. The new Heritage Perpetual Calendar is predominantly inspired by Moser timepieces from the 1920s and the watchmaker has gone full classicism with a super refined appearance and gorgeous Grand Feu enamel dial.
The 18k white gold case is a respectable 42mm in diameter, which is more in keeping with modern size trends but that makes sense considering it has to pack in a full perpetual calendar. The rounded bezel and notched crown have been shaped with the aesthetics of pocket watches in mind, harking back to the work of the brand’s founder, Heinrich Moser. The circumference of the case is further embellished by an enamel ring, produced in the same midnight blue colour as the dial.
Speaking of which, the dial itself is seriously lovely. If you’ve grown used to the perpetual calendars of Patek Philippe, this watch feels like an entirely different beast altogether, which is not to say the Patek style isn’t great – it’s just nice to see some variation. Instead of a multitude of subdials and enough scales to make your watch feel like a Swiss army knife of horology, the Moser Heritage model focusses on a minimal layout, with only the small seconds, small power reserve indicator and the date window interrupting the sweeping Grand Feu Enamel. The fumé effect is signature Moser, produced in midnight blue for a modern twist.
However, there is something missing. The perpetual calendar is one of horology’s most prestigious complications so where is the month indicator? Well, you may have noticed that even though there is a small seconds, there are still three central hands: hours, minutes and months. The two traditional hands, in swallow-tail style, are joined by a tiny one that points to the relevant index correlating to the month. It’s a cute way to save some dial space and display more of the enamel.
Housed inside and visible through the exhibition caseback is the manufacture calibre HMC 800, a manual-wind movement that has a 7-day power reserve thanks to a double barrel setup. It’s incredibly efficient, operating the perpetual calendar function with a ‘Flash Calendar’ system that changes the date instantly at midnight, accounting for the number of days in a month and leap years – for which there is a handy indicator on the rear of the calibre.
Additionally, while most calibres risk breaking if you try to adjust them at just the wrong time, there’s no such issue here. Moser’s movement can be adjusted forwards, backwards and at any time of day. It’s a neat safety feature, not ground-breaking but still an improvement to the user experience.
It’s hard not to fall in love with this classic piece of watchmaking, it’s both mechanically adept and stunningly pretty, which will always be a winning formula. Unfortunately, only 20 people will be able to get their hands on one and at a price of $110,000 (approx. £80,000) you could just as easily opt for a Patek Philippe Grand Complication and the status that comes with the name, if that sort of thing is important to you.
Price & Specs:
Model: H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Perpetual Calendar Midnight Blue Enamel
Reference: 8800-0203
Case/Dial: 42 mm diameter x 12.6mm height, 18K white gold, midnight blue fumé Grand Feu enamel dial
Movement: HMC 800 calibre, manual winding, 32 jewels
Frequency: 18,000 vph (2 Hz)
Power Reserve: 7 days (168h)
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, perpetual calendar with date and month, dig date display, month indicator via central hand, power reserve indicator, leap year cycle indicator on movement side
Strap: Midnight blue alligator leather
Price/Availability: $110,000 (approx. £80,000), limited to 20 pieces
More details at H. Moser.
