Despite laughs being few and far between right now, but this time last year there were plenty of watchmakers joining in the traditions of April 1st, the most intriguing of which was H. Moser & Cie. Their comedy creation included both dial and hands made of the darkest material on earth: Vantablack.
Created by an alignment of carbon nanotubes 10,000 times finer than human hair, Vantablack absorbs 99.965% of visible light. It’s a material so dark that anything made of it looks like a 2D silhouette. In H. Moser & Cie’s case, it made the watch completely unreadable.
Yet somewhere in there was the germ of inspiration for the off-kilter watchmaker; all it needed was a change of hands. And so we have the Venturer and Endeavour Tourbillon Vantablack Black Hands timepieces.
Calibre HMC 327 Manufacture calibre
The Venturer is available in both a 39mm and 43mm stainless steel or white gold case, both with that striking Vantablack dial and less dark plain black hands. It’s a subtle contrast but, if you’re wearing the watch at least, is still simple to read. Otherwise the dial is bare, without even an index to its name. Or a name, for that matter.
The Endeavour Tourbillon, despite interrupting the Vantablack dial with an opening for its titular complication, goes a step further in the stealth stakes. The 43mm stainless steel case has been given a black DLC makeover, creating the most under-the-radar tourbillon in the world.
HMC 804 Manufacture calibre
All three timepieces are equipped with Moser’s phenomenal in-house movements of course and black (what else?) leather straps for a complete monochrome look.
Prices are at the usual Moser levels, which is to say pretty high. The Venturer in stainless steel is $26,600, $27,600 in white gold and the Endeavour Tourbillon clocks in at $69,000.
Price & Specs:
Model Name: H. Moser & Cie Venturer Vantablack® Black Hands
Ref: 2327-0222
Case/Dial: 39mm diameter x 11.9mm, 18k white gold case with Vantablack® dial
Movement: Calibre HMC 327 Manufacture calibre, hand-wound
Functions: Hours and minutes, power reserve
Frequency: 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 72h
Strap: Alligator leather with pin buckle
Price: CHF 25,000
Model Name: H. Moser & Cie Venturer Vantablack® Black Hands XL
Ref: 2327-1213
Case/Dial: 43mm diameter x 11.9mm height, steel
Movement: Calibre HMC 327 Manufacture calibre, hand-wound
Functions: Hours and minutes, power reserve
Frequency: 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 72h
Strap: Hand-stitched black alligator leather with pin buckle
Price: CHF 24,000
Model Name: H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Tourbillon Vantablack® Black Hands
Ref: 1804-1206
Case/Dial: 42mm diameter x 11.6mm height, DLC-coated stainless steel
Movement: HMC 804 Manufacture calibre, self-winding
Functions: Hours, minutes, flying tourbillon
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 72h
Strap: Alligator leather with pin buckle
Price: CHF 69,000
More details at H. Moser & Cie’s website.
