When it comes to high-end, ultra-simple watches, there is one clear leader: H. Moser & Cie. The emphatically Swiss brand has leaned into its pared-down Concept series over the past several years, using it internally and as a base for collaborations. While the brand is known for having a bit of fun at the expense of the rest of the industry, at the end of the day, Moser is still a manufacturer of serious timepieces. Much of Moser’s contemporary design language, and especially that of the Concept series, seems driven by a simple creed of “Tell time, beautifully.” The brand doesn’t waste time on extravagance in its own collections, instead offers the simplest, most elegant form of the watch. In other words, less is more, but less done beautifully is even more.
Many of Moser’s Concept watches are reduced to the bare essentials for displaying the time. When it comes to non-complicated pieces, the Concept line gives you the two things Moser has shown it’s best at: stunning dials and simplicity. With just its three hands and an all-new technique that revitalizes the brand’s signature fumé dial, the H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Lime Green reaffirms the brand’s standing as a fine Swiss watchmaker.
The steel case of the Endeavour is shared by all those in the collection. Here, it’s 40mm across, 47mm lug-to-lug, and a very manageable 11.2mm-thick. The case is defined by its vacuated flanks with long, thin sections on either side cut away from the mid-case, and by the concave fixed bezel; both of these elements served to create a more dynamic case that reminds you that Moser is a thoroughly modern brand not entirely beholden to classical case design. With its full polishing, though, it conveys a sense of luxury and a more formal intention. That’s reinforced by the well-sized pullout crown and just 30m of water resistance. On the wrist, the watch wears very well, with the strap and curvature of the case working together to fit nicely around the wrist. While the case is elegant, Moser has always made its dials the focus of its watches, and the story is no different here: With a simple form, the case allows the textured lime green to pop without distraction.
In our news article for the Concept Lime, our aBlogtoWatch team lauded the dial but reserved final judgment for a hands-on. I’m glad they did because, while the press photos make the dial look exceptional, they overplay some aspects and underplay others. Under the domed sapphire crystal, things are pared down and kept elegant. Moser’s by-now hallmark leaf hands are larger than most of the same style and feature a polished finish with a subtle bisection. Against the verdant dial, they stand out for excellent legibility. The eponymous center seconds hand is purple, which creates a wonderfully complementary palette with the dial. This is where the press photos oversell, though: In those photos, the purple stands out at every angle, but in reality, it’s often hard to see except in the most exact lighting. But everything is secondary to the vibrant, punchy green dial. To create the striking textured ombré effect, Moser has employed a new series of techniques. The gold base dial is first ingrained, like hammering but not quite as defined as what you might see on a tremblage dial. Next, three pigments are washed, crushed, and applied one by one to allow them to oxidize and get the color shift just right. The dial is fired 12 times to create the Grand Feu enameling and the brand’s recognizable fumé. (For those who have seen a Moser fumé dial in the past, imagine that, but less reflective and with texture.) Curiously, it’s the dial that the press photos undersold: In the photos, it appears far flatter than it is, but in the metal, every nook and cranny comes to life in the light, adding another level of dynamics to the already engaging Moser dial.
I don’t even know if Moser knows you can put a solid caseback on a watch, and to be honest, I’m glad for its ignorance there. The Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Lime Green (phew!) is powered by the HMC200 that the brand utilizes for all its three-hand watches (did you know that Moser doesn’t offer any three-hand watches with just a date? All Moser watches with dates have at least a power reserve, as well). The movement features a solid 72-hour power reserve at 21,600 vph. With a nearly full mainplate decorated with double-crested Moser stripes and a gold Moser-branded skeletonized rotor, the movement also has a blued balance bridge and is equipped with a Straumann double hairspring produced by Moser’s sister company, Precision Engineering. In a way, the movement mirrors the dial: as far as automatic calibers that brands put on display like this, there’s very little ostentation at play, with just the rotor and the balance bridge popping.
This and a few other recent editions show that Moser is building off its classic fumé with new textures and patterns. While the brand has never shied away from exciting dials, these non-limited options mean it’s ready to expand with exciting variety. The Lime Green is a great place to start, with engaging texture on an already engaging timepiece. The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Lime Green is priced at $27,600 USD and is not a limited release. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
Necessary Information:
>Brand: H. Moser & Cie.
>Model: Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Lime Green
>Price: $27,600 USD
>Size: 40mm-wide, 11.2mm-thick, 47mm lug-to-lug distance, 20mm lugs
>When reviewer would personally wear it: To an art gallery opening
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone who enjoys subtle refinement with a dash of flair, and appreciates high-end, in-house watchmaking that doesn’t show itself off too much
>Best characteristic of watch: Stunning dial, pared-down aesthetic, dynamic case
>Worst characteristic of watch: The lack of dial markings makes setting the watch precisely a bit of a guessing game
