If you know H. Moser & Cie, you would probably also know that the watch manufacturer is one of a handful which constantly champions for innovation and breakthroughs. 2020 wasn’t going to be an exception, and true enough, the Swiss luxury watchmaker has already taken a big step into the new decade with a brand new limited edition timepiece. Unsurprisingly, it’s one that’s strikingly bold, but still distinctly H. Moser & Cie.
Christened the Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic, the 100-piece watch is a landmark creationfor the brand both aesthetically and mechanically. H. Moser & Cie challenged the traditions of design, movement and composition here by exploring the notion of fluidity and the intrinsic beauty of curves. For this, the actual Streamliner — the first high-speed train from the ‘20s and ‘30s distinctly recognisable for its rounded and aerodynamic silhouette — was taken as inspiration.
At 42.3mm, the Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic isn’t short of presence on the wrist. Its steel cushioned case is equal parts sculptural and dynamic, and immediately draws the eye to its harmonious proportions. An off-centre crown — topped with an ‘M’ — subtly balances the chronograph pushers at 10 and two o’clock, and serves to give the timepiece plenty of personality.
Mileage to its wearer is promised by ways of a dark, brooding anthracite grey dial, which pairs the brand’s signature fumé finish with a griffé finish. Two white and red minute tracks encircle the dial as a measure of the seconds and minutes, but it is the ’60’ numeral which dominates the dial.
Legibility is an integral part of the watch’s design, and stopwatches of the ‘60s and ‘70s were referenced to add a bit of heritage and flair to this philosophy. The colour scheme continues with a red seconds and a rhodium-plated minute hand, while three-dimensional curved hands indicate the hours and minutes. The latter sees the debut of Globolight — a ceramic-based, Super-Luminova-filled material — on hands in watches.
The keen eye for detail runs all the way down to its integrated steel bracelet. The masterclass on design harmony sees links that are designed to always sit perfectly on the wrist — even the most slender ones. Fluidity is also a key component here; all the links are articulated and are designed with a gentle wave to rest seamlessly on the wrist.
In keeping with H. Moser & Cie’s minimalist ethos, the Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic sees a movement that’s just as governed by sophistication. As the first integrated automatic chronographwith a central display to offer a flyback function, the timepiece had to be outfitted with a brand new Calibre HMC 902, which has already received critical acclaim by industry experts as one of the best ever made.
This innovative movement — developed with AGENHOR — takes inspiration from the famous H. Moser & Cie perpetual calendar in terms of finding simplicity within extreme complexity. Accuracy is promised via the retrograde principlehere, which allows the elapsed minute hand to jump instantly to prevent any lag. The oscillating weight has also been repositioned between the movement and dial, allowing the watch mechanism and the chronograph operation to be admired with ease.
It looks like H. Moser & Cie has already outdone itself right at the start of the new year.
The H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic is priced at S$60,700.
Shatricia Nair
Managing Editor
Shatricia Nair has a passion for motoring, beauty, and wellness, and is perpetually knee-deep in the world of V8s, retinols, and latest fitness trends. She has nine years of experience writing for digital media, and her bylines have appeared in Prestige, and Augustman. She'll do (almost) anything for good chocolate chip cookies.
