Hands-On – H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic – When Simplicity Becomes Essential

As we already showed several times here, on Monochrome, the Schaffhausen-based manufacture H. Moser & Cie. (also known as the Robin Hood of watchmaking… Those who know will understand, otherwise read this) is all about simplicity and purity of their watches, by removing even the logo on the dial and any kind of markers. But simplicity can also come from a display and functionality, and in this case, this word is nothing pejorative and I would even refer to essential… Something that the new H. Moser Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic, presented at Baselworld 2017, defines quite well.

Hours, minutes and seconds… and that’s all. For some, this means “simple”. For others, this will lead to another notion, “essential”. This new H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic is the essence of the brand, and not only because it only displays the time and… the time, but mainly because alongside this simple appearance, it actually sums up everything the brand is. It is a classic, a watch to become a cornerstone, yet it has all the elements to become what H. Moser & Cie. should be: balance of the proportions, elegance of the shapes, practicality on a daily basis, very well finished movement, and that unique twist of Moser, of course combined to a certain non-respect of the Swiss traditions.

What we have with this H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic is indeed, at first, simple. A 3-hander with all indications on the central axis. Don’t get me wrong though, this display certainly is the most natural and most practical of them all. No date, no extra features at first, just the time. Yet, this new watch stands out for something else: the imbrication in a single watch of all the iconic elements of Moser. And the first is the dial. 4 versions will be available, and all feature signature fumé colors (meaning gradient schemes, with the periphery of the dial darker than the center). Even the colors used immediately feel like Moser – funky blue, midnight blue and smoky grey. On these dials, no inscriptions (no Swiss Made, no automatic, no model name) just the logo of the brand (for once…)

Hands and indexes are also classical to the brand, with elongated and polished leaf hands combined to faceted applied indexes. Overall, thanks to the fumé dials, the Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic doesn’t feel empty or too clean. On the contrary, these watches are lively and play intensively with the ambient light. The cases, here made of 18k white or 18k red gold, are modernly but reasonably proportioned: 40mm in diameter, 10.7mm in thickness. A perfect all-rounder. They show more dynamic curves and revamped lines, compared to older watches of the brand, yet they keep the overall distinct shape that create elegance and originality, with a concave bezel and concave casebands. Some parts are polished, some are vertically brushed, creating a rather dynamic case – and we know that a classical watch with a classic case can sometimes feel boring.

New display means here new movement, or at least the use for the first time of the in-house automatic movement in a classical watch (this movement was used in the sporty Pioneer collection already). The Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic is powered by an automatic calibre, with central rotor (quite unusual for the brand, more used to manually-wound movements), bringing some practicality on a daily basis. The HMC 200 boasts a 3-day power reserve when fully wound by its large engraved gold oscillating weight. The finishing is pleasant, as usual, with Moser double stripes, polished angles and perlage on the main-plate. The traditional features of Moser movements are here: regulating organ manufactured by Precision Engineering AG, H. Moser & Cie.’s sister company, Straumann Hairspring with flat overcoil and interchangeable regulating organ (to facilitate service operations).

With this new Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic, H. Moser & Cie. doesn’t renew the concept of the brand and doesn’t overact. What they created is a pillar watch, meant to become a classic for the coming years. Yet, don’t see this simple 3-hander as conservative. It has the right balance between dressy and casual (thanks to 40mm case and its rather complex shape), it has some originality with straps in unusual materials (braided leather, for a vintage and dapper look, or the signature raw kudu leather) and a distinctive look with these lively and colorful fumé dials. Overall, there’s a lot going on this Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic, even with only 3-hands. More details on www.h-moser.com.

Specifications of the H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic

• Case: 40mm diameter x 10.7mm thickness – 18K white gold or 18k red gold – polished and brushed – sapphire crystal and see-through case-back
• Movement – Calibre HMC 200 – in-house – 32mm diameter – automatic – 3-day power reserve – 18,000vph – hours, minutes, seconds
• Straps: brown or black alligator leather strap or kudu leather strap – gold pin buckle
• Price: CHF 19,900