Hodinkee
Introducing: The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Centre Seconds
Chugga chugga choo choo!
546 articles · 49 videos found · page 14 of 20
Hodinkee
Chugga chugga choo choo!
Hodinkee
The chocolate and peanut butter of independent watch brand collaborations.
Hodinkee
One of a new trio from Moser featuring the blackest dials in existence.
Hodinkee
A rare double balance spring tourbillon, in very eye-catching livery.
SJX Watches
De Bethune plans to bring hairspring production in house, aiming to become one of the very few firms able to process alloy wire into a finished balance hairspring. This requires De Bethune’s new hairspring workshop to master wire drawing, rolling, cutting, heat treatment, and assembly. The rationale? “Externally produced hairsprings meet standards based on averages that do not enable fine adjustment of the dimensions to suit a particular balance wheel or its specific positioning in a calibre,” according to De Bethune. De Bethune’s “flat end curve” mated to a hairspring sourced from a supplier. Initial thoughts As De Bethune explains it, making its own hairsprings will allow the brand to tailor its hairspring to a specific balance or movement. Since its founding in 2002, De Bethune has presented itself as being on the cutting edge of chronometry, debuting a new balance design every year from 2004 to 2010. The brand was also quick to embrace silicon, and even briefly attempted a kilohertz magnetic oscillator system, Résonique. A new year, a new balance. Sometimes two new balances. Given De Bethune’s focus on chronometry, making its own hairsprings seems like a natural next step. However, there is a reason so few brands make their own hairsprings: the process is a difficult and demanding one that benefits greatly from economies of scale. For example, H. Moser & Cie. makes less than 4,000 watches per year, however, its sister company Precision Engineering claims...
Worn & Wound
For those familiar with New York-by-way-of-Hong Kong menswear retailer The Armoury, Mark Cho’s move into watches won’t come as any major shock. His brand has long flirted with watchmakers and collaboration over the years, including with H. Moser & Cie., UNIMATIC, and Paulin. Now, Temporal Works, co-founded with The Armoury’s creative director, Elliot Hammer, is the natural progression for the brand. Their inaugural collection, Series A, reflects the same approach that has defined The Armoury since it opened in 2010 (and why the store has recently been named one of New York Times’ top 50 menswear stores in the country). Taking inspiration from a bygone era of tailoring, The Armoury is all wood-paneled, brick-walled masculinity that celebrates an inherent grace when dressing well. The Series A has this same throughline, using Cho’s singular vision of his retail store – masculine, elegant, and minimalist. In fact, the connection between Temporal Works and his existing brand is a throughline explicitly made by the founder, who noted, “Our goal was straightforward: create watches as thoughtfully designed and effortlessly wearable as a perfectly tailored navy blazer.” This jumping-off point seems to work in both Hammer and Cho’s favor, as the Series A clearly shows an unwavering vision of a brand identity that feels complementary without being derivative (something other lifestyle-to-watch brands like Louis Vuitton and Montblanc sometimes struggle with). This...
Monochrome
Founded in 2004, Hautlence became part of the MELB Holding Group in 2012 and relocated to Shaffhausen to share premises with sister company H. Moser & Cie. Renowned for its unusual and creative displays of time, often showcased in large rectangular retro TV-shaped cases, Hautlence’s first Vagabonde model with wandering digital hours appeared in 2018 […]
SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey repackages its cutting edge perpetual calendar in a sleeker, more accessible format as the QP Balancier. It’s still a highly legible calendar that adjusts forward and back via the crown without need of tools or fear of damage. Despite the simpler styling, the QP Balancier retains the high-end movement decoration the brand is known for. Initial Thoughts Greubel Forsey was arguably a latecomer to the world of complications, spending its first decade on chronometry, refining the tourbillon. The brand’s first complication, the GMT presented in 2011, applied an unfamiliar approach to a familiar complication. That set the tone for the brand’s first perpetual calendar four years later – the Quantième Perpétuel à Équation. At its heart was a “mechanical computer” programmed with 48-month leap year cycle that allowed the calendar to be adjusted forward and back without issue, all from the crown. The Quantième Perpétuel à Équation of 2015 While the result is not novel, – Ulysse Nardin and H. Moser & Cie. have bi-directional perpetual calendar as well – the method certainly is. Greubel Forsey paired the mechanical computer with a similarly sophisticated in-line display – using four layers of stacked disks – making its perpetual as easy to read as it is to use. The new QP Balancier is a more focused watch than its predecessor, as it does away with the 24-second inclined tourbillon and equation of time. While wider, the case is also slimmer an...
SJX Watches
Perhaps the most storied department store in Japan – and still one of the highest grossing in the entire world – Isetan Shinjuku is staging its annual Watch Collector’s Week from July 2-22, 2025. Being in Japan, where everything is pursued in a serious minded manner, the theme of the event is “Astronomy and Timekeeping”. And in typical Japanese fashion, the event also has an accompanying manga, or Japanese comic book. The event encompasses both watches on show as well as historical displays and talks. Participating brands range from establishment names like A. Lange & Söhne and Tudor to independent watchmakers including H. Moser & Cie. and Ressence. Several brands will debut Isetan-exclusive limited editions, including Grand Seiko and Kudoke. The Christiaan van der Klaauw Grand Planetarium Eccentric. Image – Shellman One of the highlights of the event is the exhibit of Shellman, the Tokyo-based independent watch retailer that has concessions in Isetan Shinjuku and other prestigious department stores. Shellman’s display is centred on Christiaan van der Klaauw, the longtime specialist in astronomical watches, as well as Hermle, the German clockmaker that produces various clocks with astronomical displays. A astrolabe on display. Image – Shellman Watch Collector’s Week takes place July 2-22, 2025, at Isetan Shinjuku. Isetan Shinjuku 3-14-1 Shinjuku Shinjuku-ku Tokyo, Japan
Worn & Wound
We haven’t remarked on it all that much to this point, but one of the inescapable trends at Watches & Wonders this year was a prevalence of F1 cars making appearances around the Palexpo. If you scheduled your meetings in a particular way, you could easily be convinced that every Swiss watch brand has some level of involvement with the sport. IWC, of course, is just beginning to promote F1, the highly anticipated new film starring Brad Pitt that is said to feature many, many IWC watches. And then there’s TAG Heuer, whose parent company LVMH secured a lucrative deal with Formula 1 in the off season, and returned TAG to official timekeeper status. Both of these brands had actual cars in their booths, and they drew a crowd all week. Then there’s H. Moser, a sponsor of the Alpine team, and finally (please get in the comments if I’ve missed one) there’s Tudor, a partner of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team, who took this weekend’s Miami GP as an opportunity to release their latest racing themed watch, the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25. The limited edition (2,025 numbered examples) chronograph is modeled on the Black Bay Chronograph, a watch that has seen its share of special editions in the last few years, mostly by way of colored dials. This watch is a little different as it represents an all new case material for the Black Bay Chrono, making use of Tudor’s carbon fiber composite material (the caseback, pushers, and crown are all rendered in titanium ...
SJX Watches
After teasing collectors with the compact Chronomètre Furtif Bleu in 2023, F.P. Journe has unveiled its successor, the Chronomètre Furtif (CF). The CF offers the same dimensions as its predecessor as well as a similar laser-engraved grand feu enamel dial, but takes the idea of furtif, or “stealthy”, even further with black-on-black livery. While the CF Bleu was a one-off piece in tantalum made for the Only Watch charity auction where it sold for CHF2 million, the new CF is a regular production model crafted almost entirely from scratch-resistant tungsten carbide. Initial thoughts The CF is a watch that hits you over the head with its intense darkness and exceptional weight. It’s not dark in the same way as an H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Vantablack, which effectively absorbs light; rather, the dial is a deep glossy black like the glass of an iPhone screen. This reflectivity makes it difficult to photograph but easy to enjoy. These characteristics are thanks to the flawless black grand feu enamel dial and laser-engraved markings. Because of the way the light plays across the dial, it looks slightly different from almost every angle. It’s a dramatic and interactive dial that contributes significantly to the overall wearing experience. The CF is a true heavyweight, tipping the scales at 250 g. But it feels even heavier on account of its wearable 42 mm footprint and slim 9.55 mm thickness. This size-to-weight ratio gives it an almost overwhelming sense of density. The wa...
Monochrome
Hautlence – part of MELB Holding, which is also the owner of H. Moser & Cie. – has been around for quite some time and is known for its TV-shaped case design and original displays. The brand, which seemed dormant for a while, was brought back into the spotlight by releasing the Vagabonde Series with […]
SJX Watches
To mark the Chinese New Year that begins on January 29, 2025, Blancpain has unveiled the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”. For the first time, the brand combines a platinum case with a green grand feu enamel dial on its wristwatch that has the unusual complication of a Chinese lunisolar calendar. As with previous editions, the Villeret Chinese Calendar displays the symbol of the Chinese Zodiac in a small aperture located at noon, in addition to featuring a snake motif engraved on its frosted white gold rotor. Initial thoughts The ability of a perpetual calendar to accurately track months, dates, and days for decades, mechanically and without any manual adjustments, remains impressive even as the complication has become common. Watches with a traditional Chinese calendar, however, remain rare and arguably more impressive. Only a handful of brands have incorporated the traditional Chinese calendar into a wristwatch, with Blancpain being one of the earliest to do so, way back in 2012 ( and more recently H. Moser & Cie. has done the same). Admittedly, the latest edition of the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar introduces little new beyond the platinum case paired with a green enamel dial. Both the design and movement remain the same. While not intrinsically novel, the new version of the Traditional Chinese Calendar remains an interesting complication, with the new livery being appealing in itself. Year of the serpent The snake zodiac edition is...
Worn & Wound
If you don’t get what you’re looking at, don’t worry. You’re not alone - in fact, that’s sort of the point. A quick glance at the new L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse is more likely to incite questions than offer answers, but the latest masterpiece from Parmigiani Fleurier, timed to release last week in time for founder Michel Parmigiani’s birthday, presents us with a watch unlike anything we’ve seen from the brand in recent years. The general architecture of the watch will be familiar to those conversant in Parmigiani’s chosen language - the straight squared-off lugs and pastel pallet are reminiscent of the Toric watches released earlier this year - but it won’t take long to realize that there’s something fairly significant missing from the celebratory watch: a dial. The Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse is also the latest entry in a series of Minute Repeater wristwatches to deliberately de-emphasize the visible display of time we’re all so used to. Recent examples of this trick have come from H. Moser & Cie., whose Swiss Alp Watch Concept Black opted for a clean Vantablack dial with nothing but a visible tourbillon; and Biver, whose 2023 OnlyWatch entry replaced its visible dial with a beautiful scene rendered in stone marquetry. But just because we’ve seen versions of this before, doesn’t mean the impact is any lessened here. In fact, this implementation is among the best I’ve encountered, and more than holds its own, while a...
Monochrome
Since its inception in 2018, Collective Horology, a “proudly headquartered in Ventura, California” club for watch enthusiasts, has become quite famous through the Collective Series, which involves collaborations and limited editions with watch brands like IWC, H. Moser & Cie., Armin Strom, Czapek and Oris, to name a few and the Portfolio Series, which commissions […]
Worn & Wound
If you’ve been paying any attention to H. Moser & Cie. over the last few years, one thing should be abundantly clear - the Swiss watchmaker likes to keep things simple. While they may occasionally indulge themselves with an overwhelming quantity of dial text, or acquiesce to the need for a chronograph scale, Moser has increasingly adopted a minimalist approach in their watch design, with wide open expanses of dial and invisible logos taking center stage alongside hammered enamel finishes, minute repeater strikers, and elegantly finished hands. Today, Moser is throwing all that out, and, in partnership with Massena LAB, the brand is looking back to its history for what is, in many ways, its most traditional release in years. The Endeavour Chronograph Compax would, from anyone else, barely qualify as newsworthy. After all, what brand hasn’t dipped back into the well to create a historically-minded steel sports watch in recent years? Moser hasn’t, and that’s what makes this collaboration so interesting. Even the Heritage model, the closest the brand has come to the format, isn’t so much a recreation as a reimagination, a consideration not of how to make an old watch feel new, but a thought exercise in what H. Moser & Cie. might have made were the modern brand to find themselves in a different era. This new watch is not that. Though not a direct reproduction of any particular model, the new Endeavour Chronograph Compax is a genuine reflection on Moser’s history...
Monochrome
Until the introduction of the Retrovision ’47 with its distinctive green Bakelite, radio-like case, black and blue had been the favourite colours of the re-launched Hautlence, part of the MELB Luxe Group, which also owns H. Moser & Cie yet remains an independent brand. In 2023, Hautlence presented the Sphere Series 1, featuring its emblematic […]
Worn & Wound
For watch collectors, enthusiasts, and industry veterans, it’s kind of hard to believe that Baselworld hasn’t existed in a meaningful way since 2019. Covid (and a rapidly changing industry) killed the industry’s biggest trade show in 2020, and as soon the show was on life support, many began prognosticating about the future of large scale industry events. Over the course of the last five or so years, the watch world has settled into a groove, with Watches & Wonders (formerly the far more exclusive SIHH) largely replacing Baselworld as the big spring must-attend watch event, with an ever growing roster of brands exhibiting at the show, and even more taking meetings in unofficial capacities adjacent to it. Baselworld being effectively replaced by another show was probably somewhat predictable, but a turn of events that fewer saw coming was the rise of Geneva Watch Days as a major end-of-summer tentpole event for the watch community. Originally conceived in 2020 as a way for a small handful of brands (Breitling, Bulgari, De Bethune, Girard-Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie and MB&F;) to bring watch collectors together in a pandemic ravaged year, the event has grown to over 50 official participants and many more exhibiting on the fringes, taking advantage of the influx of collectors and watch industry types on the city of Geneva while the event is up and running. If you talk to people who have attended Geneva Watch Days since it began, you’ll hear a lot of chatter about t...
Worn & Wound
Of all the watch collecting niches, few are more curious (and potentially divisive) than watches that are completely (or almost completely) without any markers and branding. In our hobby, legibility and a relative ease of use are often seen as high priorities, so what happens when a watchmaker decides to forego these things entirely in favor of pure artistic expression? We’ve noticed an increase in dials of this type from brands as diverse as Christopher Ward, Arcanaut, and H. Moser recently, and it’s interesting to consider what each is attempting to accomplish. These watches fly in the face of the idea as a watch as a practical tool, and lean toward a more overtly artistic style of watchmaking. But that doesn’t necessarily make them impractical. In this video, Zach Weiss and Zach Kazan look at a number of watches that prioritize the artistic vision of the maker by eschewing traditional markers, or other dial indicators that make it easy to precisely note the time at a glance. The post [VIDEO] The Dial as a Canvas: Our Favorite Artistic Dials appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Monochrome
Independent watchmaker Hautlence, which made its debut 20 years ago in Neuchatel, has always been known for its modern approach to watchmaking with creative designs, exposed mechanics and innovative ways of displaying time. Now a sister company of H. Moser & Cie, the brand made a comeback a few months ago with modernized, streamlined aesthetics […]
SJX Watches
Having began as a small-scale and mostly regional event in 2015 – I was there and thought it would become important one day – Dubai Watch Week (DWW) has since grown into an expansive horological extravaganza with an international audience. With some 23,000 visitors, a 42% increase over the 2021 event, this year’s DWW is the biggest to date. Sixty-three brands took part, ranging from giants like Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Chanel, to independent watchmakers like F.P. Journe, Rexhep Rexhepi, and H. Moser & Cie. Some brands even launched all-new products at DWW. MB&F;, for instance, launched its headline creation for the year, the HM11, at the event. As Director General of DWW, Hind Seddiqi is one of the individuals who makes DWW possible. We discussed with her vision for DWW, ranging from its emphasis on independent watchmaking to the future of horological education in the region, which includes a WOSTEP watchmaking academy in Dubai. The interview was edited for length and clarity. The MB&F; HM11, one of the watches launched during DWW SJX: I remember the first Dubai Watch Week was inside the mall. Now it’s a separate setup that’s impressive. And even though it’s grown, I like the fact that you retain all the independents. Hind Seddiqi (HS): [Indpendents are] extremely important and if you enter into the [fair] in the afternoons you will see they’re the ones who are the busiest with customers wanting to meet the watchmakers. SJX: How do the independents relate to...
SJX Watches
Singapore watch retailer Sincere Fine Watches has opened its newest Sincere Haute Horlogerie (SHH) concept store in Pavilion Mall located in Kuala Lumpur prime shopping district. As the biggest of the retailer’s many stores, the new establishment will serve as Sincere’s flagship, not only in Malaysia but throughout Southeast Asia. Covering 5,000 square feet, this boutique is dedicated to independent watchmaking, as all SHH stores are. Amongst the 17 brands on offer are Greubel Forsey and H. Moser & Cie. Alongside the watches is a private lounge with a bar, and an upscale dining area. The street-front facade with a custom LED screen An further expansion of the SHH concept Established almost two decades ago as a concept store focused on independent watchmaking, SHH is a vital part of Sincere, which was founded in 1954, making it Singapore’s oldest watch retailer. In 2020, fellow retailer Cortina Holdings acquired Sincere and revived the SHH concept, rolling it out in other markets including Taiwan and Thailand. The store is set to offer timepieces from 17 mostly independent brands, including Parmigiani Fleurier and Ferdinand Berthoud. The offer, however, is diverse, ranging from the classical to the extravagantly modern with Jacob & Co. And limited editions crafted specifically for SHH Kuala Lumpur will be released in due time, as was the case with its boutique at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands. The boutique’s interiors are embellished in gold and copper tones to e...
Worn & Wound
In the special edition of A Week In Watches, Zach Weiss and Blake Buettner sit down together to discuss some of the most interesting new releases from Geneva Watch Days, and more. From blacked out Doxas, to kind of blue De Bethunes, and a Eucalyptus Ressence, there were plenty of new watches to appreciate, including the joint Only Watch submission from H. Moser and MB&F;. You can view more of our Geneva Watch Days coverage right here, and keep an eye out for more yet to come. Geneva Watch Days didn’t give us the only new releases last week, though. One of the biggest surprises, and a welcome one at that, was the new Seiko ‘Alpinist’ GMT Prospex references, which brings their 6R54 GMT caliber into the beloved field watch collection. It makes a whole lot of sense in this platform, even if it is a ‘caller’ style GMT, so we’re thrilled to see it makes its way over. This episode of A Week In Watches is sponsored by our friends at Shinola. To commemorate 10 years of American design and manufacturing, Shinola Detroit is proud to share this video that reveals the company and its employees as a team that can carve a distinct pathway forward with their own sense of, as they say, “timeless American design.” This cinematic video gives an insider glimpse of their watchmakers assembling timepieces, soaring views of the Detroit headquarters, and shares perspective on the past decade as well as Shinola’s aims for the future. Learn more about Shinola’s Timeless American ...
Hodinkee
A forgotten master's history traces from the Vallée de Joux to New York City – and, along the way, touches Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Tiffany & Co., and H. Moser & Cie.
SJX Watches
Having looked at some of the most fascinating pocket watches and clocks on offer at Christie’s Important Watches auction that happens soon in Hong Kong, we now turn to attention to the genre that many collectors are now pursuing, independent watchmaking. As expected, amongst the offerings going on the block are works from the big names like F.P. Journe, Richard Mille, and H. Moser & Cie. But beyond the usual suspects, the sale also encompasses hidden gems, like the highly complicated tourbillon perpetual calendar by Gerald Genta presented as a Cartier Pasha. The Important Watches auction (lots 2306-2523), including watches from The Triazza Collection, begins at 1 pm on November 27 – the catalogue is available here. It’s followed by the second session (lots 2201-2282) offering watches from The Champion Collection at 7 pm – see the full catalogue here. The fully-engraved Gerald Genta movement inside the Cartier Pasha Lot 2382: Cartier Pasha Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Considered one of the most successful watch designers of the 20th century – though his most influential designs were for Audemars Piguet and the Patek Philippe rather than his own – Gerald Genta was also responsible for some of the most complicated watches of the 1980s and 1990s when his namesake brand was at its peak. In fact, the Genta brand was so proficient at making highly complex watches that Cartier tapped Gerald Genta as a movement supplier for its top-of-the-line complications in the 19...
SJX Watches
Singapore watch retailer Cortina continues with its roll-out of special watches to mark its golden jubilee. Following limited editions from Blancpain, Patek Philippe, and H. Moser & Cie. comes the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Cortina Watch. While it might sound like yet another vintage-inspired chronograph, the latest Carrera is unlike anything TAG Heuer has done before. Instead of the usual steel, the case is 18k yellow gold, while the dial is made of maw sit sit, a little-known green gemstone found only in the northern parts of Myanmar. And the hour markers and hands are of course 18k yellow gold to match. Initial thoughts The base-model Carrera powered by the in-house Heuer 02 calibre is an appealing watch to begin with, especially in steel where it’s an affordable proposition with a historical design. But it is primarily a practical, everyday watch, which is arguably what it should be given its history as a motorsports chronograph. The Cortina edition, however, is the opposite. It is pricey, very much so in fact, but it is special. Green is the fashionable colour in watchmaking now, so you might be forgiven for feeling weary when faced with yet another dial in the colour. But green dials certainly capture the zeitgeist of today, and perhaps personify the “hype” watch culture exemplified by the famous olive-dial sports watch. The new Carrera, in contrast, runs counter to that. It is definitely green, but the natural stone dial means it is a intrinsically v...
SJX Watches
With edgy decor that set it apart from a typical luxury-watch store of the period, the inaugural Sincere Haute Horlogerie (SHH) in Singapore’s Hilton hotel was one of the world’s first “concept” stores dedicated to high-end mechanical watches when it opened in 2005. After a run of well over a decade, the original SHH store closed in 2019, but the format has now made a comeback at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) casino complex. Located along a stretch of the mall dominated by watch and jewellery brands, the new SHH once again focuses on niche and independent brands. Its stable of brands total 19 and include Greubel Forsey, H. Moser & Cie., Laurent Ferrier, Parmigiani, and Ferdinand Berthoud. Reboot and revive Being amongst the first retailers in the world to offer brands that were then just startups but would go on to do great things – Sincere took on Franck Muller in 1992, Lange in 1995, Panerai in 1998, and F.P. Journe in 2000 – SHH was a logical progression of Sincere’s retail strategy in the early 2000s. “[SHH in Hilton] was meant to be a touch point for very fine mechanical watches and high end brands,” says long-serving Sincere chief executive Ong Ban, “At the same time, it was also a launchpad for what we thought were the future stars of the industry.” Projects like the first SHH helped established Sincere as one of the three biggest watch retailers in Southeast Asia, alongside Cortina Watch and The Hour Glass. But after several changes in ownership, S...
SJX Watches
The sister company of H. Moser & Cie., Hautlence is a maker of highly contemporary watches that’s been on ice for several years as its owners completed Moser’s resurrection. Now Hautlence is making a comeback with a trio of watches led by the Linear Series 1. Adopting the TV-shaped case that’s historically the brand’s signature – but now matched with an integrated rubber strap – the Linear Series 1 features a retrograde hours on a straight-line scale along with a flying tourbillon at six o’clock. Initial thoughts Hautlence was founded in 2004 and found success during the subsequent boom in the luxury watch industry. Its fortunes faded together with that era of good times, so it is perhaps fitting that the brand is now being revived in the midst of another boom. The Linear Series 1 smartly returns to the TV-screen case that defined the brand since its inception. When combined with the open dial it is distinctive at a distance and recognisable as a Hautlence. Naturally the case design has been tweaked for today’s tastes, so it gets an integrated rubber strap. The sporty stance of the new look is appealing, although the integrated strap and folding clasp means it won’t fit perfectly on all wrists. Mechanically the Linear Series 1 is the result of a Moser base movement and an Agenhor module (that was originally developed for RJ-Romain Jerome), so it has solid technical credentials. Besides a retrograde hours, the movement also have a flying tourbillon with do...
Time+Tide
The Swiss industry can feel a bit stuffy at times, a seriousness derived from a sense of luxury, heritage and timekeeping tradition. But we are increasingly seeing independents and micro-brands inject more playfulness into horology – from H. Moser & Cie, MB&F;, Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein, SecondeSeconde, Bamford and more. Another name you would … ContinuedThe post Studio Underd0g unveils Strawberries & Cream Chronograph inspired by Wimbledon snack appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Sotheby’s forthcoming Important Watches I in Hong Kong is the first live auction of the year by a major auction house, or so accurately it’s the second day of the auction, with the sale of a mega, single-owner Patek Philippe collection happening in the evening the day before. With the strong demand for independent watchmaking, the 214-lots sale encompasses timepieces from a range of niche and not-so-niche indies. The lineup is naturally led by F.P. Journe, perhaps the marquee name in independent watchmaking today, but the most valuable lot is the very rare and very expensive Montre École, one of 11 watches born of the Naissance d’une Montre project backed by Greubel Forsey and Philippe Dufour. We round up six highlights from amongst the independent watchmakers at the sale, which starts at 2:00 pm (GMT +8) on April 26, 2022. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. Montre École no. 09/11 Lot 2127: H. Moser & Cie. x MB&F; Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon Having been business partners for a decade or so – Moser’s sister company supplies hairsprings to MB&F; – the two brands revealed their first collaboration in 2020 when both coincidentally celebrated their 15th anniversary. The more complicated of the two anniversary editions, the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon was more Moser than MB&F; with its dial colour and movement, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The Cylindrical Tourbillon combines the best of both brands. The aesthe...
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