Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is excited to announce The Hong Kong Sessions, Spring 2024, online auction, taking place from 12:00 PM HKT, Tuesday, March 19, to 2:00 PM HKT, Tuesday, March 26. Featuring more than 150 different high-end luxury wristwatches, the sale covers everything from A. Lange & Söhne and F.P. Journe to Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. It even includes the four H. Moser & Cie. wristwatches featured in this article.
H. Moser & Cie is a Swiss luxury watchmaker known for its high-quality timepieces and traditional craftsmanship. The company has a rich history dating back to 1828 when it was founded by Heinrich Moser in St. Petersburg, Russia. Moser quickly gained a reputation for producing exquisite pocket watches for the Russian aristocracy.
After Heinrich Moser's death, the company changed hands several times and went through various phases of ownership and management. In 2002, the brand was revived by Heinrich Moser's great-grandson, Roger Nicholas Balsiger, and Dr. Jürgen Lange. They re-established H. Moser & Cie as an independent Swiss watch manufacturer, focusing on creating high-end mechanical watches with a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation.
After the Meylan family's acquisition of H. Moser & Cie in 2012, the company experienced a revitalization that further solidified its position in the luxury watch industry. The Meylan family, led by Edouard Meylan, brought fresh energy and vision to the brand while respecting its rich heritage and tradition.
Under Edouard Meylan's leadership, H. Moser & Cie continued to focus on producing high-end, handcrafted timepieces with a blend of traditional Swiss watchmaking techniques and modern innovation. The brand maintained its reputation for creating minimalist yet elegant designs, often featuring clean lines and understated aesthetics. The company is also known for its technical innovation, including proprietary movements and materials.
One notable aspect of H. Moser & Cie is its occasional use of humor and irony in its marketing and watch designs. For example, they have released watches with dials that appear to be void of any markings, poking fun at the trend of overly complicated watch designs.
Lot 8074: A Circa 2021 H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Tourbillon Limited Edition In 18k Pink Gold With Ox's Eye Dial
Estimate: HKD $220,000 - 400,000
Celebrating ultra-minimalistic design, the Endeavour Tourbillon Concept is unmistakably H. Moser & Cie. No logo, no indices, just pure DNA of the brand with its sculpted case. Released in 2021 in a limited of 50 pieces each, the Endeavour Tourbillon themed the collection with mesmerizing stone dials: Falcon’s Eye with white gold case, and Ox’s Eye with pink gold case like the present example.
Less is more, the Endeavour Tourbillon lets you appreciate the beauty of its material within the warmth of a 40mm diameter pink gold case. Its simplicity let its flying 60-second tourbillon works its magic.
Boasting superlative precision and a mesmerizing kinetic spectacle for the wearer, the timepiece is powered by the self-winding HMC 804 featuring a patented double hairspring where two identical hairsprings compensates for any positional errors.
With each dial crafted from the actual stone, each creation is therefore truly unique. Offered by the original owner in “like-new” condition and accompanied by its full set of accessories, this Endeavour Tourbillon Concept fits like a glove for those who has a soft spot for stone dials.
Lot 8075: A Circa 2020 H. Moser & Cie. Perpetual Calendar In 18k White Gold
Estimate: HKD $90,000 - 160,000
Launched in 2005, the ingenious Endeavour Perpetual by H. Moser & Cie. gained instant acclaim, winning the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve's coveted Complication Prize in 2006 for its forward-thinking excellence.
Considered one of the simplest and most elegant perpetual calendars, the Endeavour forgoes calendar clutter with its clean dial and big date display. The month is indicated by a central hand pointing to each hour index, aligning the 12 indices with the 12 months. A subtle power reserve at 9 o'clock completes the minimalist aesthetic.
On the flip side, a discreet leap year indicator is cleverly positioned at 12 o'clock on the movement. Not just simple in appearance, the Endeavour is technically brilliant, with an instantaneous perpetual calendar that jumps precisely at midnight. Another innovation is the replaceable escapement module for easy servicing.
Presented in excellent condition, this white gold Endeavour with “funky blue” dial is a masterclass in innovative watchmaking. Equally suited to dress up or down, its balanced aesthetic and conversational design make it a must-have for collectors of perpetual calendars and minimalist timepieces alike.
Lot 8076: A Circa 2019 H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Flying Hours Limited Edition In 18k White Gold
Estimate: HKD $80,000 - 160,000
Famous for their minimalistic designs and beautiful craftmanship, H. Moser & Cie released the Endeavour Flying Hours in 2018. The innovative and playful design made time display without hands possible, and it is poetic execution of a unique flow of time. As the original version was sold out immediately during the SIHH, the brand introduced 2 additional limited editions of the Endeavour Flying Hours, one of which is the present white gold edition with grey fumé dial and blue disks (the other comes with a green dial), each limited to 100 pieces only.
The wandering hours complication in fact goes back a long way in the history of horology with one of its first examples found on the Tabernacle Night Clock presented by the famous clockmaker Campani brothers to the Pope Alexander VII of Rome in the 17th century. The enchanting complication has been taken on by Audemars Piguet for the “Star Wheel” and Arnold & Son for their “Golden Wheel”.
Moser’s approach on the wandering hours for the Endeavour Flying Hours is highly aesthetic. In a quintessential H. Moser & Cie fashion, the stunning grey fumé dial with sunburst pattern renders the watch instantly recognizable even without the brand name. The grey dial juxtaposes with the blue rotating luminescent jumping hour disks which would not fail to bring joy to the wearer when viewed in darkness. The complication operates with the hour disks maintaining their positions at 4, 8, and 12 o’clock, and the central stationary disk points to the minutes as they rotate.
The present watch is presented in excellent overall condition, and complete with its full accessories, and is certainly one not to be missed by collectors of fine horology.
Lot 8073: A Circa 2014 H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Small Seconds In 18k Pink Gold
Estimate: HKD $60,000 - 100,000
Since its relaunch in 2005, H. Moser & Cie. has placed significant emphasis on dial aesthetics, resulting in some of the most exceptional dial designs in modern horology. Renowned for their innovative approach to dial design and materials, the brand consistently delivers astonishing results, shaping their distinctive identity.
While the current timepiece lacks their signature fumé dial, H. Moser & Cie. has incorporated a different texture on the dial, featuring a captivating domed pattern. The sunburst silvered surface adds a striking shine, creating a mesmerizing visual effect, particularly under the sunlight.
Turning the watch over reveals the calibre HMC 327, which not only finished with Côtes de Genêve but also includes a practical power reserve indication. With its perfect 39mm size, the watch sits elegantly on the wrist, offering a classic and sophisticated timepiece from H. Moser & Cie.
You can view the complete catalog for the Phillips Watches Hong Kong Sessions, Spring 2024, Online Auction, right here.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.
Recommended Reading
A History Of Harry Winston's Histoire de Tourbillon Collection
A Collectors' Guide To MB&F’s Early Horological Machines
The Enduring Appeal Of Wolf’s Teeth Gearing In Fine Watchmaking