MINIMALIST COMPLICATION

The new Endeavour Perpetual Calendar presents Tantalum for the first time in H. Moser’s history

H. Moser & Cie presents its iconic Endeavour Perpetual Calendar model with a tantalum case. This is the first-ever use of this rare and prestigious metal in the brand’s history.

Tantalum was discovered in 1802 by Swede Anders Gustav Ekeberg. It is a highly dense and extremely strong metal. Its surfaces come in contact with air, it develops a fine layer of oxidation that protects the metal against corrosion. Tantalum offers anti-corrosive properties and does not react with most chemical agents or dissolve in acid.

This extremely malleable metal is both hard and ductile, which means it can be easily drawn out and worked with precision and finesse. With a melting point of around 3000 °C, it requires advanced metallurgical expertise to machine. Its dark grey colour is enhanced by bluish reflections, and does not tarnish. An exceptionally stable metal, tantalum combines beauty with durability.

While Tantalum certainly offers some interesting properties, for Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser, it was also a personal choice: “When I was 18,” he explains, “my parents gave me my first Haute Horology watch, which was made from tantalum. Ever since then, I have dreamed of introducing this metal at H. Moser & Cie., in spite of the challenges it poses. It took more than two years of testing before we were able to polish the surfaces of our case, a feat that few have been able to match, with most preferring to sandblast or satin-finish tantalum.”

Edouard Meylan could not have picked a better candidate to introduce the Tantalum metal. The Endeavour Perpetual Calendar is widely admired for its excellent legible and easy-to-set mechanics, as it can be adjusted both forwards and backwards at any time of day. It possesses a rare combination of a complex movement that is also easy to use.

The absence of a subdial and date disc makes it very easy to read. With the Tantalum Endeavour Perpetual Calendar, H. Moser takes its minimalist philosophy even further by removing the brand logo and all indices except for those at 12 and 6 o’clock. This was done to showcase the full beauty of the “Grand Feu” enamel dial.

Starting with a pattern engrained onto a gold base, as if hammered, four different colour pigments are washed, finely crushed, and then applied to create an ombré effect. Careful work and patience are required for the master enameller to painstakingly apply the pigments, adding them one by one so that the colours oxidise and meld together when heated in the furnace, without any pixelation.

A translucent “Grand Feu” enamel dial must be fired twelve times in total to create the signature H. Moser fumé effect. Each dial is therefore unique but the finish is always remarkable. It is unmistakably contemporary, with a complex texture and an intense hue christened Abyss Blue. At the centre, the small hand indicates the months, while a very large date window at 3 o’clock, with the “Flash Calendar” function providing an instant date change at midnight and a power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock displaying the movement’s seven days of autonomy, complete the piece. The time and date are easy to set using the crown, and can be changed at any time of the day.

H. Moser’s Endeavour revolutionised the perpetual calendar by transforming a complication designed for the most discerning of collectors into a watch that even a novice could operate. Despite the lack of branding, the newest Endeavour - combining Tantalum and blue enamel resulting in a distinct blue and grey aesthetic - is instantly recognisable. Thus proving that real luxury is a question of identity – even without obvious markers.