====== H. Moser & Cie. ====== {{wst>menue|H._Moser_&_Cie.}} {{wst>image_cr|H. Moser & Cie.|Monard}} **H. Moser & Cie.** is a Swiss watch manufacturer, partially held by [[MELB Holding]]. ===== Heinrich Moser ===== [[Moser, Heinrich|Heinrich Moser]] (born December 12, [[1805]] in [[Schaffhausen]]) founded **H. Moser & Co.** in [[1828]] in St. Petersburg and opened a watch factory in [[Le Locle]] the following year. Moser returned to [[Schaffhausen]] in [[1848]] and began developing industry in the area over the following decades. His wife Charlotte died in [[1850]], and Moser focused on work from then on. Moser designed and built the "Moser Dam" in Schaffhausen between [[1863]] and [[1866]], one of the first hydropower stations. This brought mechanical energy to the local watchmaking factories and established the town as a center for production, and remained in use until [[1959]]. He was also influential in the creation of Swiss railways, establishing the second rail line in Switzerland (between Schaffhausen and Winterthur) and founding a company to produce railway wagons. Another Moser company produced ships to transport cargo on the Rhine. In [[1868]], Moser supported the American [[Jones, Florentine Ariosto|Florentine Ariosto Jones]] in founding the [[IWC|International Watch Company (IWC)]] in Schaffhausen, one of the major Swiss watch companies today. IWC watches were originally produced in the Moser factory in Schaffhausen before a dedicated factory was constructed nearby. Moser died in [[1874]] and his fortune returned to Russia before being expropriated by the government in [[1918]]. ===== Hy. Moser & Cie, Le Locle ===== The Moser company in Le Locle continued production of pocket watches, moving to wristwatch production in the 1950s. This incarnation variously traced its roots to [[1826]] and [[1926]], and marketing often mentioned "more than a century" of history. Moser in Le Locle was located on Rue du Pont 160 in [[1847]] but relocated to Grande Rue 68 in [[1849]]. This location was renumbered as 72, 148, and finally number 5 in [[1899]]. By [[1908]], the company was listed as Succursale Hy. Moser & Cie. and the new address in [[1913]] was Rue Alexis Marie Piaget 12 and 14. This incarnation was advertised as "Horlogerie de Précision" and boasted of simple and complicated watches. A [[1927]] advertisement shows an octagonal pocket watch with an integrated [[bow]]. Hy. Moser produced a novel [[dead beat|jumping second]] model in [[1955]], known as the [[Moser Saltofix]]. By [[1960]], the [[Moser Dayter]] challenged [[Rolex]] with a similar day-date movement. Moser added braille watches in the 1960s. In the 1970s, Moser specialized in high-end jewelry watches with precious metal cases. Hy. Moser & Cie. was acquired in [[1974]] by another high-end Le Locle watchmaking firm, [[Paul Buhré]]. The industry was suffering at this time, and local businessman [[Castella, Paul|Paul Castella]] had acquired many Le Locle firms using the funds of toolmaker [[Dixi]], starting with Paul Buhré in [[1963]] and culminating with [[Movado-Zenith-Mondia]] in [[1978]]. Production of Hy. Moser & Cie. watches continued for a few years, many using a supply of [[ultra-thin]] movements from [[Frédéric Piguet]], acquired with the acquisition of [[Robert Cart]] in [[1970]]. In [[1979]], as the [[quartz crisis]] decimated demand for mechanical watches, the Moser brand was retired and the Le Locle factory was taken over by Dixi. On October 29, [[1988]], H. Moser & Cie. (along with [[Jean Perret]], [[Luxor]], [[Paul Buhré]], [[Robert Cart]], [[Terrasse]], and [[Zodiac]]) was officially dissolved and integrated into Zenith. These brands were officially abandoned in [[1989]]. ===== Moser Schaffhausen AG ===== In [[2002]] the watch company //Moser Schaffhausen AG// was founded by [[Lange, Jürgen|Dr. Jürgen Lange]] and the great-grandson of [[Moser, Heinrich|Heinrich Moser]], Roger Nicholas Balsiger, together with private investors, in [[Neuhausen]] near [[Schaffhausen]]. At that time, Dr. Lange registered the brand H. Moser & Cie. internationally. Dr. Lange had recently founded [[Precision Engineering AG|Precision Engineering AG (PEAG)]] with Thomas Straumann to produce [[Nivarox]] [[hairspring]]s (invented by [[Straumann, Reinhard|Straumann's grandfather]]) and [[balance wheel]]s independently. The new Moser brand would be entirely independent and vertically integrated, thanks to the partnership with PEAG, capable of producing the entire watch. The first three H. Moser & Cie. watches premiered at [[BaselWorld]] in [[2005]], the 200th birthday of the fouder. These were the [[H. Moser & Cie. Monard|Monard]], [[H. Moser & Cie. Monard Date|Monard Date]], and [[H. Moser & Cie. Mayu|Mayu]]. The exclusive new movements, developed with the help of watchmaker [[Andreas Strehler]], contained many novelties A hardened [[escapement]] that needed no lubrication, a [[beryllium]] [[bronze]] "dragon-lever", conical winding wheels, and the "double-click" crown for [[quickset]] date. Simple functions like this would become a hallmark of the brand, as would another Strehler innovation, a removable modular [[escapement]]. H. Moser & Cie. watches are known for their clean and simple dials. For example, the Strehler-designed [[H. Moser & Cie. Perpetual 1|Perpetual 1]] (introduced at [[Baselworld]] [[2006]]) hides the [[perpetual calendar]] with a tiny arrow hand rather than apertures and subdials. In November, [[2006]] H. Moser & Cie. won one of the most prestigious prizes in the Swiss watch industry, the Best Complication prize at the [[Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève]], for the [[H. Moser & Cie. Perpetual 1|Perpetual 1]]. The Perpetual 1 also won the "Over € 25,000" category at the [[Goldene Unruh]] for [[2010]]. The Perpetual 1 concept remains in production as the [[H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar|Endeavour Perpetual Calendar]] and is the brand's best-known product. Moser also became known for sophisticated dial production techniques and the use of the precious metal, [[palladium]]. In [[2007]], Moser introduced their own [[hairspring]], co-produced with [[Precision Engineering AG|PEAG]], called the [[Straumann hairspring]] after the inventor of the [[Nivarox]] alloy. Another 2007 introduction was the [[tonneau]]-shaped [[H. Moser & Cie. Henry|Henry]], a new look for Moser that failed to find sales success. However, it provided a platform for the [[Straumann double hairspring]] and laid the foundation for a much more important line, the [[2017]] [[H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Watch|Swiss Alp Watch]]. ===== MELB Holding ===== H. Moser & Cie. was taken over by the [[Meylan]] family in [[2012]] becoming part of [[MELB Holding]], with Edouard Meylan becoming the CEO on April 1, [[2013]]. He reinvigorated the company with new products, innovative marketing approaches, and strong financial resources. The collection was reinvigorated to focus on eye-catching color dials, discrete [[complication]]s, and everyday wearability. In [[2013]], the brand adopted the tag line "Very Rare", reflecting their focus on limited production, in-house manufacturing, and ingenuity. Among Meylan's signature accomplishments are the creation of watches that challenged the status quo of Swiss haute horology with humor and taste. His "[[H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Mad Watch|Swiss Mad Watch]]" (with a case made of Swiss cheese) and "[[H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Icons Watch|Swiss Icons Watch]]" (which mashed together numerous signature elements from other Swiss brands) were pure novelties, but the [[H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Watch|Swiss Alp Watch]] was a genuine and respected product offering Its shape reflected that of the [[Apple Watch]] but was an example of Swiss watchmaking at its best, using the [[tonneau]]-shaped in-house movement from the [[H. Moser & Cie. Henry|Henry]] and bringing signature elements like fume and "funky" dials. Over a production run of about 240 examples, the Swiss Alp line included many innovations and gained notoriety and respect for the brand. After acquiring [[Precision Engineering AG]] in [[2012]], Moser became a truly-integrated [[manufacture]], one of the few companies in the industry to produce [[hairspring]]s, [[escapement]]s, [[balance wheel]]s, and other components in-house. Seeing other companies abusing the "[[Swiss Made]]" label on watches containing a large amount of components sourced abroad (often in China), Meylan rejected the label altogether. H. Moser & Cie. watches removed "Swiss Made" from the dial in [[2017]] and Meylan lampooned the loopholes with the launch of the "[[H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Mad Watch|Swiss Mad Watch]]". The company claims that over 95% of their watch components are produced in Switzerland, a far higher standard than required by the label. ===== Current Models ===== * [[H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Automatic]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Small Seconds]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Venturer]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Big Date]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Small Seconds]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Small Seconds XL]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer]] - Daily wear haute horology * [[H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Perpetual Calendar]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Tourbillon]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Minute Retrograde]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Small Seconds]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Heritage]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Perpetual Calendar]] * [[H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Perpetual Moon]] ===== Address ===== Moser Schaffhausen AG\\ Rundbuckstrasse 10\\ CH-8212 Neuhausen am Rheinfall\\ \\ T +41 52 674 0050\\ F +41 52 674 0055\\ info@h-moser.com ===== Weblinks ===== * [[http://www.h-moser.com/|H. Moser & Cie.]], official website * [[http://moserwatchesblog.tumblr.com/|H. Moser & Cie.]], company blog * [[https://grail-watch.com/2021/02/12/no-joke-h-moser-cie-swiss-alp-is-the-smartest-watch/|No Joke: H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp is the Smartest Watch]] {{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland MELB_Holding FHH Le_Locle Schaffhausen}}