Auction Report – Moser & Christie’s Raise CHF 100,000 In Support Of Traditional Swiss Watchmaking (with their weird cheese-watch)

As reported to you here a few weeks ago, Moser, in association with auction house Christie’s, was about to donate two of its most provocative watches, however with a loyal goal hidden behind: preserving the traditions of the Swiss Watchmaking industry and making sure that this expertise, unique in the world, will survive – and as you know, Moser is a fervent defender of the Swiss production, but not of the Swiss Made label. Yesterday, the final amount realised as the hammer fell was rather impressive. 

As you might remember, earlier this year, Moser created a statement watch, with no less than a genuine Swiss-cheese case, a sort of irreverent message to the Swiss federation, to alarm people on the irrelevance of the Swiss-made label – as reported to you here. This was not the only unusual creation of the brand, which as a first attempt, created the Swiss-Alp watch, a rectangular version of their high-end mechanical watch, in reaction of the launch of the Apple watch.

The Swiss-Mad watch as well as the prototype of the Swiss-Alp watch were donated by Moser to be auctioned by Christie’s this May 15th, with proceeds to be given to the Fondation pour la Culture Horlogère Suisse (Foundation for Swiss Watchmaking Culture), helping it to achieve its two objectives: to support apprenticeships in the watchmaking professions and to safeguard expertise in the related watchmaking arts and crafts. The hammered talked and lot 116 of the sale (combining the two watches) achieved CHF 100,000 (CHF 125,000 with buyer’s premium).

“I am delighted to be able to help preserve our Swiss watchmaking tradition through the Foundation, and I would like to thank Christie’s for working alongside H. Moser & Cie. to promote mechanical watchmaking. The sale of the Swiss Alp Watch and the Swiss Mad Watch will enable us to lend our support – with complete transparency – to various projects intended to secure the future of Switzerland’s watchmaking expertise, both through training and by helping certain artisan crafts which are in danger of disappearing due to a lack of resources” said Georges-Henri Meylan, President of the Foundation and father of Edouard Meylan, CEO of Moser.

With the support of Christie’s, a model from the H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Watch series will be sold each year at auction, with the profits donated to the Fondation pour la Culture Horlogère Suisse. The next piece will be unveiled to coincide with SIHH 2018.