Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Unexpected Azuki X H. Moser & Cie. Elements of Time Collection
A tangible fragment of two creative worlds, one forged in blockchain lore, the other in watchmaking tradition, fused into something unexpected.
Two worlds that couldn’t be more different, one born from blockchain and anime culture, the other rooted in centuries of Swiss horology, have collided to create something genuinely original. The Elements of Time series, a collaboration between Azuki and H. Moser & Cie., feels as if it shouldn’t work, but it does. Azuki, the web3-native brand, has built its reputation on a mix of streetwear aesthetics, anime-inspired storytelling, and tech-age community engagement. It’s a brand that builds worlds, where collectors are co-creators. Every release is an event, every design a piece of an expanding universe.
H. Moser & Cie., on the other hand, is a rare breed in Swiss watchmaking: fiercely independent, masterfully traditional in its craftsmanship, but with a streak of irreverence that has given us watches made from cheese, riffs on Apple Watches, and stripped-down dials so minimal they’ve become iconic. Moser mastered the art of serious watchmaking without ever taking itself too seriously.
The Elements of Time collection distils the creative side of both brands into a set of eight watches that merge narrative depth and mechanical precision. Inspired by the four elemental domains from Azuki’s Elementals NFT series, Fire, Earth, Water, and Lightning, each domain is represented by two models: a Pioneer Tourbillon and a Pioneer Centre Seconds.
The dials are where the storytelling happens as each is engraved with a bespoke guilloché pattern, sculpted to evoke the essence of its element: fiery flames, rippling waves, shifting tectonic textures, or jagged electric pulses. Light plays across the patterns with depth and even drama, creating a link to Azuki’s illustrated worlds.
The Pioneer Tourbillon models showcase the flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, framed by the elemental dial motif. The Pioneer Centre Seconds versions focus on a clean time display while retaining the same hypnotic guilloché textures. Both are housed in Moser’s sport-luxury Pioneer case, water-resistant to 120m, with a robust yet refined presence on the wrist. And for this Azuki-themed collection, the Pioneer receives a rotating bezel, as seen on the Collective Horology models.
In true Moser fashion, movements are finished to haute horlogerie standards, visible through sapphire casebacks, whether it’s the complex mechanics of the tourbillon or the elegant simplicity of the three-hand calibre. And in true Azuki fashion, every model is limited: just 24 pieces of each Centre Seconds per element, and similarly rare runs of the Tourbillons. Prices are set at USD 25,000 for the Pioneer Centre Seconds and USD 75,000 for the Pioneer Tourbillon. For more details, please visit h-moser.azuki.com.
3 responses
I was slowly getting to the point of considering an H. Moser, but the latest releases look like watches from a gumball machine at massively inflated prices. No thanks. H. Moser will be the next Franck Muller of the 202xx
I completely agree. Moser was already considered a cool brand, so what’s the point of these ‘collabs’ with obscure ‘streetwear’ brands? These watches are instantly forgettable, and Moser has gone from having strong value on the secondary market to one of the biggest losers. Meanwhile, some of their best core products such as the GPHG winning Streamliner Small Seconds are almost unobtainable. Seems like they’ve lost the plot, and now in danger of losing their core customers.
I like these in titanium with the bezel but the price is really pushing it at $25k when you can get something similar on secondary for $15k or even a new Pioneer for under $20k.
They definitely overpromised and underdelivered on the Streamliner Small Seconds and I heard they had trouble with the grand feu dial production yields. They definitely have the challenge of avoiding becoming the Streamliner company (like AP is the Royal Oak company) and keeping production distributed across a broader set of watches and styles even if those other have trouble maintaining value due to lower demand.