The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Calendar (Live Pics)

What happens if you cross one of H. Moser’s minimalist perpetual calendars with a sporty Streamliner? The answer is the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar, a successful fusion of two distinct models powered by a newly developed manual-winding movement. Once again, H. Moser & Cie. shows its talent for displaying sophisticated complications in deceptively simple settings.

Formidable comeback

Acquiring the name of a famous dead watchmaker is not always a recipe for success; in some cases, like H. Moser & Cie., it can turn into an extraordinary success. In 2002, German engineer Dr Jürgen Lange acquired the Heinrich Moser name, a 19^th-century watchmaker from Schaffhausen who did very well for himself in Saint Petersburg and built the first Swiss dam with hydro-mechanical turbines to produce energy for his factory.

The brand’s first three timepieces were unveiled in 2005. The most striking model – that would mark the trajectory of H. Moser – was the Moser Perpetual I, a radically simplified take on the perpetual calendar with a movement designed by Andreas Strehler. In 2012, the brand passed into the hands of Georges-Henri Meylan’s MELB Holding. Entrusted to his son Edouard Meylan, the young CEO injected vitality into the brand, steering clear of the usual marketing drivel about “illustrious ancestors” et al.

Since its debut, the Perpetual Calendar is a regular in the Endeavour, the Pioneer and even the more vintage-inspired Heritage collections. However, the most enticing and minimalist versions of the QP have to be the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Concept and the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Purity, deceptively simple-looking, elegant watches that belie their complexity.

The Streamliner Concept

In 2020, Moser introduced the Streamliner, a luxury sports watch with a distinctive personality that did not try to emulate the ‘icons’. With a rounded cushion-shaped case, fluid, integrated bracelet and matte satin-brushed finishing, the Streamliner exudes a slightly retro 1970s vibe. The Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic, as the collection name indicates, is a study in streamlined design inspired by the aesthetics of the Streamliner Moderne period (1920-1930). Marked by sleek, aerodynamic lines, Streamliner Moderne found its way into everything from trains and ocean liners to diners and refrigerators. As with most Moser watches, the dial favours the ‘less is more’ design philosophy. The chronograph is displayed on the periphery, leaving plenty of space for Moser’s beautiful gradient fumé dial to shine. Later that same year, Moser introduced a simpler three-hand version of the Streamliner with a Matrix Green fumé dial.

The new Streamliner Perpetual Calendar

Using the design tenets of the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar, Moser’s incorporation of a sophisticated perpetual calendar movement inside the Streamliner is a lesson in minimalism. Many of you will recognise the sporty white and red scales that were first featured on the chronograph to indicate elapsed minutes and seconds. Set against a signature Moser fumé dial, the red and white track minute track of the QP measures the movement of the central seconds hand. Like the three-hand Streamliner, the indices are applied, and the curved hour and minute hands have Globolight® inserts, an innovative ceramic-based material with Super-LumiNova.

As a watch that makes complexity look simple, the calendar functions are so discreet that they are easy to overlook. The large-format date window, positioned at 4 o’clock and aligned with the crown, is easy to locate and is fitted with two superimposed discs (1-15 and 16-31). Thanks to the Flash Calendar instantaneous date-change mechanism, the date changes in a flash at midnight and can be adjusted backwards or forwards at any time of the day. The months rely on the hour indices and are indicated by a small red and white central hand, while the leap year indicator is positioned on the movement side. At 10 o’clock, the minutes track makes way for a power reserve indicator that tracks the consumption of the mighty 168-hour power reserve. The logo is also discreetly etched on the dial with transparent lacquer just below the 12 o’clock marker.

The 42.3mm case has a height of 11mm (without the sapphire crystal) and has the perfectly rounded curves and sleek aerodynamics of the Streamliner family that extend to the integrated steel bracelet. It’s worth noting that the design of the first Streamliner started with the bracelet. Its supple wave-shaped articulated links, which are beautifully brushed and polished, allow the bracelet to sit perfectly on even the most slender of wrists. Like the chronograph, the crown of the new Streamliner is at 4 o’clock. Topped by a domed Glassbox-type sapphire crystal with a see-through caseback, the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar is water-resistant to 120m. The bezel displays a sunray brushed finishing while the case plays with alternating brushed and polished surfaces.

Calibre HMC 812

The hand-wound in-house HMC 812 calibre offers the same advantages as the HMC 341 (used inside Endeavour Perpetual Calendar models) but incorporates a direct-drive central seconds hand. The view from the caseback reveals the contemporary finishings with Moser double horizontal stripes and an anthracite grey PVD coating on the balance bridges, train wheels, barrel and escapement plate. With a frequency of 18,000vph, the double-barrel provides a considerable 168-hour/7-day power reserve. Like other Moser movements, the hairspring is made in-house, and the escapement is modular and interchangeable.

For more information, please visit H. Moser & Cie. Price is CHF 49,900.