Future Nostalgia
Turn back the clock and power into the future all at once with H. Moser & Cie.’s latest Streamliner complication watches.
IMAGINE THE FREE-SPIRITED capriciousness of artists from the 1970s, the disciplined perfection of watchmakers from the 1800s, and the unencumbered visions of hungry entrepreneurs of today—all bubbling in a heady brew—and you are close to what H. Moser & Cie. has to offer with its new Streamliner watches.
The brand’s marketing statement describes the Streamliner’s look as “a nod to the sleek automotive and locomotive designs of the 1920s”. To our eyes, though, the watch’s strong cushion-shaped case with a stylised integrated bracelet, complemented by minimalistic coloured dials on some models, and ornamental versions on others, harks back to the early luxury sports watch aesthetic of the 1970s.
Although the Streamliner raised eyebrows at first with its unusual appearance, it has now become an unequivocal H. Moser & Cie. icon. For 2024, the brand ups the ante with a trio of new models that offer more of the collection’s throwback allure, elevated with technical mastery and decorative finesse.
A stellar example—and gracing our cover this issue—is the Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton. Clad in a 40mm steel case that sports the collection’s signature silhouette, the case frames a web of carefully hollowed gears and bridges.
The hallmark of all great skeleton watches lies in their transparency. With the Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton, every single part of its automatic HMC 814 is meticulously reduced to its bare structure to offer an unobstructed view of its inner workings, which are bevelled and sheathed in anthracite finish. At the same time, the gold-plated indices, as well as hour and minute hands featuring Globolight inserts, an innovative ceramic-based material containing SuperLumiNova, ensure optimum legibility.
Rotating majestically at 6 o’clock, one finds the one-minute tourbillon. The centuries-old complication was designed to nullify the effects of gravity on the movement’s timekeeping precision. Here, H. Moser & Cie. equips the watch with a ‘flying’ tourbillon, which appears to rotate in a vacuum, further adding to its mystique and visual drama.
Meanwhile, one of H. Moser & Cie.’s most iconic complications, an astonishingly pared-down perpetual calendar, makes an appearance with the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar Concept Smoked Salmon. As the name suggests, the dial is rendered in a gradated brownish-pink hue—accompanied by vertically striped griffe finish that is found only on limited-edition dials.
Again, the brand’s stripped-down perpetual calendar feature never fails to fascinate. Eschewing the complex calendar displays that one finds on regular perpetual calendars, H. Moser & Cie.’s version allows you to ascertain the date, month and leap year via a discreet central hand, a date display, and a star-shaped wheel at the back
of the watch. Though the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar Concept Smoked Salmon is engineered to last, the 42.3mm steel cased watch will only be available for 12 months starting from February 2024.
On the other hand, the Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine Limited Edition offers a stark contrast to the austere aesthetics of the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar Concept Smoked Salmon. The watch’s sculptural transparency draws you in, inviting you gaze upon its intricate mechanical choreography for hours on end.
Sporty and decorative, the Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine Limited Edition is made in partnership with Alpine Motorsports and limited to 100 pieces. Here, the high-octane world of F1 racing is interpreted through fastidious and timehonoured complication watchmaking. Powered by the automatic calibre HMC 811, which is fully skeletonised on both sides, the watch is hewn from traditional watchmaking—evinced by the off-centred time display, and gorgeous tourbillon complication with cylindrical hairspring invented in the 18th century.
Yet, the Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine Limited Edition is a thoroughly modern creation. In fact, the movement’s precision and performance with its 74-hour power reserve is a testament to the manufacturing prowess of H. Moser & Cie.’s sister company, Precision Engineering AG. Lavished with blue on its translucent domed time display dial and rubber strap—a nod to the official colour of both H. Moser & Cie. and Alpine Motorsports—this 42.3mm steel watch offers an intriguing spirit of athleticism and horological refinement.
From inspirations from the world of ancient locomotives and traditional watchmaking, to the heart-stopping realm of Formula One, the H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner collection certainly isn’t one for being pigeonholed. For those of you who wonder if teleportation or time travel is ever possible, simply strap on one of these watches to find out.