The brand new H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum

H. Moser & Cie.’s signature perpetual calendar complication initially debuted in 2006 because the Perpetual 1 and captivated watch followers with its gracious design and technical excellence. The recognition of the watch propelled the younger firm with a legendary identify into the long run. Through the years, H. Moser & Cie. produced a number of QP fashions in numerous case supplies and with a alternative of dials, all the time spectacular and consistent with the model’s philosophy and character. Final 12 months all of us received to smile by trying on the “cheat sheet” Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tutorial, nicknamed “perpetual calendar for dummies”, to focus on the simplicity of its operation. This 12 months, H. Moser & Cie. presents a brand new variant of the enduring Endeavour Perpetual Calendar, in a tantalum case and with a blue enamelled dial.

The selection of steel to fabricate the case is an fascinating one. Tantalum, with the image Ta and atomic quantity 73, was first found in 1802 by Gustav Ekeberg in Sweden. A 12 months earlier, Charles Hatchett had found columbium (now known as niobium), and from 1809 for nearly forty years, the 2 components had been thought of equivalent. In 1846 the German chemist Heinrich Rose disputed this faulty conclusion made by the Brit William Hyde Wollaston, and in 1864-1865 many outstanding scientists confirmed his discovery. Tantalum had its identify “cleared”, and in 1903 comparatively pure tantalum was produced for the primary time and utilized in metallic wires for mild bulb filaments till tungsten stole the sunshine present.

The identify for this difficult, chemically inert steel with a really excessive melting level (3000 °C) comes from Greek mythology. Gods punished Tantalus for a number of offences – he was a thief and a liar, however he additionally reduce up his son, boiled him and served him at a banquet. His punishment was to face in a pool of water below a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit eluding his arms and the water receding earlier than he might drink. Nonetheless, Gustav Ekeberg defined the identify tantalum in much less thrilling phrases – “partly in allusion to its incapacity, when immersed in acid, to soak up any and be saturated”.

This new H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel is the manufacture’s first use of this extremely corrosion-resistant blue-grey steel. Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie., explains that not solely had been tantalum’s qualities the first cause to grasp the manufacturing course of, however there was a private contact, too. For his 18th birthday, he acquired a tantalum watch as a present from his dad and mom (my guess is it was an AP). Fascinated by the steel’s properties since then, he determined to introduce tantalum to H. Moser & Cie.

The result’s a basic Endeavour case, 42mm in diameter and 13.1mm thick, with curved sapphire crystals back and front and a caseback and crown in chrome steel. The tantalum case displays the sunshine by producing shades of anthracite gray and metallic blue, a lot enhanced by the “Abyss Blue” color of the fumé dial. Preserving the acquainted H. Moser & Cie. minimalist strategy to dial designs, the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel options simply two indices at 6 and 12 o’clock. There isn’t any emblem or Swiss-made point out, no sub-dials, simply the leaf-shaped arms for the time, small seconds and energy reserve, and a small arrow-shaped indicator within the centre for the month. The moment-change date window is at 3 o’clock; aside from that, the dial floor reveals the “hammered” texture of the gorgeous Grand Feu enamel. We’ve seen this method within the Endeavour Centre Seconds Idea Lime Inexperienced, however the complexity of making such a magnificence requires a brief overview of the method.

The engrained gold base reveals a sample that appears prefer it has been hammered repeatedly. 4 blue-colour pigments are washed, crushed after which utilized to the ready base to supply the specified shadow impact by the grasp enameller. The pigments are fastidiously added so that they soften collectively appropriately when heated. The dial should be fired twelve occasions to realize the fumé impact H. Moser & Cie. is thought for. Naturally, every dial is exclusive.

This gorgeous timepiece with immense attraction can be outstanding from a technical viewpoint. The hand-wound HMC 800 calibre, developed for H. Moser & Cie. by Andreas Strehler, permits the watch to be set utilizing the crown any time of day or evening. This motion has a double barrel that shops power for at least seven days. The calibre is hand-finished and adorned in Haute Horlogerie vogue; its pallet fork and escapement wheel are made out of gold. The bissextile year indicator is movement-side, however you may be turning this watch over to admire the calibre extra typically than as soon as in 4 years.

The tantalising new H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel is introduced on a hand-stitched gray kudu (African antelope) leather-based strap with an engraved metal folding clasp. This reference retails for CHF 75,000, taxes included.

For extra, please go to www.h-moser.com.