The H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse X The Armoury
5 min read
Born out of a shared passion for traditional craftsmanship and timeless elegance, here is yet another "Rare" timepiece by the a brand that embodies the very words "very rare" H. Moser & Cie. This time around they have partnered with The Armoury, a bespoke menswear brand by Mark Cho and Alan See. Now although Edouard Meylan did give us a subtle hint in our last chat with him, we sure didn't see this one coming.
So why the collaboration with a specialised menswear brand? Here's how the story goes. Back in 2019, at the beginning of this partnership, Mark met with Edouard Meylan in New York. Sharing the same passion for clothing and watches, bonds were woven and the idea of a collaboration began to emerge. Mark and Alan were clearly drawn to the incredibly rich history of H. Moser & Cie, spanning almost 200 years, as well as its watchmaking expertise and desire to take risks with new ideas, one such as the use of Vantablack®. On the other hand, the team at H. Moser & Cie were drawn to The Armoury's roots in classic design, its promotion of craftsmanship, and the desire to create special, understated pieces, sitting on the cusp between classic and contemporary. This perfect match then lead to the birth of the Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse X The Armoury watch!
Featuring a deep, intense Vantablack® dial to contrast against the inner bezel – a halo as bright as the sun's corona in a total solar eclipse – the Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse is the perfect amalgamation of elegance and minimalism in a 38mm case.
Conceptually, the Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse is the perfect representation of a total solar eclipse, when the sun is completely hidden behind the moon. Absorbing 99.965% of light, just like a black hole, the Vantablack® dial evokes the silhouette of the moon, while the steel bezel and the polished inner bezel, in steel or red gold, represents the halo of the solar corona, the gaseous, outermost part of the sun's atmosphere, visible by the naked eye only when there is a total solar eclipse. While models with a Vantablack® dial have been characterised by their absolute, minimalist purity up until now, the Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse features numerous subtle and discreet details. This begins with the exquisite marker dots of the indices, which lend definition and rhythm to the dial. This is a first for H. Moser & Cie. and highlights the expertise the company has gained from working with Vantablack®, a surface which can be damaged by just a simple touch. Consisting of carbon nanostructures, Vantablack® cannot come into contact with anything else. The Schaffhausen Manufacture has therefore developed a special technique in order to meet Mark and The Armoury's request.
Aesthetically the Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse has a very classic retro feel to it. What perfectly compliments that intense black dial are those Breguet style hour and minute hands, finished with a circle at the tip, while the small second hand is adorned with a dot-style marker, echoing the indices.
"Absolutely everything in this model links back to this quest for ultimate elegance, combining classicism with a contemporary feel," explains Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie. "It's 38- mm diameter is perfectly balanced. We opted for the smallest and finest of our movements, the hand-wound HMC 327 calibre, with an offset small second at 6 o'clock, reminiscent of the pocket-watch style." Accompanying this creation is a black calf leather strap, which has been designed and created by The Armoury. Combining two different textures of leather for an even more beautiful effect, it enhances the elegance of the Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse.
Available in two limited editions (Steel or steel with 5N red gold inner bezel) of 28 pieces each, this fascinating piece will be available in The Armoury stores in New York and Hong Kong, as well as on the e-commerce platforms for The Armoury and H. Moser & Cie. It will come with a pocket square developed by The Armoury for H. Moser & Cie., providing sophistication and elegance in even the smallest details. Very rare indeed
