We tend to liken legibility with dials that have the ability to use natural and artificial lighting to their advantage, differentiating between various sub-dials, indicators and markers. The use of light to “fuel” the luminescent material on a dial is, of course, a very important part of many watches’ engineering, and as such we’ve grown accustomed to manufacturers producing watches with those traits. But then we have a watchmaker like H. Moser & Cie that knows how to push the boundaries of watchmaking, all the while keeping well within traditional and historical values of horology. Enter H. Moser & Cie’s latest triumph, the super accurate Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept.
A cleaner dial I’ve yet to come across, the Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept is a thing of absolutely simplistic beauty. It comes in two model variations. One with a stainless-steel case and Vantablack dial, and the other with an 18k red-gold case and midnight-blue fumé dial. Were I presented with either option, I would definitely choose the Vantablack option. This is an immensely impressive timepiece, and from a visual perspective, potentially H. Moser & Cie’s best ever.
At 42mm in diameter and 12.9mm in height, the stainless-steel case of the Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept is fairly large, but truth be told I think it suits the overall persona of the watch. The bigger the case, the more space there is for the vastness of that Vantablack dial to be appreciate. The dial lacks any kind of insignia. No logo, no hour markers, nothing. The focus is on the super dark coating used in astrophysics in telescopes and by the military as thermal camouflage. It’s a compound of carbon nanotubes aligned in a way that allows it to absorb 99.965% of light. In fact, it’s been theorised that Vantablack is potentially one of the darkest substances known to man. Crazy to think that a watchmaker as historic as H. Moser & Cie using such advance and modern technologies. Just another reason why they are one of my favourite independent brands ever.
Aside from the beautiful darkness of that Vantablack dial, we have one of the world’s most accurate moonphases. The moonphase, situated at 6 o’clock, seems as though it’s floating on top of the dial. A very cool effect that’s only made possible with thanks to the supremely dark nature of the Vantablack compound. Like I said, the Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept’s moonphase is one of the most precise, and with an accuracy rate of only one day per 1,027,3 years, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more impressive modern moonphase.
The H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept is powered by the in-house HMC 801 calibre. This is a very impressive movement that is equipped with an interchangeable Moser escapement, making servicing a far more efficient affair. You have the passing hours, minutes and second, an AM/PM indicator, a power reserve indicator on the movement itself, and of course that crazy accurate moonphase.
This is a very appealing watch to me. You get the best of both worlds with the Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept. On one hand, you have the lovely romanticism of a moonphase watch coupled with the beauty of that Vantablack dial. And on the other hand, you have the insane mechanics behind a moonphase-based mechanism accurate to one day per 1,027.3 years. As far as I’m concerned, the Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept is far more impressive than even H. Moser & Cie would lead you to believe. And therein lies the true appeal of Moser. They tend to focus on quality watchmaking, and letting their products do the talking. The H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept is available in either a stainless-steel/Vantablack dial or a red-gold/blue fumé dial variation, each produced in a limited run of only 50-pieces, with each piece costing $55,000AUD.
Ratings:
Movement: 5/5
Aesthetics: 5/5
Wearability: 3/5
Affordability: 2/5