ReviewWhy H. Moser’s Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Doesn’t Just Sound Like A Winner

If anyone equates minimalism with simplicity, show them an H. Moser & Cie. watch. And those who are familiar with the style of the luxury watchmaker know how they make extraordinary timepieces with magnificent designs, striking movement finishing and a sense of humour only a few can afford. Their ability to add shock value is commendable. However, their witty outlook doesn’t take away from their watchmaking prowess, and the Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon is a fine example of that. Simply put, this limited edition of 20 pieces is a complex technical feat and demonstrates how traditional complications in a minimalistic setting can leave a lasting impression.

An Exciting Addition To The Endeavour Collection

The timepieces in the Endeavour collection are known for their quirky watchmaking philosophy and the fresh perspective they offer. Timepieces such as the Perpetual Calendar, Perpetual Moon Concept, the Centre Seconds, the Flying Hours, among others, have challenged the status quo and certainly present Moser’s unpredictable facet, if not their rebellious side. The newest member of the Endeavour family is a meticulously designed and developed edition. And what sets it apart is that when many other watchmakers would have relied on more ornamentation while designing such a technically impressive piece, the Schaffhausen-based manufacture have stayed true to what they believe in—less is more.

A Dial Meant To Dazzle

You can hardly blame yourself if your gaze gets fixed on the dial of this new Endeavour. Based on the brand’s signature Concept format, it eliminates all elements from the dial—including markers and the brand emblem—retaining only the timekeeping hands and absolutely essential complication components. Not all Endeavour timepieces feature a Concept dial, but the Minute Repeater Tourbillon does and with great aplomb. In the original design that was launched in 2019, the dial was presented with an inky black hue in a white gold case. Its 2021 avatar has an electric blue dial and an understated design that makes it a purist’s favourite. The cool, contemporary hue is a new addition to Moser’s whimsical palette of dial colours, and imparts a resplendent backdrop for the complications. Presented in a sunburst pattern, it is also a deviation from their signature fumé dials.

Displaying the hammers and gongs of the minute repeater on the dial rather than on the movement side is not just a novelty, it’s an achievement. The titanium framework amplifies the sound generated when you trigger the minute repeater

Displaying the hammers and gong of the minute repeater on the dial rather than on the movement side is not just a novelty, it’s an achievement. As your eyes caress the brilliance of the dial design sporting the enviable combination, expect an acoustically enchanting sound to wake you up from your stupor. Within the titanium framework, the amplified sound generated by hammers and chimes ensures that you notice the passage of time by the chiming of the hours, quarter-hours and minutes on the dial side. The chimes are placed on one level to maintain the subtlety of the piece and they also had to be curved so as not to interfere with the flying tourbillon. A sliding bolt activates the minute repeater and because it is mounted on a teflon runner built into the main plate, it glides smoothly and simultaneously, and manages to save some space.

Commendable Complications That Overcame Complexity 

Moser loves to surprise the horology world, and Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon has all the elements to leave you awestruck. Adding a tourbillion in a dial that otherwise exudes austerity lends a paradoxical quality to the timepiece. Considered the holy grail of watchmaking complications, the complex tourbillon doesn’t present simplicity in any way. To get a flying tourbillon the way it is intended is a reason enough for celebration. But to add another behemoth of watch complications—the minute repeater in the mix is quintessential Moser style of making big statements through their genuinely distinctive watches. Coming up with this marvel of ingenuity needed collaboration, and the expertise of Timeless SA—a specialist in minute repeaters—proved to be handy. Together, they managed to easily overcome the many technical challenges with various solutions such as curving the chimes so that they wouldn’t interfere with the tourbillon.

Another hurdle was ensuring that the diameter and thickness of the watch allowed enough space to accommodate the complications on the dial and the movement within the case while maintaining the elegance of the design. That was resolved by widening the case middle to house the movement while allowing enough space to create a sound box. The watch makes good use of titanium’s properties, such as higher rigidity and lower density, making the case stronger, yet lighter. The titanium case is also better equipped to retain the vibratory energy from the sound, without allowing it to dissipate, owing to the low damping effect of the metal. Given the many limitations, the dimensions of 43mm diameter and 14mm height appear reasonable. Behind the see-through caseback is HMC 903 manual-winding calibre beating at 3Hz and offering a 90-hour power reserve. Again, co-developed with Timeless SA, it consists of more than 400 parts and 35 jewels. With dimensions of a 33mm diameter and 9.62mm height, the hand-finished movement displays Moser’s double stripes on the plate and bridges.

The HMC 903 was first used in the black-dial predecessor of this watch, and was created in partnership with MHC (Manufacture Hautes Complications). At the time, in an interview with SJX, Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser, stated, “There are two options to develop a new movement. You can work with experts who know what they are doing. Or you try to do everything internally, blow a couple of million francs, spending many years developing a movement that is not as good as the best out there, and then having to deal with reliability issues. We don’t want to make those mistakes. For instance, we haven’t mastered minute repeaters; we worked with Pierre-Laurent Favre and his team (at MHC) in Geneva. We are very transparent about it and the watch has been a great success.”

The finishing touches are the leaf-shaped hour and minute hands and a sophisticated hand-stitched black alligator leather strap with red lining and a titanium pin buckle

The finishing touches to the design are provided by the leaf-shaped hour and minute hands and a sophisticated hand-stitched black alligator leather strap with red lining and a titanium pin buckle.

Quite A Recital

With its gorgeous dial, minimal style, melodious chime, and a terrific display of the tourbillon at six o’clock and minute repeater at 10, it’s quite impossible to find any fault in the Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon. Wearing it should feel like having a front-row seat at a solo recital.

When a brand decides to produce less than 1,500 watches annually, they have to ensure that every new creation is a head-turner. Through impressive technical know-how and artistic dexterity, H. Moser & Cie. has managed to do it again with the contemporary and unconventional Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon that truly celebrates the marvel of micro-engineering inside it.