ReviewSmall Seconds, Small Rotor, Small Streamliner: With H. Moser’s 18th Manufacture Calibre

It’s almost like we hear every year that ‘sizes are going smaller’ in wristwatches. It’s not uncommon for brands to go down from 46 to 43mm, or 42 to 38mm. This widens any collection’s appeal, as it opens it up to a larger audience. And, in recent years, there definitely has been a larger interest in smaller watches—especially the dress variety. However, not many brands can make a splash quite as big as H. Moser & Cie. did with the smallest Streamliner they’ve ever made, by simply going from the collection’s previous smallest size, 40mm, to the new size, which is just 1mm down from that. However, going down to 39mm was not all they did with the Streamliner Small Seconds timepiece. In a collection that had chronograph, perpetual calendar, tourbillon and centre seconds editions, a small seconds edition was bound to show up at some point. Considering that H. Moser have had small seconds versions in the time-only Endeavours, and even the old Venturer collection, why shouldn’t their current hottest line also have one.

Small Yet Powerful—The Streamliner Small Seconds

Further to that, what the brand also did was introduce their 18th in-house movement with the new Streamliner Small Seconds watch. So, along with a small seconds in a small Streamliner, there came a new automatic movement, the HMC 500, with a small rotor to wind it. If you turn the watch around, you can see the cute little rotor, spinning around to wind the mainspring, using a bi-directional pawl-winding system. Big things come in small packages, though, since this movement can allow for a little over three days of a reserve of power once the cute micro-rotor fully winds it up. The rotor itself is nicely decorated with the H. Moser seal, against a matt grey background. Around it, you see the plates and bridges with an anthracite grey coating, featuring the brand’s signature double-stripe pattern.

The ‘small’ aspects of the Streamliner Small Seconds Blue Enamel really is the biggest factor of this watch that debuted the brand’s calibre HMC 500

₹33,00,000

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And the devil is in the details of all the small things—the movement, the platinum micro-rotor, the small seconds, and the small case itself

₹33,00,000

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With the smaller components, the movement allows the watch’s steel case to be as thin as 10.9mm, with the height of the sapphire crystal glass

₹33,00,000

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01

Minor Details, Major Impact Of The Streamliner Small Seconds

While the micro-rotor makes the watch more interesting than it would have been, if it had a regular rotor, it was not necessarily part of the plan. The brand opted for this feature during the calibre’s development. “Our starting objective was to have a movement that was slim yet high on performance. We then spent a great deal of time working to optimise the dimensions, which is why we decided to integrate a micro-rotor for the first time in our history,” elucidated Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie, when the Streamliner Small Seconds was unveiled. “Made from solid platinum, this micro-rotor is mounted on a ball bearing. We had to develop new smaller, slimmer components and mechanisms which could then be integrated into the available volume.”

While the micro-rotor makes the watch more interesting than it would have been if it had a regular rotor, it was not necessarily a part of the plan. The brand opted for this feature during the calibre’s development

“Our starting objective was to have a movement that was slim yet high on performance. [It led us to] integrate a micro-rotor for the first time in our history,” elucidated Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser

Meylan went on to inform that the escapement was also miniaturised, while the performance of the movement was not compromised. “This was a technical feat made possible thanks to the expertise of our sister company, Precision Engineering AG,” he expressed. “Because of the volume, the torque and the winding system, this was no easy task, but the result is a movement, which will serve as a base for our small cases, and will enable us to introduce new complications, by combining it with modules developed in-house or in collaboration with our partner Agenhor.”

Texturally Splendid: The Streamliner Small Seconds Blue Enamel

With the smaller components, the movement allows the watch’s steel case to be as thin as 10.9mm, including the height of the sapphire crystal glass. This curved glass enhances the view of the dial. With applied markers, the dial has the hour and minute hands at the centre—overlaid with Globolight to aid legibility in the dark—while the small seconds display is seen at six o’clock. The pièce de résistance of the watch face, however, is the dial itself. What you see is a product of grand feu enamelling on a gold baseplate, which has a pattern engrained on it, as though it’s been hammered. After the gold is textured such, three colour pigments are crushed onto the plate creating an ombré effect. These pigments oxidise and blend together when under high heat in the furnace. For the perfect fumé or smoked effect, each dial has to be fired 12 times. The resultant pattern and colour gradient is unique for each dial created. Adding to this is the lacquering on the neatly-framed sub-dial, with a circular pattern.

The pièce de résistance of the watch face, however, is the dial itself.What you see is a product of grand feu enamelling on a gold baseplate, which has a pattern engrained on it, as though it’s hammered

After the gold is textured such, three colour pigments are crushed onto the plate creating an ombré effect

These pigments oxidise and blend together when under the high heat in the furnace. For the perfect fumé or smoked effect, each dial has to be fired 12 times

The resultant pattern and colour gradient is unique for each dial created

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Small Streamliner, Small Seconds, Small Rotor; Big Addition

The textural splendour of the Streamliner Small Seconds’ ‘aqua blue’ dial is complemented by the satin and brushed finishing on the steel of the case and the integrated, slinky bracelet—hallmarks of the Streamliner line. The comfort of this bracelet is enhanced in this Streamliner Small Seconds Blue Enamel, owing to its size that is smaller than all the other Streamliners in the brand’s repertoire.

The textural splendour of the Streamliner Small Seconds’ ‘aqua blue’ dial is complemented by the satin and brushed finishing on the steel of the case and the integrated, slinky bracelet—hallmarks of the Streamliner line

The comfort of this bracelet is enhanced in this Streamliner Small Seconds Blue Enamel, owing to its size that is smaller than all the other Streamliners in the brand’s repertoire

The ‘small’ aspects of the Streamliner Small Seconds Blue Enamel really is the biggest factor of this watch that debuted the brand’s calibre HMC 500. And the devil is in the details of all the small things—the movement, the platinum micro-rotor, the small seconds, and the small case itself. And just in case anyone wasn’t convinced that going smaller was the order of the day, with a watch like the Streamliner Small Seconds, they’d definitely reconsider the significance of ‘small’.