New Watch Alert: H. Moser & Cie “Smoked Salmon” Perpetual Calendar
In their latest drop of perpetual calendar brilliance, H. Moser & Cie not only embraces but downright owns the timeless mantra of “less is more.”
Perpetual calendars, known for their ability to automatically adapt to varying month lengths and account for leap years, stand out as among the most technologically intricate timepieces made today. With that said, perpetual calendars also tend to have quite complicated dial designs. But all that changed when Moser released the first version of its minimalist perpetual calendar, the Perpetual 1, in 2005.
Despite the inherent complexity of the mechanism, H. Moser & Cie. distinguishes itself by crafting perpetual calendar watches that are remarkably simple. In commemoration of the leap year in 2024, the Swiss brand introduced a distinctive perpetual calendar variant of its iconic integrated bracelet sports watch, the Streamliner.
The Watch
Fundamentally, the recently unveiled H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Calendar Concept Smoked Salmon (ref. 6812-1201) can be seen as a new dial iteration of the standard Streamliner Perpetual Calendar watch, originally introduced in 2021. Moreover, the distinctive “Smoked Salmon” hue of the dial is not an entirely novel concept, echoing the core idea seen in the dial of the previous year’s Streamliner Centre Seconds Smoked Salmon model. What sets apart this year’s Streamliner Perpetual Calendar Concept Smoked Salmon is its elevated minimalist design by eschewing any form of indexes or markings on the dial, reinforcing Moser’s commitment to simplicity in perpetual calendar watches.
This perpetual calendar surpasses the boundaries of stylistic minimalism set by its predecessor. The Smoked Salmon iteration eradicates all markings on the dial, allowing the gradient dial to remain largely unembellished. With this approach, the dial truly shines, and the more one looks at it, the more details become apparent. It deviates significantly from a traditional “salmon” dial, and due to the gradient design, it even leans towards resembling wood grain under certain lighting conditions.
Reading the Perpetual Calendar
At first glance, it took a moment to understand how to read this watch, but after a few minutes, it all begins to make sense. The dial is perfectly balanced, with the power reserve indicator at 10 o’clock and the large date window at 4. As I have mentioned plenty of times in past articles, the 4 o’clock date window can be a gripe of mine, but on this watch, it makes perfect sense. The date window is enlarged to ensure continuity with all the numbers, so the single “1” is the same size as the “1” when “12” is shown. In contrast with the power reserve indicator, the layout is flawlessly balanced.
The month is indicated by a small 4th hand at the center and each month corresponds to the 12 hours. When you flip the watch over the leap year indicator is clearly presented, which makes sense because how often do you really need to check the leap year?
The newest Streamliner commands attention as a remarkable timepiece. Amidst Moser’s array of minimalist watches, this one distinguishes itself with its stark simplicity. Mechanically, the watch mirrors its predecessors, retaining the smart construction of the second-generation perpetual calendar while rectifying any issues present in earlier movement iterations.
Unlike a limited edition with a predetermined production quantity, the Moser Streamliner Perpetual Calendar Concept Smoked Salmon is a special edition available exclusively for a single year, showcasing the brand’s commitment to unique and time-sensitive offerings.
Specs and Details
Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Calendar Concept Smoked Salmon ref. 6812-1201. This exceptional timepiece boasts a 42.3mm stainless steel case with a thickness of 11mm, showcasing a unique “Smoked Salmon” griffé dial devoid of indexes but featuring hour and minute hands with Globolight inserts for luminescence. With a water resistance of 120m, the watch is paired with a stainless steel bracelet. The watch is powered by the HMC 812 Manufacture caliber, a manual-winding movement with a diameter of 34mm and a thickness of 6.3mm with a 168-hour power reserve.
Offering a range of functions, including hours, minutes, seconds, perpetual calendar with date and month, power reserve, and leap year indicator, this non-chronometer certified timepiece features distinctive details such as Moser teeth for all wheels and pinions, an original Straumann hairspring, and anthracite PVD and rhodium plating on various components.
Limited to production in 2024, this exclusive piece is available now at a price of $54,900 USD.