H. Moser & Cie. is a watch brand and manufacturer known for having fun and exploring a wide spectrum of colours and materials to fabricate their creations. But now they are taking a moment to get serious through a gorgeous green duo of timepieces. The new H. Moser & Cie. Cure ALS Pioneer Collection is a partnership between Moser and Duke University. As brand CEO Edouard Meylan explains, “Time is a precious, yet finite resource; we are thrilled to present these today to help find a cure for ALS.”
The watches were designed in collaboration with Loy Stewart – a US businessman who owned Detyens Shipyards, one of the largest commercial shipyards in the world. He was diagnosed with ALS (a nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function) in the early 2000s, after which he set out to find a cure. According to Moser, “An inspiring entrepreneur and avid watch collector, Loy was ecstatic to work with his close friend, George Wendt, and H. Moser to design a watch to raise funds for a disease that robs too many of their mobility, speaking ability and eventually life.”
Unfortunately, Loy is no longer with us today. Wendt explains, “Loy unfortunately passed between design and production of the watch after a 19-year battle with ALS. This watch will help fund research at the Duke ALS Clinic and keep his legacy alive.”
There are two watches within this limited edition collection, the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Cure ALS (15 pieces total) and the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Tourbillon Cure ALS (five pieces total). Both watches are made in stainless steel and are bundled with a green leather strap, as well as a black rubber strap. Buyers can live life to the fullest during daily wear with the rubber strap and, when evening strikes, swap over to the dial-matching green leather for a more formal aesthetic.
H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Cure ALS
The stainless-steel case of the Pioneer Centre Seconds Cure ALS is 42.8mm in diameter and 10.6mm thick without its sapphire crystal. Considering it maintains the diameter of the standard production models, it would be pretty safe to assume it shares a similar lug-to-lug measurement – around 50mm across the wrist. The screw-down crown features an engraved “M” for Moser, and along with its case build and gaskets secures the watch to depths up to 120 metres.
The dial is a gorgeous new shade of green, created by H. Moser & Cie. for this collection only. According to the brand, “a curved sapphire crystal highlights the deep and mysterious tones of the dark green fumé dial, a shade specifically created for the occasion and inspired by a book Loy used to gift to everyone he met; it symbolises hope and his belief in people”.
I personally find the dial smokin’, which is no surprise considering H. Moser & Cie. are the masters of fumé dials. As a sports watch, the partially skeletonised leaf hands are filled with Super-LumiNova®. The watch includes the best of both worlds in regard to its hour indexes. They are each displayed through appliqué indices, with luminous circular markers behind each for visibility in the dark. A subtle but notable change – Swiss Made is no longer printed at the six position, with “CURE ALS” taking its place.
The Pioneer Centre Seconds Cure ALS uses the in-house manufacture calibre HMC 200. The movement beats in a middle ground between sporty and classical with a frequency of 21,600 vph, 27 jewels, automatic bi-directional pawl winding system, oscillating weight in 18k red gold, and full balance bridge for the escapement. As well as being robust, the movement is very well embellished. Moser shows off their high-horology chops with nicely executed bevels and chamfers to the bridges, as well as the signature Moser stripes unique to the brand. Even the hairspring is created in-house, their Original Straumann Hairspring® with a flat overcool. It has a power reserve of three days and hacking seconds – which we all appreciate in a sports watch.
H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Tourbillon Cure ALS
While normally the added complication would alter the size of a watch, the Pioneer Tourbillon Cure ALS shares the exact same dimensions and specifications as the Centre Seconds model. It’s stainless steel, 42.8mm in diameter, 10.6mm thick (excluding its curved sapphire crystal), and offers 120 metres of water-resistance – making this one of the more safe high-complication watches to take into water.
Like the Pioneer Centre Seconds Cure ALS, it shares the scalloped lug profile and combination of satin and polished finishes typically found on a Pioneer watch. The dial, hands, and markers are also for the most part exactly the same as the Centre Seconds Cure ALS – with the exception of the real estate now taken up by a magnificent flying tourbillon complication.
The Pioneer Tourbillon Cure ALS is powered by the self-winding HMC 804 Manufacture calibre. Thanks to the movement sharing the same dimensions as the HMC 200 in the Centre Seconds model, the watch is able to share the same profile – an incredible feat. Like the HMC 200, the movement beats at 21,600 vph and shares the same automatic bi-directional pawl winding system and power reserve of three days. So what is different? Well, the most obvious is the addition of a one-minute flying tourbillon complication, with finely executed skeletonised bridges. Another difference is found on its oscillating weight in 18k red gold, with the addition of “for Loy” text engraved on the winding mass as a nod to his legacy and contributions to the fight against ALS.
H. Moser & Cie. Cure ALS Pioneer Collection pricing and availability:
The Pioneer “CURE ALS” timepieces will be available on a first come, first served basis. In order to receive a Pioneer Centre Seconds, a minimum donation of $16,000 USD is required; in order to receive a Pioneer Tourbillon, a minimum gift of $55,000 USD is necessary. Part of the gift will be tax deductible and qualify for Duke Health giving societies. Please inquire for exact tax-deductible amounts.
