A Photo voltaic Eclipse: The H Moser & Cie Endeavour Chinese language Calendar Watch
With Lunar New Year on the horizon, we take a closer look at the H Moser & Cie Endeavour Chinese Calendar watch that places the lunar calendar in the spotlight.
We’re used to the more traditional aesthetic of Chinese zodiac watches, but it wouldn’t quite be an H Moser & Cie watch if it didn’t have a more minimalistic and modern look. It also wouldn’t quite be H Moser & Cie if it wasn’t an actual calendar either: the watchmaker makes some of the best perpetual calendars on the market, so adding a new one to its portfolio only seems right.
The company clearly thinks so too, bringing us the Endeavour Chinese Calendar that puts the Chinese lunisolar calendar, the solar-only Gregorian calendar and the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac – as well as moon phases – all on the dial. As there are no repeated cycles in the lunar calendar, it’s mechanically impossible to create a Chinese perpetual calendar. Still, Moser worked with Agenhor SA to create a module for the HMC 210 calibre that’s able to precisely indicate all lunisolar calendar information (including the 13th month, which occurs every two to three years) for 12 years without any corrections.
The Endeavour’s red gold case is beautifully contrasted with a midnight-blue fumé dial that bears the Moser logo in transparent lacquer, in keeping with the brand’s discreet, if-you-know-you-know attitude. The two retrograde displays show the lunisolar months and days, a clever arrangement that keeps the dial clean. At 12 o’clock, two windows show the lunisolar year and the associated animal zodiac.
Only 100 pieces of the watch have been produced and, chances are, if you haven’t ordered one already you’re out of luck. But what a watch – and what a remarkable feat it is to see the marriage of two different cultures and time measurements executed so beautifully.
Source: Prestige Online
