ReviewThe Duality Of The H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Dual Time
Presenting duality in various ways, this Heritage Dual Time from H. Moser & Cie. is a fascinating vintage-inspired gem with very modern details and a functional appeal that also pairs well with the theme of the timepiece itself. Read on to find out how the dual aspects of this piece make it such a triumph
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Almost every fine watchmaking brand has a heritage line, or a heritage-adjacent line. For most, such collections are a perfect platform for them to showcase their glorious past, through revivals of historical timepieces, or re-editions of past achievements that put them on the map, or made the world take notice of them. It’s no surprise really, since this industry leans so much on legacy. However, that’s not without a reason. Even collectors and aficionados appreciate the value of the past, which often becomes a reason for them to be interested in new watches that might offer a piece of that legacy.
For some, such heritage collections are a starting point—one that allows them to relive past glory, but also to present very modern watches that reflect only certain elements of the past. The Heritage line from H. Moser & Cie. falls in this category. Yes, the collection has afforded the brand the opportunity to bring out very classical elements of H. Moser & Cie.’s watches from the past, before they went all neo-classical, with concept dials and unorthodox hues, and what have you. This might be seen in pieces such as the Heritage Perpetual Calendar that they unveiled earlier this year. However, most other recent Heritage watches from H. Moser are based on a specific aesthetic that was somewhat defined by the Heritage Centre Seconds that was released about two years ago. It presented the distinctive codes of vintage-inspired aviation watches—looking very much like a Zenith Pilot’s Watch, as many observers noted at the time. The new Heritage Dual Time is pretty much an extension of that design template, but with the addition of a dual-time feature, which is especially relevant if you consider its ‘aviation watch’ quality.
Dual Relevance
The two key elements of most typical aviation watches—old and new—are large Arabic numerals that would allow a pilot to read the time at a quick glance, while flying, and a large crown, which would allow them to adjust the time with flying gloves on. The crown is often of the classical onion-shaped variety, particularly in vintage-inspired pieces. Another nod to the past in pilot’s watches are the oft-seen wire-style lugs—a feature that goes back to a time when pilots were known to weld wire onto their pocket watch cases to affix straps onto them.
As you’ll see, most of the Heritage watches from H. Moser & Cie. present these elements, whether the brand present them as aviation watches or not. And with a watch that’s essentially an aviation-style watch, a dual-time function is as fitting as it gets. Furthermore, while travelling across time zones, if a pilot doesn’t even need to even use that large crown to adjust the time, given that there’s already a second reference time on the dial, it just enhances the functionality of the watch tremendously.
Dual Functionality
The dual-time functionality of this Heritage has been realised by H. Moser with the movement’s additional module they developed themselves, resulting in the in-house-manufactured HMC 809 automatic calibre that runs the show, offering a power reserve of three days. While the main central hands in lighter hues present the primary timekeeping, the grey, skeletonised hand presents the time in a secondary zone.
What’s particularly interesting is that you can simply hide this secondary-time hand beneath the primary hour hand, when you don’t require it. So if you’re neither travelling anywhere, nor keeping track of someone else’s time zone, you can treat this as a simple three-hand timekeeper. Even when it’s visible on the dial though, the secondary hand remains rather understated, given its grey hue, with Super-LumiNova only in the pointer, in contrast to the bright primary hands, infused completely with Super-LumiNova. But the luminescence that these hands offer seems dim in comparison with the glow of the large, applied blocks of Globolight that the Arabic hour numerals are. Offering optimum readability in the dark, these numeral blocks are among the bold, modern aspects of the design that together create striking contrast, elevating the aesthetic appeal of this timepiece.
Dual Aesthetic
Globolight, a special ceramic-based material with generous quantities of Super-LumiNova, with its bold, bright character, presents sheer contrast against the transparent, lacquered brand emblem, which has been kept understated intentionally, like a secret signature if you will. This ‘transparent logo’ and the very refined date window at six make a subtle presence on the bold burgundy dial. With Moser’s signature smoked or ‘fumé’ gradient, the vivid burgundy et al are in stark contrast against the vintage-inspired elements of this timepiece—in 42mm steel and with a grey kudu leather strap. With very bold, modern aspects as well as definitively traditional elements, this timepiece presents such harmony among its contradicting details that it doesn’t appear jarring in the least.
The result is a decidedly modern timepiece with duality in its aesthetic quality that’s quite fascinating. Moreover, the template of this Heritage, or any watch from the collection really, is inspired by H. Moser’s pocket watches from the early 20th century. In fact, if you think about it, the only details that give this Heritage or most of its contemporaries a slightly sportier vibe are the aviation-style numerals and sword-shaped hands. The Heritage Perpetual Calendar, which has dainty hands and elegant Roman numerals instead, while largely remaining the same otherwise, looks completely different, as a more classical timepiece. Not only, then, does this Heritage Dual Time present a vintage (aviation) style, it also serves a clear purpose of reflecting the brand’s history, adding a second layer to its ‘heritage’ quality.
Dual Heritage
H. Moser & Cie.’s past also lends itself to this watch in more ways than one. Aside from the elements that it borrows from their historical timepieces, the dual-time feature has links to the founder, Heinrich Moser, whose travels through Russia and return to Switzerland, to establish the company, helped define the legacy on which the brand is built today. His travels also inspired his son, Henri. Their desire for discovery and creating beautiful timepieces are among the inspirations that inform this new Heritage Dual Time. A showcase for the brand’s glorious past, reflecting brand signatures and distinctive elements that create harmony through contrast in several ways, the Heritage Dual Time is truly duality exemplified.
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H. Moser & Cie. Heritage
8809-1200
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H. Moser & Cie. Heritage
8800-0203
