When two geniuses of haute horlogerie, Edouard Meylan ( H. Moser & Cie. ) and Maximilian Büsser ( MB&F ) come together to create a collaborative timepiece, the result will obviously be truly special.
H. Moser & Cie. and MB&F are two independent, human-scale Swiss companies, run by two passionate personalities and long-standing acquaintances who appreciate and respect each other on both a personal and professional level. The two brands have collaborated for over ten years with Precision Engineering AG , a subsidiary of H. Moser & Cie ., which, among other things, supplies MB&F with its hairsprings. It is therefore not surprising that MB&F asked Edouard Meylan to participate as a "friend" of the brand in the creation of a piece of performance art. Another aspect of this collaboration lies in its reciprocity.
Maximilian Büsser explains: “When I called Edouard to tell him I wanted to collaborate on a design, I mentioned how much I loved the Moser fumé dials, the double balance spring, and the Concept watch series. Edouard immediately told me he would allow me to borrow these elements on the condition that he could reinterpret one of my “machines.” After the initial surprise, I thought about it. Being half Indian and half Swiss, I firmly believe that blending DNA yields interesting results; so why not try the experiment in watchmaking? I accepted and suggested the FlyingT model, which is particularly dear to me.”
Driven not only by a spirit of sharing and transparency but also by the desire to cultivate the concept of unity is strength, H. Moser & Cie. and MB&F have therefore jointly created two models, available in several variations and proposed in limited series of 15 pieces. The number 15 refers to the 15th anniversary of MB&F and pays tribute to the 15th anniversary of the relaunch of H. Moser & Cie . By combining their expertise, these two brands, both competitors and friends, work to coordinate and combine the strengths of talented craftsmen, in complete harmony with the MB&F philosophy.
From this extraordinary and unprecedented collaboration, two different co-signature creations are born, two interesting types of horological cross-hybridization that combine their skills. The first born of this joint venture is the new H. Moser & Cie. x MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon.
H. Moser & Cie. borrowed the concept of three-dimensional movements from MB&F : a hallmark of the Geneva-based Maison's identity protected by a sapphire crystal dome and featuring a one-minute flying tourbillon that rises above the main dial through a ventricular opening at 12 o'clock. Drawing on the expertise of its sister company Precision Engineering AG , H. Moser & Cie. equipped the tourbillon with a cylindrical balance spring, the same as the one that Precision Engineering AG had already developed for MB&F 's LM Thunderdome.
Invented in the 18th century, the cylindrical balance spring resembles a worm or corkscrew, rising perpendicularly around the upper pivot of the balance staff. Commonly used in marine chronometers of the time, it develops concentrically, and therefore geometrically, as it runs perfectly along the axis of its pivots. This gives it a significant advantage over the flat balance spring, whose ends tend to exert force on the pivots, despite the presence of Philips or Breguet terminal curves specifically developed to partially correct the non-concentric opening of the balance spring. Equipped with a Breguet hairspring at both attachment points, the cylindrical balance spring reduces pivot friction, significantly improving isochronism. Due to its particular shape, this cylindrical balance spring is much more difficult to produce, and making one takes ten times longer than a traditional balance spring.
Another reference to MB&F 's identity lies in the inclined dials that H. Moser & Cie. has used for the small hour and minute dials. Their 40° inclination ensures that the only person to whom the watch reveals the secret of time is its owner. Furthermore, they are mounted on a bevel gear that ensures optimal transmission of torque from one plane to the other.
As Edouard Meylan explains : “We have Moserized the MB&F universe by developing a smaller sapphire crystal dial that blends in with the rest, highlighting the beauty of our fumé dials. And to preserve the purity and elegance of this true work of watchmaking art, we have engraved our logo like a filigree on the small sapphire crystal dial, thus emphasizing its personal character and the intimate relationship that binds it to its owner.”
Offered in five different versions, the H. Moser x MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon model features a steel case topped with a fumé-effect dial, available in Funky Blue , Cosmic Green , Burgundy , Off-White or Ice Blue , priced at 79.000 Swiss francs.
