H. Moser & Cie
Type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Luxury watchmaking |
Founded | 1828 (Heinrich Moser&Cie) 2002 (Moser Schaffhausen AG) |
Founder | Heinrich Moser |
Headquarters | , Switzerland |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Roger Nicholas Balsiger (Honorary chairman) Edouard Meylan (CEO) |
Products | Watches |
Production output | Around 1,500 (2018) |
Number of employees | 60 |
Parent | MELB Holding Group (Meylan family) |
Website | h-moser |
H. Moser & Cie. is a trademark of Moser Schaffhausen AG, a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer.[1][2][3] The original H. Moser & Cie. was founded by independent watchmaker Heinrich Moser in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1828.[1][4][5][6] Notable early clients of H. Moser & Cie. included Russian princes and members of the Russian Imperial Court; Vladimir Lenin also owned a Moser watch.[5][7] After Moser died in 1874, the company was sold, and its business in Russia was expropriated in 1918 due to the October Revolution.[1][8]
In 1953, H. Moser & Cie. continued its business in Le Locle, Switzerland where it shifted its focus from pocket watches to wristwatches.[1][8] Due to the quartz crisis, H. Moser & Cie. became a part of the Dixi Mechanique Group and the original brand name was dropped.[1][9][10] In 2002, Moser Schaffhausen AG was founded by Dr. Jürgen Lange together with Heinrich Moser's great-grandson Roger Nicholas Balsiger, and the brand H. Moser & Cie. was formally re-launched in 2005.[1][2][11] Since 2012, Moser Schaffhausen AG has been a subsidiary of the MELB Holding Group of the Meylan family in Switzerland.[2][12][13]
History[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Lenin%27s_watches_%28Moser%2C_1900s%2C_GIM%29_01_by_shakko.jpg/200px-Lenin%27s_watches_%28Moser%2C_1900s%2C_GIM%29_01_by_shakko.jpg)
Early history[]
Heinrich Moser was born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland on December 12, 1805.[5][14] He learned the basic watchmaking craftsmanship from his father, and continued his studies in Le Locle, Switzerland after 1824.[14] In 1828, he founded the original H. Moser & Cie. in St. Petersburg, Russia.[1][4][5]
In 1848, Heinrich Moser returned to his hometown of Schaffhausen and established a watch factory there to supply his business.[1][8][14] Notable clients of H. Moser & Cie. at the time included Russian princes and members of the Russian Imperial Court.[5][7] In particular, Vladimir Lenin also owned a Moser watch. Heinrich Moser died on October 23, 1874, and the company was sold since none of his heirs was willing to lead the business. [7]
In 1953, H. Moser & Cie. continued its business in Le Locle where it produced its first wristwatches.[1][8] But due to the quartz crisis, H. Moser & Cie. became a part of the Dixi Mechanique Group and the original brand name was dropped, becoming "Hy Moser & Cie".[1][9][10]
Recent development[]
In 2002, Moser Schaffhausen AG was founded by Dr. Jürgen Lange, together with Heinrich Moser's great-grandson Roger Nicholas Balsiger.[1][9][11] In 2005, the company established a new Manufacture in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, and H. Moser & Cie. was formally re-launched as a trademark of the company.[1][15]
Since 2012, H. Moser & Cie. has been owned by the MELB Holding Group of the Meylan family in Switzerland.[12][13] As of 2018, H. Moser & Cie. produces around 1,500 watches a year and employs around 55 staff members.[1][7][16]
Watch manufacturing[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Fondation_de_la_Haute_Horlogerie_%28Kremlin_exhibition%29_by_shakko_60.jpg/200px-Fondation_de_la_Haute_Horlogerie_%28Kremlin_exhibition%29_by_shakko_60.jpg)
H. Moser & Cie. manufactures its own watch components.[7] It launched the first three watches in 2005 after the brand was revived.[17]
In 2006, the Perpetual Calendar from H. Moser & Cie. won the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix.[1][8]
At Baselworld 2007, H. Moser & Cie. introduced the Straumann Hairspring.[8] The hairspring was developed jointly with H. Moser & Cie.'s associate company Precision Engineering AG in Schaffhausen. It contains a formula updated from Nivarox, an alloy composition originally invented by Dr. h.c. Reinhard Straumann in 1931.[18]
In 2009, H. Moser & Cie. introduced their tonneau-shaped watch, the Henry. It featured a "Straumann Double Hairspring," which had two hairsprings that counter rotates as opposed to only one hairspring. The Henry was later discontinued in favor of the Swiss Alps line.[19]
SIHH special watch[]
Since 2016, H. Moser & Cie. has unveiled a special watch every year at the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) to raise public awareness on different topics.
- 2016, the Swiss Alps Watch Zzzz, a parody of Apple Watch[20][21]
- 2017, the Swiss Mad Watch, with the case made of real Swiss cheese[22][23]
- 2018, the Swiss Icons Watch, mixing notable features from various Swiss watch manufacturers[24][25]
- 2019, the Moser Nature Watch, covered with live Swiss plants[26][27][28]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "History - Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie". www.hautehorlogerie.org. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ a b c "Company Overview of Moser Schaffhausen AG". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ "H. MOSER & CIE. Trademark of MOSER WATCH HOLDING AG - Registration Number 4926052 - Serial Number 86642979 :: Justia Trademarks". trademarks.justia.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ a b "H. Moser". HODINKEE. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ a b c d e "MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ "Exclusive interview with Edouard Meylan: How H. Moser & Cie. is the calm within the storm of the current global crisis". Watch Ya Gonna Do About It.
- ^ a b c d e "H. Moser & Cie. - Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie". www.hautehorlogerie.org. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ a b c d e f "History | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ a b c "H.Moser & Cie - A legendary brand - - WorldTempus". en.worldtempus.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ a b Lim, Robin (2016-02-12). "Review: H.Moser & Cie. Perpetual Calendar Heritage Limited Edition -". DEPLOYANT. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ a b "A new generation | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ a b "A new generation | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ a b "H. Moser & Cie. - Edouard Meylan named CEO - People and interviews - WorldTempus". en.worldtempus.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ a b c "H.Moser & Cie - Heinrich Moser - - WorldTempus". en.worldtempus.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ Deshp, Written byJay; e (2015-02-14). "Remaking Moser: New Owners Revitalize the H. Moser & Cie. Watch Brand". WatchTime - USA's No.1 Watch Magazine. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ December 2, Jon Bues; 2018. "Introducing: The H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Bucherer Blue Editions And Endeavour Diamonds Bucherer Blue Editions (Live Pics & Pricing)". HODINKEE. Retrieved 2019-03-07.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- ^ "H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar On The Wrist". Quill & Pad. 2015-07-27. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ "H. Moser & Cie.: The Practice of Simple Complexity – FHH Journal". journal.hautehorlogerie.org. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^ "Remaking Moser: New Owners Revitalize the H. Moser & Cie. Watch Brand – Watchtime". watchtime.com. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
- ^ May 23, Stephen Pulvirent; 2017. "Introducing: The H. Moser Swiss Alp Watch Zzzz". HODINKEE. Retrieved 2019-03-08.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- ^ "05.2017 | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ January 11, Stephen Pulvirent; 2017. "Introducing: The H. Moser Swiss Mad Watch, With A Case Made Of Real Swiss Cheese". HODINKEE. Retrieved 2019-03-08.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- ^ "01.2017 | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ "Introducing - H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Icons Watch, Another Irreverence to the Industry". Monochrome Watches. 2018-01-10. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ January 10, Jack Forster; 2018. "Introducing: The H. Moser Swiss Icons Watch". HODINKEE. Retrieved 2019-03-08.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- ^ DeMarco, Anthony. "A Watch With A Blooming Garden Is A Sustainability Statement For H. Moser". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ "SIHH 2019: H. Moser & Cie. Unveils a Watch Covered in Live Plants | SJX Watches". watchesbysjx.com. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ "01.2019 | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- Swiss watch brands
- Watch manufacturing companies of Switzerland
- Luxury brands