H. Moser & Cie

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]

Moser Schaffhausen AG
TypePrivate
IndustryLuxury watchmaking
Founded1828 (Heinrich Moser&Cie)
2002 (Moser Schaffhausen AG)
FounderHeinrich Moser
Headquarters,
Switzerland
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Roger Nicholas Balsiger (Honorary chairman)
Edouard Meylan (CEO)
ProductsWatches
Production output
Around 1,500 (2018)
Number of employees
55
ParentMELB Holding Group (Meylan family)
Websiteh-moser.com/en/

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

H. Moser & Cie pocket watch owned by Vladimir Lenin.

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

A H. Moser & Cie pocket watch (1917).

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

  1. "History - Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie". www.hautehorlogerie.org. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  2. "Company Overview of Moser Schaffhausen AG". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  3. "H. MOSER & CIE. Trademark of MOSER WATCH HOLDING AG - Registration Number 4926052 - Serial Number 86642979 :: Justia Trademarks". trademarks.justia.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  4. "H. Moser". HODINKEE. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  5. "MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  6. "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.
  7. "H. Moser & Cie - Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie". www.hautehorlogerie.org. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  8. "History | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  9. "H.Moser & Cie - A legendary brand - - WorldTempus". en.worldtempus.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  10. Lim, Robin (2016-02-12). "Review: H.Moser & Cie. Perpetual Calendar Heritage Limited Edition -". DEPLOYANT. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  11. "A new generation | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  12. "A new generation | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  13. "H. Moser & Cie - Edouard Meylan named CEO - People and interviews - WorldTempus". en.worldtempus.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  14. "H.Moser & Cie - Heinrich Moser - - WorldTempus". en.worldtempus.com. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  15. 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.
  16. 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)
  17. "H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar On The Wrist". Quill & Pad. 2015-07-27. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  18. "H. Moser & Cie: The Practice of Simple Complexity – FHH Journal". journal.hautehorlogerie.org. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  19. "Remaking Moser: New Owners Revitalize the H. Moser & Cie. Watch Brand – Watchtime". watchtime.com. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  20. 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)
  21. "05.2017 | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  22. 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)
  23. "01.2017 | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  24. "Introducing - H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Icons Watch, Another Irreverence to the Industry". Monochrome Watches. 2018-01-10. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  25. January 10, Jack Forster; 2018. "Introducing: The H. Moser Swiss Icons Watch". HODINKEE. Retrieved 2019-03-08.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. DeMarco, Anthony. "A Watch With A Blooming Garden Is A Sustainability Statement For H. Moser". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  27. "SIHH 2019: H. Moser & Cie. Unveils a Watch Covered in Live Plants | SJX Watches". watchesbysjx.com. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  28. "01.2019 | MOSER". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
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