H. Moser & Cie: Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade

Introduced in 2016 to response to the demand for connected watches and to express H. Moser & Cie.‘s need to remain faithful to the traditional values of Haute Horlogerie, the new Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade marks the end of the Swiss Alp Watch saga. A one-of-a-kind conceptual piece that pays tribute to the codes of connected watches by integrating Vantablack technology with the traditional art of mechanical watchmaking. 

Now, more than ever, is the time to reconnect. To ourselves, to those close to us, to what matters. Current events serve as a daily reminder that the virtual world will never outshine reality, that electronic devices will never replace people, and that technology must remain a means and not an end. On the strength of its convictions, H. Moser & Cie. wanted to mark the end of the Swiss Alp Watch collection with an extra special model: Similar to previous models from this line, the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade is inspired by the modern design of smartwatches, yet it is completely mechanical. With its 100% Swiss Manufacture movement and a minimum power reserve of 96 hours, it is developed to last and is perfectly equipped for the next generation. Instead of downloading information, the Schaffhausen manufacture thinks it’s time we recharged ourselves. A watch must remain an expression of emotion, make you dream and perform its main purpose: To display the time. 

For this model, H. Moser & Cie. wanted to combine different elements that have contributed to its success over the past few years. An aesthetic inspired by smartwatches, it features a Vantablack dial in its Concept version, with no logo or indices. Known to be the blackest material produced artificially, Vantablack and the blackened hour and minute hands perfectly evoke the standby appearance of the watch. This notion is further reinforced by the offset small second at 6 o’clock, redesigned for the occasion as a shaded disc made up of openings. Evoking the constant passing of time, this symbol serves as a reminder that the here and now is all that matters. 

“This idea was conceived by a customer and friend of the brand, a true enthusiast and fan of the Swiss Alp Watch collection. He came to visit us with an extremely precise design and we immediately wanted to create this model, perfectly in line with our philosophy, with a touch of humour and a hint of provocation“, explains Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie. 

Ode to minimalism and in an ultra-contemporary guise, the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade comes with a steel case with black DLC coating combined with a black alligator leather strap. Inside, the hand-wound HMC 324 caliber is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback. Limited to 50 pieces, the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade is a concept watch, a symbol of the end of the Swiss Alp Watch collection, production of which will cease. (Price € 27.000)