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
Schaffhausen
,
Switzerland
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Georges-Henri Meylan (Chairman)
Roger Nicholas Balsiger (Honorary chairman)
Edouard Meylan (CEO)
ProductsWatches
Production output
~3000 (2023)
Number of employees
~100
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 12 December 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 23 October 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 2023, H. Moser & Cie. produces around 3,000 watches a year and employs more than 100 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]

In 2022 the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton reference 3811-1200 won the tourbillion of the year at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. https://www.watchtime.com/featured/gphg-2022-the-complete-list-of-winners/ https://www.gphg.org/horlogerie/en/press-review/2023/03/11/breaking-news-all-2022-gphg-winners-and-our-rapid-reactions

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". 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. Deshpande, Jay (2015-02-14). "Remaking Moser: New Owners Revitalize the H. Moser & Cie. Watch Brand". WatchTime. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  16. Bues, Jon (December 2, 2018). "Introducing: The H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Bucherer Blue Editions And Endeavour Diamonds Bucherer Blue Editions (Live Pics & Pricing)". Hodinkee. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  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. Pulvirent, Stephen (May 23, 2017). "Introducing: The H. Moser Swiss Alp Watch Zzzz". Hodinkee. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  21. "05.2017". H. Moser & Cie. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  22. Pulvirent, Stephen (January 11, 2017). "Introducing: The H. Moser Swiss Mad Watch, With A Case Made Of Real Swiss Cheese". Hodinkee. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  23. "01.2017". 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. Forster, Jack (January 10, 2018). "Introducing: The H. Moser Swiss Icons Watch". Hodinkee. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  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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