BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
H. Moser & Cie. is no stranger to making unusual watches, in fact, they often make strange watches for the hell of it, and they sell out! The Streamliner, however, is not the most unusual watch in the world, or even the most unusual watch from H. Moser & Cie. However, for a smart/casual sports watch with an integrated bracelet it does have its peculiarities. And now it comes with a vibrant blue dial, let’s take a closer look.
Back in January, we revealed to you the new Streamliner, which was H. Moser’s attempt to shoehorn its way into one of the most lucrative markets around, what I call the smart/casual sports watch with an integrated bracelet category (it’s a long name, I’m working on abbreviating it).
Watches in this segment ride or die on the popularity of their manufacturer, in fact, that’s probably even more of a deciding factor than the horological prowess of the watch itself. The two big names are the Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet and the Nautilus by Patek Philippe, all other watches aim to be like these guys. Luckily, H.Moser doesn’t care about things like reputation; in fact, not giving a toss is the key part of their reputation.
The Streamliner Flyback Chronograph features what’s called a “central minute totaliser”, but most people will never call it that. What it means is the chronograph indications are all displayed via the same pinion as the hands to tell the time, there are no subdials here to clutter the dial. It also makes reading the watch a doddle. When the chronograph starts, the seconds hand gets moving, and the minutes hand is revealed underneath. There’s no hour counter here, so you can only time a one-hour event with it, but there are not many things in the real world that you’d time that are longer anyway. The blue fumé dial has the gradient we have come to expect of H. Moser & Cie., they call it “Funky Blue” and I’d agree, it is definitely funky-looking.
Inside the watch is the calibre HMC 902, Agenhor has made it with assistance from the team at H. Moser & Cie. The movement features a column-wheel control system for the chronograph, as well as a flyback function which means that the chronograph can be reset while it is still running without causing any damage. In a surprising turn, the automatic rotor has been hidden entirely. This watch does have one, and it keeps the 54-hour power reserve topped up, but Moser has chosen to hide it between the dial plate and the backplate of the movement, meaning you can appreciate the movement in all its glory.
This watch has been designed to evoke the themes of 1920s aero-themes when designers and engineers were discovering how to make things like cars and trains aerodynamic. Unlike the first Streamliner Flyback Chrono, it’s not a limited edition, and the price of $43,900 is reasonable for what you get.
