BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Okay, so whether you like it or not, there’s a class of wristwatches that gets bought by people whose wallets are so deep they can spend six or even seven figures on a wristwatch without so much as thinking about it. H. Moser & Cie. makes lots of watches like that. Granted, given the number of extremely pricey watches out there, there are many buyers. However, for those with deep pockets AND who want everyone to know it, “Rainbow” watches exist.
Rainbow watches are straightforward to define. You take a watch model that you like, preferably something with a bracelet, make it from gold and then add a bezel (and maybe dial) adorned with gemstones reflecting the colours of the visible light spectrum. The Rolex Daytona is probably the most iconic watch with this setup, but H. Moser & Cie. has the horological chops to offer something radical, which they’ve done.
H. Moser & Cie.’s Streamliner could well be their most successful watch at the moment, thanks to its curvaceous design and its stylish bracelet. Measuring in at 40mm x 10.3mm and with 120m of water resistance, it has an air of practicality which is undone by the solid 18k red gold case, but a steel version is available with this Rainbow watch if that’s your thing. The rainbow is made up of 60 baguette-cut coloured sapphires totalling 2.9 karats.
The skeletonised dial shows off the double hairspring tourbillon, which beats at 3Hz for at least 72 hours, although the automatic winding system makes the practicalities a little easier. The calibre HMC 814 is made of 167 components finished to the highest standard by H. Moser & Cie., as expected. The skeletonisation means that there’s little to no room for error on the finishing front, as the movement is visible from all angles.
I’d say all that extra work is reflected in the price, which undoubtedly is, but I’ve no idea what the price is for either the steel or the gold version. The cost of these models is available upon request.
