Elite Traveler March-April 2017

DISCOVER

elite traveler MAR/APR 2017 28

MB&F’s Aquapod is inspired by the underwater world and reminiscent of a jellyfish floating in the ocean

BRAND PROFILE H MOSER & CIE

H Moser & Cie has never been shy about making a statement – for example, confronting the smartwatch with a mechanical “anti-Apple Watch.” This year, in an elegant protest against the newly loosened regulations of the “Swiss made” label, the company has removed the term from all of its timepieces, which are over 95 percent Swiss. Available at Cellini in New York, contact Stephen Gindi, stephen@cellinijewelers.com, +1 212 751 9824, h-moser.com

VENTURER SMALL

SECONDS PURITY

ENDEAVOUR CONCEPT GUILLOCHÉ LIMITED EDITION The exquisite guilloché design on the sky-blue dial was inspired by one of the founder’s original 19th-century pocket watches – recreated today by a master craftsman. The minimalist design in the Concept Series omits both logo and indexes. The watch has delicate leaf-shaped hands and a satin strap. Approximately $26,500 in 18K rose gold, limited to 10pieces retrograde minute hand, jumping hours driven by a 12-link chain system and a window to showcase the beauty of the movement. $220,000 in 18K white gold, limited to 10pieces This futuristic timepiece combines a high-tech movement from Hautlence with traditional haute horlogerie finishes. It has a grand feu enamel minute dial with a The company’s stunning fumé dials in a sunburst pattern are so iconic that the Purity watch doesn’t even include a logo – an indication of true luxury. This new release has a small seconds dial at 6 o’clock and is powered by an in-house movement. The power reserve is on the movement side. $20,500 in 18K red gold, limited to 100pieces SWISS ALPWATCHMINUTE RETROGRADE

Horological Machine No.7 – Aquapod

Through his creations, Maximilian Büsser (of Maximilian Büsser & Friends, or MB&F) has explored robots, outer space, spiders and the automotive world. It’s only natural that he would turn his gaze to the intriguing depths of the ocean. What’s perhaps not as natural is how difficult this timepiece turned out to be to create. Horological Machine No.7 took so long to design that it comes out after Horological Machine No.8! However, the jellyfish-inspired Aquapod is well worth the wait. This wildly different timepiece eschews the current mantra frommany watch companies that thinner is better. Here, each major component is concentrically mounted on a central axis, forming a tall movement that MB&F has encased in spherical sapphire crystal to make something that looks like, yes, a jellyfish moving through the ocean. Continuing the jellyfish theme, the watch has a rotor with tentacles made from titanium and a “floating” ceramic bezel that is not attached to the case. It glows in the dark on the indexes and hands and through the inside of the movement to illuminate the tourbillon and rotor, much like certain incandescent species of jellyfish. While it’s not a dive watch, it is waterproof to 5 meters. Chapter rings display hours and minutes, and the “hood” of the jellyfish is a flying tourbillon. $98,000 in blue ceramic and titanium, available at Westime in Beverly Hills, +1 310 888 8880, mbandf.com

Words Kristen Shirley