H. Moser & Cie.’s Endeavour Perpetual Calendar has been given a space-age makeover with the use of tanalum for its case for the first time.
Tantalum is a rare earth metal discovered in 1802, and has been used by the space exploration industry in electronics components because of its anti-corrosive properties and melting point of around 3000 centigrade.
Used in a perpetual calendar, you could say it is designed for travelling to infinity and beyond.
Aesthetically, Tantalum is a darker grey than titanium and reflects a bluish light, which works with a textured blue fumé dial that fades from lighter to darker from its centre.
It can be polished to a high sheen, which is why it is sometimes also used in jewellery like men’s wedding rings.
Despite being hard to mill and finish, Moser is not the first watchmaker to have used Tantalum. In fact, CEO Edouard Meylan, was first drawn to the metal in his teenage years.
“When I was 18, my parents gave me my first haute horology watch, which was made from tantalum. Ever since then, I have dreamed of introducing this metal at H. Moser & Cie., despite the challenges it poses. It took more than two years of testing before we were able to polish the surfaces of our case, a feat that few have been able to match, with most preferring to sandblast or satin-finish tantalum,” he describes.
The Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel, reference 1800-2000, comes in a 42mm case housing the hand wound HMC 800 Manufacture calibre.
It has the usual Moser minimalism, despite being capable of displaying — if you know where to look — hours, minutes, small seconds, month, date and a power reserve indicator. The underside has a leap year cycle indicator to complete its perpetual calendar mandate.
It has power reserve of seven days and is worn on a grey kudu leather strap.
The watch is on sale for $82,500.
