For us here at WWR, Moser is a brand we’ve admired from afar. Sure, it’s those eye-catching novelties that manage to poke fun at the watch industry that catch they eye. At the end of the day, though, they’re building some rather interesting watches that have clever dials and quite competent movements inside. We recently got to spend some time with one from that latter category, the H. Moser Heritage Dual Time.
Being as the H. Moser Heritage Dual Time comes from the “Heritage” line, it should be no surprise that the watch looks like, well, a piece from history. With the larger case, heavily grooved crown, and oversized numerals, one is put in mind of something that would have been aimed at an aviator in days gone by. The dial is crisp and bold, while the Globolight (more on that in a bit) numerals stand out in stark contrast, making time-telling an easy thing.
There is nothing on the dial that distracts you from that primary mission – telling time. The Moser logo is there, but it’s done in a transparent lacquer so that it just hides away in plain sight. The date window, while large enough to be usable, contains a dark date wheel, allowing your eyes to focus instead on the bright white elements. Even the really clever complication – the second time-zone hand – is done in a dark argent, so that it only needs to be seen when you’re looking for it.
Let’s talk about that hand, actually. You might be tempted to think of the H. Moser Heritage Dual Time as a GMT watch, but it isn’t, not really. Yes, it will allow you to track a second time zone, but it actually moves the same as the main hour hand (a 12-hour rotation). This is a simpler method of tracking a second time zone, and it works (just keep in mind if your tracked time is ahead or behind you). And should you not need it for a bit? You can tuck it away behind the main hour hand, and you’ll not know it’s there.
Should it be tucked away, the small luminous fill on the second hour hand will not illuminate at night, but you knew that already. The main handset lights up quite nicely, and holds it’s own against the Globolight numerals. Globolight is a ceramic material that is infused with Super Luminova, allowing for the creation of applied numerals that are totally luminous, without having to build up layers of paint. It’s super clever, and works very well in person. While we’ve always held the lume treatments from Seiko at the top of the list, I think that Moser could easily take that top spot with this material.
On the wrist, I found the H. Moser Heritage Dual Time to be very comfortable. The 42mm case hugged my wrist nicely, and the leather strap the watch comes with was one of the softest and most comfortable that I’ve tried out this year. Once the watch is on your wrist, it just fades away until you need it, sort of like that second time zone. In other words, it gets the job done.
While most of the case of the H. Moser Heritage Dual Time is done up in high polish, the sides have small grooves etched into them. It’s a styling exercise, sure, but it also helps to hide away any smudges you may put onto the case when you check the time, which I rather appreciate.
Inside the H. Moser Heritage Dual Time is the HMC 809, a new movement when the watch was introduced last year. It runs at 21,600 vph, which allows for a massive 3-day (72-hour) power reserve. With that, it certainly means you can wear different watches on different days, and come back to this one and have it still be running. You get a great view of the movement through the exhibition caseback, as well as the fine decorating that they’ve applied to the components.
The H. Moser Heritage Dual Time sits at an interesting intersection in the Venn diagram of pilot watches, dual-time watches, and vintage-look watches. In the Moser way, it’s not quite just one of those, and manages to cut its own path. Should you want to add one to your collection, it’s available for $21,900 directly from h-moser.com.
Tech Specs from Moser
- Diameter: 42mm
- Thickness: 11.6mm
- Dial: Burgundy fumé sunburst
- Movement:
- The HMC 809 self-winding manufacture calibre is equipped with the Dual Time function, thanks to the module developed entirely by H. Moser & Cie.
- The oscillating weight transfers the energy to the barrel via a bi-directional pawl winding system which reduces the time required to fully wind the watch.
- Power Reserve: 72 hours
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Functions:
- Displaying two independent time indications allows for optimal convenience while travelling.
- The grey hand indicates the dual time zone and can be cleverly hidden behind the main hours hand when not in use, further underlining the brand’s constant pursuit of minimalism and convenient simplicity.
- Highlight:
- A three-dimensional element rather than a painted pigment, Globolight® is an innovative ceramic material used for luminescence.
- It is infused with Super-LumiNova® for a brighter and longer lasting afterglow after being charged by a source of light.
