In a generation or two’s time, future watch journalists are going to look back on the history of independent watchmaking in the early 21st century, and H. Moser & Cie will be one of the most important names in that history. Since the Meylan family became involved in 2012, the legacy brand quickly made a splash for its bold designs and even bolder marketing moves. But it wasn’t these early steps that cemented the brand’s place in history; no, that was the careful decade of work that came after — solidifying and clarifying the brand identity and product catalogue and making significant investments in infrastructure and facilities.

Essentially, getting the brand to a place of size and stability where its future doesn’t rest on the vicissitudes of fashion. Indeed, if I had to call it, I don’t think that Moser will be considered an ‘indie’ in a few decade’s time; more of an institutional independent like Chopard or Breitling is today (though obviously with a very different product offering). All of this is a very long-winded way of introducing the brand’s latest step on this journey — the Pioneer Retrograde Seconds, one that epitomizes Moser’s maverick side.

A sporty timepiece with a 30-second retrograde

Before we dive into the oddity of the retrograde, let’s talk about the place the Pioneer holds in the brand’s catalogue. It was Moser’s very first sports watch. These days, there’s a lot of (deserved) heat on the Streamliner, but the Pioneer is still a top-tier luxury sports piece that looks like the business on a rubber strap and has a healthy 120m of water resistance. It’s also fairly large, 42.8mm wide. Essentially, the Pioneer is a pretty flexible platform that allows Moser to do all sorts of surprising and delightful things.

In this case, they’ve evolved the typically pure dial design by adding a quite prominent retrograde seconds display at the bottom of the dial. Except it’s not just any retrograde second; it’s a module made for Moser by Agenhor, and it’s a 30-second indicator. If you think about it, a retrograde seconds display is quite the challenge, as, unlike on other retrograde displays, there’s no real margin for error — it takes time for the hand to jump back to the starting position. Moser says that to overcome these challenges, its mechanism needs to be both technical and playful, noting that, “At the end of each cycle, the snail, which is in permanent contact with the sector or finger, releases the energy accumulated and stored by a hairspring located under the seconds hand axis, with a stud holder mounted on the mainplate. The rack, which is also visible under the retrograde seconds bridge, positions the hand precisely on its path and releases the accumulated energy all at once while keeping the mechanism under control.”

Was a 30-second retrograde second display something the watch world desperately needed? Probably not, but Moser did it anyway, and they did it in the most Moser way possible by taking something whimsical and treating it very seriously indeed. And this is why Moser is in it for the long haul.

Tech Specs: H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Retrograde Seconds

Movement: Automatic-winding HMC 250 caliber, 72-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; 30-second retrograde (module developed by Agenhor SA)
Case: 42.8mm × 14.2mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 120m
Dial: Midnight blue fumé with sunburst pattern
Strap: Strap in blue rubber, textile, or alligator leather; stainless steel bracelet
Price: USD 21,900

Find out more at H. Moser & Cie.