Does perfection exist? That depends on how you define it.

I define perfection in a gentlemen’s watch as it being of exceptional make and crafted with care and eye for detail, but also restraint. A precious metal case is mandatory for me, but even that should be toned-down and not too loud. The case should complement the rest of the creation, but not overpower it.

It seems that the good people at H. Moser & Cie. were able to read my mind, as what I just described has come to life almost down to the very last detail with the Venturer Concept Vantablack.

There is black, and there is Vantablack

The term Vantablack is not some fancy marketing term aimed to capture an audience’s attention and hopefully drive sales. It is the name of the blackest of black substances. And H. Moser & Cie. has used it for the dial of the Venturer Concept Vantablack.

H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Vantablack

As Vantablack absorbs 99.965 percent of all incoming light, looking at the dial is like staring into a bottomless abyss – with floating gold hands. And, luckily, H. Moser & Cie. also refrained from putting any verbiage on it.

If you are one of the lucky owners of this timepiece, you already know that it is Swiss Made. And the lack of brand name front and center makes the watch far more intriguing – and a more of conversation piece – than if it was on the dial.

The Venturer Concept Vantablack is fitted with a black alligator strap, and the difference between its color and texture and that of the dial is uncanny. Suddenly the strap doesn’t look as black as it would on a watch with a regular black dial.

H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Vantablack

Vantablack almost seems like a mystical substance; it’s like wearing a black hole that sucks all light from the wrist. But in a good way.

H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Vantablack: a matter of balance

A crucial element of a gentlemen’s dress watch is the right proportions. This is a tricky one as it is not that easy to achieve balance.

H. Moser & Cie. housed this watch an 18-karat red gold case that is 39 mm in diameter and 11.9 mm in height. The bezel is kept very small, making the watch seem like it is nearly all dial, which makes the Vantablack lack of color even more potent.

Usually, red gold would not fare extremely well for a gentlemen’s watch, but this one needs it: the red gold balances the design of the extraordinary dial. In white gold or platinum, the result would not have been the same, resulting in a far colder creation.

H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Vantablack

The case itself has an elegance to it that does not err toward the frivolous. Instead, H. Moser & Cie. uses the design of the crown to give the watch a bit more character in a subtle way. Thanks to the Vantablack dial, the hands become more than ever the focal point of the watch. By opting for relatively simple leaf hands, H. Moser & Cie. shows that it understands how restraint is sometimes the best way to show off.

H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Vantablack: movement delight

The Venturer Concept Vantablack is powered by H. Moser & Cie.’s Caliber HMC 327, a stunning manual-wind movement in which technical competence and aesthetic delight go hand in hand.

Here we find an elegance in the way the bridges are shaped, subtly drawing attention toward the balance wheel, which is fitted with the brand’s own Straumann hairspring.

H. Moser & Cie. in-house Caliber HMC 327 visible through the display back of the Venturer Concept Vantablack

A power reserve indicator displaying the state of the mainspring’s state of wind is also incorporated in the back, indicating that the owner has up to three days before having to wind again.

Here, this watch once again displays its supreme balance as here we discover that the diameter of the movement is appropriate to that of the case. Because it measures 32 mm, there is no excess metal framing it. This may sound like a given, especially at this level of watchmaking, but that is unfortunately not the case.

H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Vantablack

This is also the reason why gentlemen should rejoice in such a watch as the Venturer Concept Vantablack: it ticks all the boxes and then some! This is what an exceptional yet understated wristwatch should look like.

For more information, please visit  www.h-moser.com.

Quick Facts H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Vantablack
Case: 39 x 11.9 mm, red gold
Movement: manual wind Caliber HMC 327, 18,000 vph/2.5 Hz frequency, 72-hour power reserve, Straumann hairspring
Functions: hours, minutes; power reserve indicator (on the back)
Limitation: 100 pieces
Price: $27,600/25,000 Swiss francs

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