H. Moser & Cie. Combines the Chinese Calendar With the Gregorian Calendar to Create the New Endeavour Timepiece

The Chinese calendar is usually described as a lunar calendar or an agricultural calendar. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, based on the solar year, the Chinese calendar follows the phases of the moon and the positions of the sun. Pulling off what appears to be a rare horological feat, H. Moser & Cie, in partnership with Agenhor SA, a watchmaking manufacturer founded by Jean-Marc and Catherine Wiederrecht in 1996, has come up with a well-balanced display of the hyper-complex Chinese calendar complication. In fact, it has gone a step ahead and combined the Chinese lunisolar calendar with the solar Gregorian calendar. The result: the new Endeavour Chinese Calendar Limited Edition (Ref. 1210-0400), representing a harmonious fusion of two cultures.

Agenhor SA specialises in developing and manufacturing watch movements and complications for several luxury watch brands. Their movements and complications are often used by renowned watchmaking companies to enhance the functionality and appeal of their timepieces. These brands may incorporate Agenhor's movements in limited editions or as part of special models.

The 40 mm red gold watch is limited to only 100 pieces and will not need any correction for 12 years. The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Chinese Calendar watch also gets red gold lugs and a crown at 3 o’clock. Displaying the months and days of the Chinese calendar, the days of the Gregorian calendar, the moon phases and the zodiac signs associated with each Chinese year, the movement operates with two cams working in parallel, relaying the information via feelers. This timepiece also moves away from other existing Chinese calendar models as it (Endeavour) does not lean on Oriental design motifs. As Edouard Meylan, CEO, H. Moser & Cie., puts it, “With its minimalist and elegant aesthetics, it is a contemporary Westernised interpretation of Chinese traditional culture”.

The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Chinese Calendar timepiece comes with a midnight blue fumé dial featuring a sunburst pattern. The hour markers, the leaf-shaped hour and minute hands, and the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock are in gold. Between 8 o’clock and 10 o’clock, the crescent incision displays Chinese lunisolar months while from 2 o’ clock to 4 o’clock, the other crescent incision displays Chinese lunisolar days and the moon phases; both apertures are indicated by gold round-tipped retrograde hands.

Coming to 12 o’clock, there is a triangular display to show the Chinese year and the associated animal of the zodiac. It also displays the embolismic month, when there is a 13-month year, that remains black in a standard 12-month Gregorian year. And finally, just beneath the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock is the Gregorian date window. The HMC 210 calibre, powering this watch, has a solid 18 ct gold oscillating weight, an original Straumann hairspring (in-house), and a power reserve of three days or 72 hours. The movement is finished with Moser stripes. The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Chinese Calendar watch comes with a hand-stitched brown alligator leather strap with a red gold folding clasp, where the Moser logo is engraved.