In a world of watches that often tend in sticking to established aesthetic and technical canons, H. Moser & Cie. represents a voice out of the chorus: ironic, atypical and always capable of surprise. With the new Pioneer Flying Hours, the Swiss Maison succeeds in a nontrivial feat: to fuse the fascinating Flying Hours complication with the sporty, contemporary spirit of the Pioneer line, which just this year celebrates ten years. The result is a mesmerizing, spectacular and surprisingly functional timepiece capable of bringing poetry and technique directly to the wearer’s wrist. But let’s go and discover it in detail!
The design
The new Pioneer Flying Hours comes in two versions, both with the 42.8 mm case typical of the collection. The first is the most precious: 5N red gold with black DLC titanium inserts and crown, accompanied by an aventurine dial evoking a starry sky. Limited to only 100 pieces, this variant is designed for collectors who want a rare and evocative piece.
The second version aims for a more understated, everyday elegance: stainless steel with a smoky white dial with a soleil finish, one of the hallmarks of Moser’s aesthetic language. Both variants feature essential dials, devoid of logos or lettering. To some it may seem like an “unfinished,” incomplete watch, but this is not the case; all the conciseness is intentional in favor of a pure reading of time.
Comfort on the wrist is provided by perforated rubber straps: black for the red gold, gray for the steel, both with matching pin buckles. The choice of rubber not only reinforces the watch’s sporty character, but also reaffirms the vocation of the Pioneer: a fine watchmaking timepiece that is not afraid of daily use and challenges.
The gauge
The real magic of the Pioneer Flying Hours manifests itself on the dial through its “mechanical heart.” The hours no longer flow gradually as in the previous Endeavour Flying Hours, but make a sharp and instantaneous leap. It is a solution that combines spectacularity and readability, turning the dial into a small planetary system.
The central minute disc, skeletonized and redesigned with a 120-degree arc, dominates the scene. Around it, three apertures arranged at 4, 8 and 12 o’clock show the current and next hour. A system that enchants the eye and makes time reading immediate.
The sapphire case back reveals the automatic caliber HMC 240, developed in-house from the HMC 200. This movement boasts 72 hours of power reserve, a bidirectional rotor (solid gold for the red gold version, tungsten for the steel version), 35 jewels, Straumann balance spring with a flat curve, and a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour. The plates and bridges, finished in anthracite tones, combine tradition and modernity.
The dimensions do not go unnoticed: 16.1 mm thick for red gold and 14.2 mm for steel, values that are justified by the complexity of the complication and water resistance to 120 meters, unusual for timepieces of this level.
Conclusions
The Pioneer Flying Hours proves that haute horology can coexist with the practicality of a modern, durable watch. It is a rare balance that H. Moser & Cie. achieves naturally, combining mechanical poetry and sporting spirit. On the wrist, it conquers with its hypnotic play of discs, turning the reading of time into a continuous spectacle.
The red gold model with aventurine dial, in my opinion crazy, is priced at about 41,000 euros and is limited to 100 pieces. The steel version with a smoky white dial, on the other hand, enters the permanent collection with a price of about 31,000 euros.
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