Contrasts are critical to enjoying everything in life. You’ll never enjoy a meal more than when you’re absolutely ravenous, nor will the feeling of a plush pillow ever be better than after a hard day’s work. The folks at Moser understand this better than most, with their new Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack delivering a brilliant contrast of precious metal and the deepest black known to man.
What makes the H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack so unique is the material its dial is made from, which is the Vantablack material that was originally developed by the National Physical Laboratory. Comprising a carbon nanotube coating, Vantablack absorbs 99.96 per cent of the light that hits it, making for a curious dial material that essentially leaves the hands (and in this case the tourbillon) floating in a void.
Contrasting the blacker than black dial is the 40mm Moser Streamliner case, executed in an attractive shade of red gold, which is a copper-heavy rose gold alloy that brings a little extra warmth to its hue. While the cushion-shaped case is well made and very nicely finished, the red gold bracelet that integrates into it is a masterpiece of design, reportedly taking close to three years to bring from concept sketches to reality.
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The bracelet of the Moser Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack features vertically brushed finishing that nicely compliments the radial satin finish of the case, and also works quite hard to eliminate any impression of ostentatiousness from a large-ish solid gold timepiece. It’s not exactly flying under the radar like the Moser Swiss Alp Watch, but it’s tastefully done and a long way from a 40mm Rolex Day-Date whose bezel refracts more light onto the roof of your car than a disco ball in an ‘80s dance hall.
While the case and bracelet are one of the most appealing elements of any Moser Streamliner model, the dial of this reference is undoubtedly the star of the show, positively sucking in the light around it. The blackness of the dial highlights the hour markers, hands and 60-second tourbillon in the bottom half of the dial a treat, making the dial surprisingly legible and celebrating the rotating escapement.
Through the window in the dial, you get a peek at the HMC 804 Automatic Manufacture movement below, ticking away at 21,600vph and serving up 72 hours of power reserve. If you’ve come across Moser before, you’ll know the calibre will feature some of the finest finishing in Switzerland, complete with Côtes de Genève and perlage that is thankfully visible through the sapphire crystal caseback.
As far as the Boss Hunting office is concerned, Moser has absolutely smashed this one out of the park. From the magnetic warmth of the red gold case and bracelet to the startling emptiness of the dial, it’s a watch that plays with contrasts like Beethoven played the piano.
The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack is currently available, with an RRP of CHF109,000 (AU$162,369).
