H. Moser & Cie.: history, models and value

Founded

1828

Founder(s)

Heinrich Moser

Headquarters

Neuhausen am Rheinfall (Schaffhausen)

Owner / group

Independent (MELB Holding, Meylan family)

H. Moser & Cie.: origins and founding

Heinrich Moser was born in Schaffhausen in 1805 into a family of watchmakers. In 1828 he founded H. Moser & Cie. in St. Petersburg, Russia, selling watches to the Russian market. The company also had production in Switzerland, including in Le Locle.

Founders and family

Heinrich Moser became a wealthy businessman. After moving back to Schaffhausen in 1848, he set up a watch factory there, built the first hydroelectric power station on the High Rhine, helped found the industrial company SIG and built the Rhine Falls railway. He died in 1874. More than a century later his great-grandson, Roger Nicholas Balsiger, co-founded the company that revived the brand. Since 2012 the brand has belonged to the Meylan family, and Edouard Meylan is the CEO.

H. Moser & Cie. history and milestones

• 1828: Heinrich Moser founds the company in St. Petersburg.
• 1874: After Moser's death, the business is sold to its managers in Switzerland and Russia.
• 1918: After the October Revolution, the Russian business is expropriated.
• Quartz era: The Le Locle operation becomes part of the Dixi group and the name is used as "Hy Moser & Cie." before it fades from the market.
• 2002: Moser Schaffhausen AG is founded by Dr. Jürgen Lange and Roger Nicholas Balsiger.
• 2005: Relaunch with a new manufacture and the first three new watches.
• 2006: A Moser perpetual calendar wins a prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.
• 2012: The MELB Holding of the Meylan family takes over.
• 2016 onward: The brand releases a provocative concept watch each year, such as the Swiss Mad Watch with a case made partly of Swiss cheese.

Famous H. Moser & Cie. models

• Endeavour: The classic line of round dress watches, including the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar, known for its very clean dial.
• Streamliner: Sports watches with an integrated bracelet, including a flyback chronograph.
• Pioneer: Sportier, more water-resistant watches.
• Venturer: Dress watches with a gently curved case.
• Historic pocket watches: Older H. Moser & Cie. pocket watches from the 19th and early 20th century, many sold in Russia.

Many modern Moser watches have a fumé dial, a smoky gradient that turns darker toward the edge. Many also have no logo on the dial at all.

Movements and technique

The modern H. Moser & Cie. designs and makes its own calibres, more than 18 so far. Its sister company Precision Engineering AG in Schaffhausen makes hairsprings and other regulating parts, which very few watch companies do themselves. Many Moser movements use a modular escapement that can be swapped out as a unit during servicing.

H. Moser & Cie. today

The company is independent and owned by the Meylan family's MELB Holding. Its manufacture is in Neuhausen am Rheinfall near Schaffhausen. Moser belongs to the haute horlogerie segment and is one of the better-known independent makers.

H. Moser & Cie. prices on the pre-owned market

Modern Moser watches with in-house movements and fumé dials are the pieces most often traded. Perpetual calendars, Streamliner models and limited editions with unusual dial colors tend to attract the most interest. Condition, a complete set with box and papers, and the rarity of the dial color all matter. As with many independent brands, some models sell below their original retail price on the pre-owned market.

Historic Moser pocket watches are a separate market. Their value depends on the metal, the movement quality, any complications and the condition of the dial and case. Gold cases and high-grade movements sell better than simple silver or base-metal pieces.

How to recognise a genuine H. Moser & Cie.

On a modern Moser, the movement seen through the caseback should be a Moser calibre with matching finishing, and the reference and serial number on the case should match the papers. For historic pocket watches, check that the movement and dial signatures are consistent, and that the case metal marks fit the period. Watches marked "Hy Moser" come from the later company, not from today's manufacture. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch explains the general checks.

What is your H. Moser & Cie. worth?

Whether you have a modern Endeavour or an old Moser pocket watch, you can upload photos of the dial, case and movement and get a free watch value estimate. For estates, inheritance or insurance, we also provide a written watch appraisal.

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