When it comes to the watch market, the Chinese clientele stands out as one of the most significant segments for the Swiss watch industry in terms of sales. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that a few months ago, H. Moser decided to launch a limited edition dedicated to the Chinese market. I am referring to the H. Moser Endeavour Chinese Calendar limited edition, a timepiece featuring a truly unique calendar mechanism ingeniously combining the Chinese lunisolar calendar with the solar-only Gregorian calendar, all without requiring any corrections for 12 years.

Gregorian and Lunisolar calendars
Before delving into the watch, it is essential to understand what the Gregorian and Chinese calendars actually entail. The Gregorian and Chinese calendars are two distinct systems used to organize time, each with its own origins, structures, and cultural significance. The Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, is a solar calendar primarily used in the Western world. It consists of 12 months, each with varying numbers of days to align with the Earth’s orbit around the sun. On the other hand, the Chinese calendar, also known as the lunisolar calendar, has a history spanning millennia and is deeply rooted in Chinese culture and traditions. It incorporates elements of both lunar and solar cycles, with months based on the phases of the moon and years aligned with the tropical year. Each year is associated with one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac, rotating in a twelve-year cycle, and each month is named after specific astronomical events or natural phenomena. In the Chinese calendar, years are typically represented by a combination of two characters, forming what is known as the Chinese sexagenary cycle. The first character denotes the celestial stem, which consists of ten heavenly stems traditionally associated with the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) and yin and yang principles. The second character represents the terrestrial branch, which consists of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig). This combination creates a cycle of 60 years before repeating.

The Chinese calendar typically consists of 12 months, similar to the Gregorian calendar. However, occasional variations occur due to the lunisolar nature of the Chinese calendar. In some years, an extra month, known as an intercalary month, may be added to align the lunar calendar more accurately with the solar year. This intercalary month is inserted approximately every three years, resulting in a total of 13 months in those specific lunar years. Each month begins with the new moon and ends with the day before the next new moon, and can have a varying number of days, following the lunar cycle, ranging from 29 to 30 days. This variability is why the Chinese New Year does not always occur on the same date. Despite their differences in structure and cultural context, both calendars employ a cyclical system, with repeating patterns of months and years. However, while the Gregorian calendar primarily relies on solar cycles, the Chinese calendar incorporates lunar phases alongside solar positions.

H.Moser & Cie – Endeavour Chinese Calendar
Moving on to the watch, this intricate calendar is displayed with the simplicity that only H. Moser can deliver. Two curved incisions, positioned in opposing directions, exhibit the Chinese lunisolar months on the left side and the Chinese lunisolar days along with the moon phases on the right. The moon phase is cleverly represented by a gold circular indicator that moves within the curved incision to represent the phase of the moon. Both apertures are marked by gold retrograde hands with round tips. At midday, a rounded triangular window showcases the Chinese year and its corresponding zodiac animal, also indicating the embolismic month in a 13-month year, which remains black during a standard 12-month Gregorian year. Lastly, situated just below the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock, there is the Gregorian date window. Perhaps the numbers are on the small side, making them a bit harder to read. All this information is set in a wonderful and iconic fume dial with a midnight blue tone, where the logo of H. Moser & Cie is engraved rather than painted, following the brand’s philosophy of understatement. On the dial, there are applied red gold indexes, and the hour, minute, and second hands are leaf-shaped, adding to the elegance of the watch. The case of the watch is the classical Endeavour case, 40mm in red gold with a thickness of 13mm, featuring the distinctive hollowed-out area on the case that characterizes this collection. The movement, HMC210, is based on the in-house automatic calibre from H. Moser, with the addition of a module developed by Agenhor, the movement developer owned by H. Moser & Cie.

Even though this watch does not feature a uniquely developed calibre like the H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual, both watches share the ability to display very complicated information in a unique and simple way. Other brands have attempted to display the Chinese calendar in a perpetual watch, but H. Moser & Cie has delivered the only one that does not require any correction for 12 years, while others may require up to 70 corrections, making the Agenhor calibre even more impressive. Moreover, other watchmakers have relied on classical representations of perpetual calendars, such as Blancpain or Parmigiani. However, these attempts have resulted in very busy dials, making them quite complicated to read.

As we have seen, the Chinese calendar is more complex than the Gregorian calendar, so achieving this level of clarity and simplicity is remarkable. H. Moser has once again delivered a watch in their unique way, giving a new twist to an already explored complication.
In conclusion, the H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Chinese Calendar limited edition watch stands as a testament to the brand’s dedication to innovation and craftsmanship. By seamlessly integrating the complexities of the Chinese lunisolar calendar with the precision of the Gregorian calendar, H. Moser & Cie has created a timepiece that not only honors Chinese cultural heritage but also showcases technical prowess and elegant design. With its clarity, simplicity, and unparalleled accuracy, this watch exemplifies H. Moser & Cie’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of horological excellence while retaining a timeless aesthetic. The H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Chinese Calendar is a limited edition of 100 pieces sold at 68.000 CHF.