H. Moser & Cie Swiss Icons watch (referred to as the Frankenstein watch)
This article was amended on January 12, with a new statement by the brand being issued about this timepiece. That statement is at the end of this article.
Well, ok, Mary Shelley, the original author of what may well have been the first science-fiction book,Frankenstein, might not be rolling over in her grave with the introduction of the new H. Moser & Cie Frankenstein Homage Watch that is the third in the brand’s Swiss Icons series (which began with Moser’s Alp Watch – created in response to the Apple watch with similar shape and loo, and the second, the Swiss-made watch, created of Swiss cheese, and designed to “Make Swiss Great Again”).
The new watch, Frankenstein, is designed to remind the industry that it is time for a change. It is an amalgam — a blend of many watch innuendos carefully stitched together. According to Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie, “Many brands, even historical ones, create and produce nothing but substitute substance with artificial hype to stay relevant. Reinforcing their efforts with prestigious events and paying ambassadors who have no links to watchmaking; these tactics are just artifice that serve as smoke and mirrors. It’s all about who has the longest history, the most famous celebrity ambassador, or influencer with the most followers. Their efforts are in vain, the essential lies elsewhere: with the product. We should show our creativity and we should refocus on the product. We need to come back down to earth, roll up our sleeves and create unique ideas. This is the only way that we can make Swiss Made great again.”
H. Moser & Cie, Swiss Icons Watch: Frankenstein Homage Watch to Authentic Watchmaking.
It is the brand’s intention to show the unique watch at SIHH and eventually auction it for charity. While we don’t take exception to the watch – in fact, it is kind of fun to study — we really do wonder if the mistake here with the “Frankenstein” watch is similar to the book, wherein people called the monster Frankenstein instead of the scientist. Mary Shelley wrote this book when she was just 20, and had already given birth to three babies (though one died while she was writing Frankenstein). Shelley gave the name Frankenstein to the mad scientist who brings the dead back to life in what many believe is a monster. In fact, that “monster” is never named. Could it be in the H. Moser & Cie watch that the brand is referring not to the monster, but to the mad scientist … the watchmakers or creators of the very timepieces it emulates (mocks?) herein? That the watch may also just look like a sum of all its parts (like Shelley’s “monster”) is an added bonus.
Author’s Note:
On the morning of January 12, one day after publishing this article, we received the following letter from H. Mose & Cie.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Dear H. Moser friends and others,
No one said #MakeSwissMadeGreatAgain would be easy…
You might have noticed that we have stopped our campaign promoting our Swiss Icons Watch.
While our objective was to pay tribute to the great founders of our beautiful industry and warn against certain practices of others, the message was unfortunately sometimes misunderstood.
As such, the Swiss Icons Watch will therefore no longer be presented and won’t be sold to raise funds to support education and training of young Swiss Watchmakers.
But fear not, we still have a number of surprises to share with you next week at SIHH.
Yours sincerely,
Edouard Meylan
CEO H. Moser & Cie.
