Meet The H. Moser & Cie. Vantablack Endeavour Tourbillon and Venturer Vantablack Watches

This article by Roberta Naas first appeared on her Perfect Timing column on Forbes.com.

“A think-outside-of-the-box brand, H. Moser & Cie. has, in the past, created fun April Fools Day social media posts that draw a lot of attention. Now, the independent Swiss watch brand unveils an all-new Vantablack(R) watches based on last year’s April Fools joke post.”

“In 2019, the brand posted a picture on instagram of a black dial watch in its round Venturer case. The dial was devoid of everything: no hands, no numerals, etc. The text read: “Something new and unprecedented for #MoserMonday: meet the Venturer Concept Vantablack in 39mm steel case, the first watch to feature a Vantablack dial paired with Vantablack hour and minute hands. …”

“The brand had actually touched up the photo to blacken the hands. The point was, there was no way to tell time. The watch captured the attention of the watch-loving public, with many customers asking for more details about the watch. This got the powers that be at H. Moser & Cie. thinking about how to answer those inquiries. The answer to them was clear: we have to make that watch.”

“Now, the Venturer Vantablack® Black Hands, Venturer Vantablack® Black Hands XL, and the Endeavour Tourbillon Vantablack® Black Hands watches make their debut.”

“Essentially Vantablack is a substance that is said to be the blackest black material ever produced. It consists of carbon nanotubes that are so fine they are said to be 10,000 times finer than a human hair. Those extremely delicate nanotubes are placed vertically, one after the other to form the dial. When a particle of light hits the Vantablack®, the material absorbs it, and our eyes perceive this as total blackness. The material is used in telescopes and other stealth equipment, as well as by the military for thermal camouflage.”

“The Vantablack dial is blacker then traditional black hands, so with black hands against the Vantablack dial, the time is readable (barely). The watch has no hands or indexes and no logo- attesting the to brand’s dedication to minimalism.

The new watches were also launched now to celebrate the brand’s new online sales platform. There are already several of its watches available for sale there, but these three new versions will join the lineup.

The 39mm Venturer Vantablack(R) watch measures 39mm in diameter and is crafted in 18-karat white gold. It retails for $27,600. The larger 43mm version, the Blackvanta XL is crafted in stainless steel and retails for $26,600. Each of these watches is powered by a hand-wound mechanical watch and offers hours and minutes functions. There is also a power reserve indicator on the movement side.

The third version, the Endeavour Tourbillon Vantablack watch, offers the sleekest look of the three thanks to the black ADLC (Amorphous Diamond-Like Coating) stainless steel case. This version is equipped with a self-winding movement that offers hours and minutes, and a one-minute flying tourbillon (that compensates for errors in timekeeping due to the effect of gravity when the watch is in certain positions on the wrist). Just 50 pieces will be made, each retailing for $69,000. A hand-stitched black alligator strap completes the look for all of these watches.”