“Our brand has built its image around scarcity. Even on this new stage of Seoul, we will continue our deeper journey based on our passion for detail and dedication to essence.”
Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie, held a brand conference at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 13th and said this. H. Moser & Cie is an independent high-end watch brand headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
H. Moser & Cie will open its first standalone boutique in Korea on the 14th at the Galleria Luxury Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. This will be the fifth standalone boutique in the world, following those in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Menlo Park in the United States. The luxury jewelry and watch chain Rocca, under the Damiani Group, will operate it.
H. Moser & Cie was founded in 1828 by Heinrich Moser in St. Petersburg, Russia. It gained a reputation for producing high-end watches for the Russian imperial family and nobility, and later returned to its hometown of Schaffhausen, Switzerland, where it established a manufacture, solidifying its status as a brand that combines tradition with technology.
After the local business was halted due to the Russian Revolution in the early 20th century, the brand went through a long period of stagnation. However, in 2002, the brand was rebuilt under the leadership of Heinrich Moser's descendants and independent watch enthusiasts, and in 2012, it was acquired by Melbholding, founded by former Audemars Piguet CEO Georges-Henri Meylan, thereby establishing a modern identity. Current CEO Edouard Meylan is promoting the brand with a product line that combines H. Moser & Cie’s unique minimalism and technical expertise.
Today, H. Moser & Cie employs over 120 staff at its in-house manufacture located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, where all products are developed and produced, featuring 20 types of HMC movements that it has developed in-house in every watch. The main product lines include Streamliner, Endeavour, Venturer, and Heritage.
H. Moser & Cie is recognized for its innovative technologies among enthusiasts, including the Perpetual Calendar, which requires no date adjustment, the Interchangeable Escapement Module that can be easily replaced, and the Double Pull Crown system that aids in precise operation. The company directly manufactures and assembles major components through its subsidiary, Precision Engineering AG, and also supplies parts to leading watch brands.
H. Moser & Cie's annual production is kept under 4,000 pieces. This is lower than that of high-end brands like Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Lange & Söhne. The brand slogan 'VERY RARE' also stems from this production method. Product prices start from tens of millions of won, and for limited editions, they exceed 100 million won.
CEO Meylan noted, “We do not mass-produce products because every process related to watchmaking is carried out by hand by Swiss artisans. Being an independent watchmaker owned and operated by a family that has not been acquired by a large company also enhances the rarity of H. Moser & Cie.”
The boutiques that H. Moser & Cie operates in various countries are inspired by museums and are known for exhibiting only one type of watch per lineup. To commemorate its entry into Korea, H. Moser & Cie will unveil the limited edition ‘Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton Boutique Edition’ at its Seoul boutique. This product is a masterpiece that embodies H. Moser & Cie’s innovation and technical prowess, with only 17 pieces produced worldwide, and only one will be available in Korea.
Oh Dong-jun, the head of Damiani Korea responsible for H. Moser & Cie's distribution in Korea, said, “Just like H. Moser & Cie’s slogan of being 'very rare', we will establish the brand identity by targeting a small clientele with a strategy focused on scarcity.”