The black hole dial of the H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Genesis sucks you in. A full Vantablack® dial can create an emotion akin to vertigo. Because it absorbs 99.97% of light, it is so black that it plays with your perceptions. Despite representing nothingness, it becomes ultra-present.
“Now I am getting used to it, but in the beginning Vantablack® is such a surprise and you have a problem focusing. You try to understand, but your brain is blocking it – it is really a black hole on your wrist. But you almost need a reference next to it – if you don’t have another black next to it, you don’t understand how black it is,” said Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie.
The Vantablack® dial is 0.65 millimeters thick. Which puts it right between a “normal” dial, which is 0.4 millimeters, and an enamel dial, which is 0.9 millimeters. The coating is not a color, but grown fibers that are extremely thin, and extremely tall for its thickness. If it were a tree in a forest close to you, it would be more or less a couple of kilometers high – and this is the secret to how it swallows so much light. This coating process, which in all takes around four hours, is done by Surrey NanoSystems in the UK. When it arrives you must be extremely cautious and work with special tools, since you cannot touch the Vantablack® surface: If you do, it will wilt like unwatered flowers.
A Brave New World
When you look closely at the Genesis 2, you will see that the hands are pixelated – as is the 3D-printed titanium crown. This shows the relation with the Genesis 1, which raised a few eyebrows when released. In short, the whole watch was a QR-code on the wrist. An experimental creation that united the worlds of haute horlogerie and Web3; using blockchain technology as an authentication key to ensure transparency and traceability.
“When we launched Genesis 1, a lot of people questioned what we did. And now with Genesis 2 we wanted to do something for the 50 people who believed in us back then, like a thank-you note from our side,” Mr. Meylan continued.
Thus Genesis 2 was first made available to these 50 brave collectors. They even had the opportunity to purchase a second watch, as there were 100 of the Genesis 2 produced. “I know we could sell a lot more of a watch like this,” said Mr. Meylan. “But we really wanted to honor those who believed in such a provocative project, exploring new territories. What is the future of blockchain, NFTs [non-fungible tokens]? What is the future of luxury in general? It was a crazy piece at crazy times.”
Interestingly, this discussion has changed in the past few years. Crypto remains – or at least the main currencies, but NFTs were a flash in the pan in the art world, and the metaverse is no longer on everybody’s lips. “It kind of disappeared. We don’t know what will survive for the future,” Mr. Meylan said. “Not everything is to keep, not everything will remain – but that is what it means to experiment!”
Those insights are also reflected in the Genesis 2, which is – in contrast to the Genesis 1 – firmly rooted in the tangible: If Genesis 1 was virtual, the Genesis 2 is physical. “Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are like two sides of the same coin,” concluded Mr. Meylan.
Facts: H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Genesis 2
Case: Steel topped by a slightly domed sapphire crystal.
Diameter: 40mm.
Dial: Vantablack®.
Hands: Pixelated hour and minute hands, with Globolight® inserts.
Movement: HMC 201 automatic caliber with partially skeletonized bridges.
Functions: Hours and minutes.
Power reserve: minimum of three days.
Limited edition of 100 pieces.
Price: CHF 29’900.- without taxes.
