Moser Dropped a New Pink Tourbillon at the Miami Grand Prix
The sights and sounds of an F1 race are an assault on the senses in the best possible way, eliciting emotions otherwise not possible when viewed through a screen. The same could be said for some watches. At the 2024 Miami Grand Prix these two experiences came together thanks to H. Moser & Cie., the BWT Alpine F1 race team and a limited edition pinked-out tourbillon-equipped, skeletonized Streamliner watch.
What began in Shanghai at round 5 of the Formula 1 season with a blue limited edition Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton was carried through to Miami with the reveal of an even more limited pink edition. The colors are a nod to the livery of the team’s A524 race car, with the pink enjoying heightened relevance amongst Miami’s sun drenched International Autodrome street circuit.
More from Robb Report
A $17.3 Million Patek Philippe Minute Repeater Leads Only Watch Auction
This New Watch Brand Just Created a Timepiece Inspired by Brutalist Architecture
From a Ferrari Debut to a New F1 Winner: Here's What We Saw at the Miami Grand Prix
Watches and Formula 1 have long enjoyed something of a symbiotic relationship, with partnerships dating back to the ‘70s, and more organic ties dating back much further still. The best of these partnerships involve a connection deeper than the mere alignment of commercial interests. The technical demands of the sport have evolved over the generations, as have the devices used to time the races. Mechanical timekeeping gave way to digital precision long ago, but the spirit of that mechanical connection persists—and even thrives today.
The latest additions to the Streamliner collection are indeed a mechanical tour de force, and yet H. Moser is a brand known for its ability to inject some levity into an otherwise sober industry through the use of materials, textures, finishes, and colors—and even irony. The new Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton effortlessly rises above the sum of its parts.
More Than A Paint Job
If you’ve paid any attention to F1 over its lifespan you’ll no doubt be familiar with some of the bombastic liveries applied to the cars. These color schemes must honor the team and their history, while also representing the team’s partners, without whom the racing would not be possible. The most harmonious examples involve the retention of the team identity while incorporating partners in a thoughtful manner. In rare instances the two come together to create an iconic look.
The Enstone based BWT Alpine F1 team boasts one of the most distinctive liveries on the grid today thanks to their use of pink. Light pink is a core to the BWT brand, and helps raise awareness for their stated goal: “To improve the quality of people’s lives wherever water is concerned – and to do so with custom-tailored water treatment solutions that deliver water of the highest quality.”
The color pink inspired the second Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton which utilizes not just a pink rubber strap, but also a dynamic piece of pink synthetic corundum within the dial. While the pink rubber strap can be swapped out in favor of the collection’s other-wordly integrated bracelet, the pink portion of the dial is there to stay. The manner in which this pink has been executed is subtle but intentional, offering a highly dynamic presence within the openly complex dial environment. Pink doesn’t overpower here, but invites a closer view of the intoxicating open worked movement and its cylindrical tourbillon. There is a delicacy to this watch that exists in ironic harmony with its big personality.
Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton
The beauty of this watch is best experienced up close. The HMC 811 caliber has been fully skeletonized, including the gold oscillating weight, and affords views to nearly every nook and cranny of the movement, including plenty of views clear through to the other side. The main plate and bridges get an anthracite finish with diamond beveling creating contrast at a distance, and fine transitions up close. The tourbillon cage is framed by a thin bridge which secures the going train at the left, linking the regulating organ to the hour and minute display at the top of the dial, with the mainspring directly underneath. This configuration allows the tourbillon to be experienced on its own.
One point of differentiation from the blue variation of this watch released during the Shanghai GP is the bridge securing the balance staff, which has been rendered in blue here, providing a point of color contrast that perfectly compliments the pink hues. The tourbillon itself uses a cylindrical hairspring with a dual Breguet overcoil, making a full rotation in 60 seconds. The depth of this structure becomes apparent at most angles, adding dimensional drama to the rotational motion.
The pink dial structure situated at 12 o’clock serves as a perfect visual balance to the tourbillon at the bottom of the dial. The domed disc is a pink synthetic corundum in the same vein as ruby or sapphire, and the result is a soft, translucent pink that shifts not only depending on viewing angle and lighting. It never appears overly saturated, and plays into the depth observed in the rest of the watch thanks to its opacity. This sub dial receives Super LumiNova hour markers, and a set of blued hands hosting Globolight inserts to track the time in a surprisingly legible manner.
All of this is set within the confines of the Streamliner’s unique 42.3mm steel cushion case. The pebble-like shape of the midcase features no lugs in the traditional sense, showing a small set of horns where you’d normally expect to find the bracelet integration. A rubber strap has been fitted within that space, which wears exceptionally well, though excludes the extraordinary bracelet design that this watch is generally known for. The good news is that a bracelet can still be acquired for use here, and each of the 20 buyers for this watch would be wise to do just that.
Since there is no lug, the watch wears much smaller than its diameter suggests. The case nestles neatly into the wrist, and the small total length means there’s no overhang to worry about. Overall this watch offers an equally compelling experience on the wrist as it does to the other senses. This watch is a fitting nod to Miami, and to the team’s relationship with BWT, but it represents more than a mere corporate sponsorship, however, and it was a chat with Alpine driver Pierre Gasly that drove that point home.
Beyond A Partnership
Prior to the race, I was able to chat with Pierre Gasly alongside brothers Edouard and Bertrand Meylan of Moser. The connections here go a bit deeper than I expected. When I asked Pierre what separated Moser from other sponsors he’s worked with over his 7 year F1 career, he was quick to point out the family connection spoke to him on a personal level, as the Meylan brothers come from a legendary Swiss watch family, with their father heading up Audemars Piguet during the grand expansion of the Royal Oak.
Pierre Gasly is the youngest of 5 siblings, and hails from a family of prominent racers. His father, grandfather, and grandmother competed at various levels of racing from karting, endurance racing and rallying. Having this level of support and understanding from family has been a cornerstone of Gasly’s career, and it’s a trait that he not only recognizes but appreciates in the Meylan brothers’ relationship and legacy. Indeed, it’s this support and structure that seems to propel their enthusiasm for building something special, and it extends to their children as well, who are actively exposed to the business.
Looking Ahead at Moser and F1
The BWT Alpine F1 team (Renault’s works team) has experienced a challenging beginning to their season, with a car that missed its benchmarks putting the drivers, Pierre Gasly and teammate Esteban Ocon, in a difficult situation. They knew it would take work to bring the car into a competitive state, and already in round 6 of the championship the car has persevered, nabbing their first points of the season thanks to a 10th place finish by Ocon, and bringing a sense of optimism looking ahead in the season.
H. Moser began their partnership with Alpine Racing only this year, and the fruits of the relationship have already created a broad impact that goes beyond the hardware involved. These are the kinds of partnerships that generally result in the most interesting territory being explored, and if there’s anyone that knows just how to explore uncharted territory and make something beautiful out of it, it’s H. Moser & Cie..
Just 20 of these watches will be produced, each priced from $98,000.
Best of Robb Report
Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
