H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton Boutique Edition
Inside Look: H. Moser & Cie.’s First U.S. Flagship Boutique Opens in Silicon Valley
The stylish boutique features a wide selection of Moser models, including a spectacular piece created specifically for this opening.
By Henri Lee
Contributor
In the 2024 Morgan Stanley report on the top 50 brands of the Swiss watch industry, H. Moser & Cie. is not only one of the few independent brands to make the list but also one of 12 brands that achieved revenue growth compared to 2023. A key factor in this impressive growth is the brand’s international development strategy, which is focused on building exclusive boutiques in Asia and America.
In February 2024, Moser, in partnership with its retail partner Stephen Silver, opened its first U.S. flagship boutique in a new upscale shopping venue in Menlo Park, California. This suburban, tree-lined city, located at the heart of Silicon Valley, is home to tech giant Meta.
To mark this special milestone, a limited-edition Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton was unveiled. I couldn’t wait to visit the new boutique, and here’s my report to share with you.
Long History with Silicon Valley
H. Moser & Cie. has enjoyed a long history with Silicon Valley, which its owners, the Meylan brothers, view as synonymous with innovation and creativity – values also central to the brand. Moser established its presence in North California early on through retail partners.
In October 2020, the brand collaborated with the Silicon Valley-based watch club Collective Horology and released the Pioneer Centre Seconds rotating bezel C.02 for Collective. The Swiss Alp Watch Series playfully poked fun at Apple Watches, attracting watch collectors from the tech community who appreciated the brand’s provocative, humorous approach.
Most recently, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, showcased a Moser Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton in an Instagram video while riding an all-terrain vehicle. It’s no wonder Moser chose Silicon Valley as the location for its first-ever flagship boutique in the U.S.
A Boutique with Tons of Watches
The Villa Menlo Park is a three-story plaza developed by Stephen Silver, featuring a multi-brand watch store, standalone boutiques, lounge areas, and restaurants. The Moser boutique stands out with its modern, minimalist design and blue color theme. And the real stars of the show? The Moser timepieces. Tons of them!
For watch enthusiasts frustrated by stores with empty shelves or mere exhibition pieces, this boutique is like a candy store. The watches are prominently displayed and organized by collection.
The Streamliner collection features integrated bracelet sports watches with a bold, modern look. On display were three flyback chronographs, three tourbillons, a perpetual calendar, and various three-hand models. But that’s not all – inside the closets were even more heavy hitters.
A boutique team member brought out a Streamliner Minute Repeater for me to see. Along with its wonderful chimes, this Streamliner boasted a flying tourbillon and an aqua blue fumé “grand feu” enamel dial. Its price tag? Staggering, equivalent to about 13 Streamliner Centre Seconds Matrix Green watches.
The Pioneer collection showcases sporty, versatile watches designed for everyday use. On the central display table, a stunning Pioneer Centre Seconds Concept Citrus Green stole the spotlight – its vibrant color was beyond mesmerizing!
Nearby were a few dressy pieces from the classic, elegant Endeavour collection, including a perpetual calendar, an aventurine tourbillon, and the recently released chronograph collaboration with Massena Lab. There were also several off-catalog pieces adorned with dazzling gems.
The Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton Boutique Edition
The first Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton (the watch from the Zuckerberg video mentioned above) came in a steel case and debuted in April 2024 to rave reviews. Now, there is a 17-piece limited boutique edition with a yellow gold case and bracelet, which was unveiled at the opening of the Moser Menlo Park boutique.
Holding this hefty piece in my hand, I was in awe of the 3D depth and transparency of the skeletonized movement. This mechanical marvel boasts perfect symmetry, with each component visible and brought to life by the rotating, beating cylindrical tourbillon.
It’s undoubtedly at the cutting edge of horological creation, designed to be robust enough for an active lifestyle in the air, on land, and even underwater (yes, it has a screwdown crown with 12 ATM water resistance)!
A Special Art Exhibit by Labeg
If you visited the boutique on March 5 or 6, you were treated to a very different kind of Moser watch experience. It was an art exhibit resulting from a collaboration between Moser and Hong Kong-based Canadian artist Gabriel Lau, a.k.a. Labeg, known for crafting watches from cardboard in playful and humorous ways.
Labeg’s interpretations of Moser watches were displayed throughout the boutique, instantly transforming the space into an art gallery. A collector friend of mine, wearing his Streamliner Alpine limited edition in bright blue, took a wrist shot alongside Labeg’s cardboard version of the same model in pink.
Grand Opening in June
I left thoroughly impressed and will definitely be back soon, especially since the third-floor Stephen Silver lounge space, which promises to provide ample room for watch enthusiasts' meetups in the San Francisco Bay Area, is still under construction.
The grand opening of the Moser Boutique is scheduled for June this year, with the Meylan brothers attending in person to celebrate and mingle with collectors and enthusiasts. For more information, please visit the official website.