Right from the time he launched the first Swiss Alp mechanical watch five years ago, luxury watchmaker H.K. Moser & C has repeatedly licked its tongue at the high-tech Apple Watch, making no secret about taking inspiration from Apple’s smartwatch for its size. But for the final, super limited edition of the Swiss Alp, it has gone beyond size to include even more cheeky references to the downsides of smartwatch ownership.
The Swiss Alp Watch final upgrade uses the shape of the most disappointing form of the downloadable spinner, set at the six o’clock position on the dial, for its second counter. Despite its overall blackness, the dial is not a screen, and is instead built using the Vantablack technology – an artificial, completely black material that absorbs 99.9% of the visible light – deep of a depressing, passive screen. To imitate black. The “screen off, loading” style is completed by black-out hands. The black screen and loading icon are annoying reminders that we are waiting for something to happen, but as the Swiss Alpha Watch Final Edition is mechanical, it always tells the time. Even the full name of the watch is a knowing swipe in the tech industry.
How about the clock itself? The 38mm case is made of stainless steel and finished with a diamond-like coating (DLC) and matches a black crocodile leather strap. The dial is covered by sapphire crystals and can be seen through a sapphire crystal window on the case back, while another counter is a shaded disc under the dial, which is exposed through the small opening. Inside the case is an HMC324 hand wound movement with 27 jewels and 96 hours or about four days of power reserve. The power reserve indicator is also visible through the case back.
In their press release, the CEO of H.Moser & Cie explained the inspiration for the design to a customer and friend of the brand, and was approved shortly after the pitch. The Swiss elf watch was the 200-year-old company’s mischievous response to the smartwatch in 2016, when it adopted a new era of design, but matched it with cutting-edge mechanical movements and exciting new technology such as the Vantleback. This final version is the final expression of the versatility of the Swiss elf line.
Yes, the final version. This will be the last Swiss produced Swiss watch and only 50 will be made, making it very limited. H.Moser & Cie is not a large-scale watchmaker, and its handmade watches are always made in small numbers, and the price reflects this uniqueness. The Swiss Alp Watch final upgrade will cost $ 30,800, but what an amazing mix of superb traditional watchmaking and geeky tech appeal.
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