H. Moser & Cie.

Who are H. Moser & Cie.?

H. Moser & Cie. is a Swiss watchmaker based in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, near Schaffhausen. Heinrich Moser founded it in 1828, and the present company was revived in 2002 (H. Moser & Cie.; Wikipedia). It has been owned since 2012 by MELB Holding, the company of the Meylan family (Wikipedia). This page covers its history, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a second-hand Moser in the UK.

Moser describes itself as “one of the few independent, family-owned and –run watch companies in existence”. It makes its own movements and, through its sister company Precision Engineering AG, its own hairsprings (H. Moser & Cie.). It is known above all for fumé dials, coloured and hand-finished in a sunburst pattern (WorldTempus).

The history of H. Moser & Cie.

H. Moser & Cie.’s history runs from a Swiss watchmaker’s business in Saint Petersburg in 1828, through the loss of its Russian arm in 1918, to a revival in 2002 and Meylan family ownership from 2012.

Heinrich Moser. Moser was born in Schaffhausen on 12 December 1805 and learned watchmaking from his father (Wikipedia). Moser’s own account says he made his way to Saint Petersburg, became a specialist for the aristocracy, and founded H. Moser & Cie. in 1828 (H. Moser & Cie.); Wikipedia places the founding in Saint Petersburg. He returned to Schaffhausen in 1848 and set up a watch factory there (Wikipedia). Moser estimates he made around 500,000 watches in his lifetime (H. Moser & Cie.).

Schaffhausen industry. Moser also helped industrialise his home town. Wikipedia says he co-founded the company that became SIG and built the first hydroelectric power station on the High Rhine; the brand describes this as the first Swiss dam with hydro-mechanical turbines (H. Moser & Cie.).

After Moser. Moser died on 23 October 1874. None of his heirs wanted to run the business, so it was sold to its managing directors in Switzerland and Russia. The Russian business was expropriated after the October Revolution in 1918 (Wikipedia). During the quartz crisis the remaining business became part of the Dixi Mechanique group (Wikipedia).

Revival. Moser Schaffhausen AG was founded in 2002 by Jürgen Lange and Roger Nicholas Balsiger, Heinrich Moser’s great-grandson. A new manufacture opened in Schaffhausen in 2005, when the first three watches of the revived brand were launched (Wikipedia). Thomas Straumann, the dental implant heir, backed the brand from 2006 (SJX Watches).

The Meylan family. In 2012 MELB Holding, run by Georges-Henri Meylan, a former chief executive of Audemars Piguet, took majority control from Straumann, who kept a minority stake. Meylan’s son Edouard became chief executive in April 2013, when the company made a little over 1,000 watches a year (SJX Watches). Wikipedia gives about 3,000 watches a year and more than 100 staff in 2023.

Recent decades. The Concept watch, with no logo or indices, followed in 2015 (WorldTempus). In 2017 Moser dropped the Swiss Made label (The Local), and in 2020 it launched the Streamliner (SJX Watches).

What is H. Moser & Cie. known for?

H. Moser & Cie. is known for fumé dials, for dials with no logo, for hairsprings made by its sister company, and for watches that make fun of the watch industry, such as a watch with a case made from cheese.

Fumé dials. WorldTempus calls the fumé dial the brand’s signature: each is machined in the traditional way, then coloured and hand-finished to create the sunburst pattern. Current Endeavour models include Funky Blue and Abyss Blue fumé dials (H. Moser & Cie.).

No-logo dials. The Concept watch of 2015 was “stripped of frills, indices and logos” (WorldTempus).

Hairsprings. Precision Engineering AG, a sister company, makes many of Moser’s key components, including its hairsprings (H. Moser & Cie.). The Straumann Hairspring, developed with it, was introduced in 2007 (Wikipedia). Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why buyers care.

Swiss Made and satire. When the Swiss Made rules were tightened from 1 January 2017 to require 60 per cent Swiss components, Moser called the law “meaningless” and removed the label from its new watches. It showed the Swiss Mad Watch, with a case made of Vacherin Mont d’Or cheese, and said proceeds would fund independent Swiss watch suppliers (The Local). Wikipedia lists other such pieces, including the 2016 Swiss Alp Watch, which parodied the Apple Watch. Moser’s taste for provocation is often mentioned alongside Richard Mille and F.P. Journe, two other independents that built their name outside the big groups.

Which H. Moser & Cie. collections are there?

H. Moser & Cie.’s current range has four collections: Streamliner, Pioneer, Endeavour and Heritage (H. Moser & Cie.).

The collections table on this page gives a line on each. A few points help when you read listings:

• Dial names. Moser names its dials, for example “Funky Blue” or “Abyss Blue” fumé (H. Moser & Cie.). Check the reference as well as the colour name.
• Concept versions. A “Concept” model has no logo or indices on the dial (WorldTempus), so the dial alone will not identify the maker. Check the case back and papers.
• Sports models. The Pioneer and Streamliner are rated to 12 ATM (H. Moser & Cie.). Our water resistance guide explains what that means on a second-hand watch.
• Streamliner design. Moser says the Streamliner draws on the cars and locomotives of the 1920s, and that it was designed from the integrated steel bracelet up (H. Moser & Cie.).

Who owns H. Moser & Cie.?

H. Moser & Cie. has been owned since 2012 by MELB Holding, the company of the Meylan family (Wikipedia). SJX Watches reported in 2013 that MELB had majority control and that Thomas Straumann kept a minority stake.

Edouard Meylan has been chief executive since April 2013 (SJX Watches). Moser calls itself independent and family-owned and -run, and says Heinrich Moser’s descendants still play an active role in the company (H. Moser & Cie.). Its registered address is Rundbuckstrasse 10, Neuhausen am Rheinfall (H. Moser & Cie.). Precision Engineering AG is described as a sister company (H. Moser & Cie.).

Buying an H. Moser & Cie. watch second-hand in the UK: what to check

Check that the serial numbers match the guarantee card, who has serviced the watch, how much of the two-year guarantee is left, and that the watch is not stolen.

1. Papers. Moser’s guarantee needs a guarantee card that is filled in, dated and stamped and signed by an authorised retailer (H. Moser & Cie.). Ask for it, and check that the reference and serial number match the watch. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

2. Serial numbers. Moser’s guarantee does not cover watches with the serial number removed from the movement or case (H. Moser & Cie.). Check both are present.

3. Guarantee and servicing. Moser guarantees its watches against material and manufacturing faults for two years from purchase, and the guarantee stays valid only if any work is done by a Moser service centre (H. Moser & Cie.). Ask who has worked on the watch. Moser also guarantees parts fitted at its service centres for two years from the return of the repaired watch (H. Moser & Cie.). See watch warranties explained and our guide on how to care for a mechanical watch.

4. Authenticity and theft. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at, and our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers to search before you pay.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns H. Moser & Cie.?

MELB Holding, the Meylan family’s company, since 2012 (Wikipedia). Edouard Meylan is chief executive (SJX Watches).

Is H. Moser & Cie. independent?

It is not part of a large watch group. Moser describes itself as independent and family-owned and -run (H. Moser & Cie.).

When was H. Moser & Cie. founded?

In 1828, by Heinrich Moser (H. Moser & Cie.). The present company was founded in 2002 (Wikipedia).

Where are Moser watches made?

At the company’s manufacture in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland (H. Moser & Cie.).

Does H. Moser & Cie. make its own movements?

Yes. Moser says it designs and produces its own movements, and its sister company Precision Engineering AG makes its hairsprings (H. Moser & Cie.).

What is a fumé dial?

A dial that is machined, coloured and then hand-finished in a sunburst pattern. WorldTempus calls it Moser’s signature.

Why do some Moser watches have no logo?

They are Concept models, first shown in 2015 with no logo or indices on the dial (WorldTempus).

Why do Moser watches not say “Swiss Made”?

Moser removed the label from new watches from 2017, saying the revised rules were not strict enough (The Local).

How long is the Moser warranty?

Two years from purchase, against material and manufacturing faults (H. Moser & Cie.).

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with H. Moser & Cie.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.