Review: the H. Moser Pioneer Centre Seconds Arctic Blue
Ask me on any random day to name my favorite indie watchmaker, and there’s a pretty good chance I’m likely to respond with H. Moser. They are all the things I like, in or out of watches: kind of provocative, colorful, approachable, fun, and can be viewed as either completely understated or ridiculously ostentatious (OK that last one is more or less exclusive to watches). They were an early fixation for me as I began to discover higher end independent watchmaking in earnest, so their whole vibe has imprinted on me somewhat, and I’m a little biased by the sheer amount of time I’ve spent thinking about the brand. But the thing is, they’ve changed a lot, even just in the last few years, and the brand that felt fresh and irreverent to me a decade ago feels, well, different now. And the watch I got to spend a good chunk of the summer with is a reflection of those changes, both positive and (maybe?) negative. I’ve been wanting to spend some real time with the Pioneer Center Seconds in 40mm since the watch was introduced a few years ago. I had previously reviewed the Pioneer “Mega Cool,” which came in the 43mm Pioneer case, which at that time was the only size available for Moser’s sporty, everyday option. I liked that watch quite a bit on the strength of its dial, but the case was just too big and unwieldy for my taste. The 40mm Pioneer was something a lot of people were waiting for, and it kind of boggles the mind that they’re still making the watch in 43mm...
Fratello
