Introducing H. Moser And MB&F Team Up, Grab The Glow Sticks, And Rave Out For Only Watch

What happens when you put two of the most hilariously irreverent watch brands in a room together to create one watch? If you were expecting H. Moser and MB&F to make something quiet, simple, and traditional, I don't know what planet you've been living on, but it's definitely not a planet where a tiny panda would DJ a minute repeater. Thank god we're on this planet where we get to rock out with the new H. Moser x MB&F Streamliner Pandamonium.

That's right, the two brands have teamed up for the second time to combine the design language of two of their most iconic watches into one release for Only Watch 2023. You get the stainless steel integrated bracelet case of H. Moser, with a beautifully finished movement very reminiscent of other Moser releases, with the MB&F Legacy Machine's large, three-dimensional suspended balance wheel. That balance wheel has a double hairspring produced by Precision Engineering AG, H. Moser & Cie.'s sister company, so it's kept all in the family.

Oh right, and then there's the minute repeater and panda DJ. This isn't the first panda in Only Watch 2023. Max Büsser shared his thoughts on the whole panda motif in the press release:

"Each Only Watch creation is an opportunity for MB&F to see things through the eyes of the children, more specifically those suffering from muscular dystrophy. Our original panda was created as an allegory for Only Watch 2011, and returned in 2021, before now making its third appearance in 2023."

Just like the balance wheel, the gongs and hammers sit above the gorgeous fumé dial, and there's a tiny hand-painted white gold panda holding some headphones up so it can DJ the turntables sitting on top of the gongs for the repeater. If you want to see the time (who does that with a watch anyway?), the hours and minutes are displayed directly on the dial via subtly elegant small leaf-shaped hands at 2 o'clock.

With the domed sapphire, the watch is pretty thick at 42.3 mm wide by 17mm including the crystal. But for the lucky owner, it should sit well on the wrist at 12.7mm thick without the sapphire. 

The watch is a pièce unique like all Only Watch releases, and certainly one of the most fun ones of the bunch. All proceeds benefit research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and the estimate is CHF 300,000 – 400,000. 

For a little while, I've seen this picture of a little panda DJ being shared by Only Watch and wondered what the heck was going on. "Did H. Moser and MB&F just make a panda statue? Does it actually do anything? What the heck is going on?" I didn't expect it to be both such serious watchmaking and so whimsical at the same time.

The Streamliner holds a special place in my heart. The integrated bracelet release from Moser was one of the first independent watches I ever saw in the metal, and I've been captivated by the sleek design and a bracelet that almost reminds me of an ancient and unchanged reptile's hide. They wear incredibly comfortably and have been the basis for a lot of cool releases over the years.

My love of MB&F has grown as well, and I jump to write about any of their new releases. For how wild (and yes, oddly shaped, as pointed out in the comments of one of our recent stories) some of the releases are for my generally traditional taste, I would love to own one of Büsser's watches with the giant floating balance.

Combine them together, add in my favorite complication and a cute little panda, and I find it pretty hard to be mad at this creation. I'll admit I was a bit skeptical at first. I'm not exactly full of whimsy day-to-day, but this little guy in the picture below has warmed my cold, steeled heart, and I'm rooting for a great result for a good cause.

Brand: H. Moser & Cie x MB&F
Model: Streamliner Pandamonium
Reference Number: 6906-1200

Diameter: 42.3 mm
Thickness: 17.0 mm with sapphire crystal, 12.7 mm without
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Aquamarine fumé dial with sunburst pattern
Indexes: Leaf-shaped hour and minute hands at 2 o'clock, micro panda sculpture in white gold decorated entirely by hand, with turntables and mixing desk, at 10 o'clock, visible chimes and hammers
Water Resistance: 50m
Strap/Bracelet: Integrated steel bracelet

Caliber: HMC 906
Functions:
Diameter: 33mm
Thickness: 10.55 mm (without balance wheel)
Power Reserve: minimum 54 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 18,000 vibrations/hour
Jewels: 37
Additional Details: Partly skeletonised, three-dimensional, specific model of balance wheel with a diameter of 14 mm, equipped with four traditional setting screws, floating above the movement, Straumann® double hairspring, Bridges and main plate with anthracite grey rhodium-plating, Horizontal double Moser stripes on the plate and bridges

Price: Auction
Availability: Only Watch 2023 – November 5, 2023
Limited Edition: Unique piece

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