Following its successful collaboration with Studio Underd0g, H. Moser & Cie. appears to have developed a taste for food-inspired timepieces. While the independent watchmaker has long embraced playful concepts—from its Apple Watch-mocking Swiss Alp Watch to its literal cheese timepiece and Frankenstein-like Homage mashup—it had previously limited its culinary references to color naming conventions such as “Smoked Salmon.”
Last year’s Studio Underd0g collaboration marked Moser’s first genuine foray into gastronomic inspirations with its passion fruit-themed dial. Now, the brand ventures independently into breakfast territory with the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Sunny-Side Up—a timepiece that aims to evoke the classic morning egg dish.
Look And Feel
The Pioneer collection represents Moser’s sportiest offering, featuring a screw-down crown, 120 meters of water resistance, and a predominantly brushed 40mm stainless steel case (with select models available in a larger 42.8mm diameter). While gold variants exist within the Pioneer lineup, this new release maintains the collection’s typical stainless steel construction.
Yet the Pioneer case isn’t particularly rugged or overtly sporty—it’s simply Moser’s closest approximation of those qualities. Rather than adopting the Endeavour collection’s fully polished finish and flowing curves, the Pioneer features more angular lugs and distinctive grooves carved into the case flanks. Measuring 10.6mm in height, it wears comfortably on most wrists, though may appear somewhat bulky on smaller wrists (as evidenced by photos on a 6.6-inch wrist).
The watch comes paired with a white strap, presumably chosen to frame the yellow dial as an egg yolk. While this color choice is inoffensive, it fails to enhance the breakfast concept. What made Moser’s lime green Endeavour so compelling was how the dial texture intentionally or coincidentally mimicked a lime’s rind. In contrast, the Sunny-Side Up features a jarring shade of yellow that doesn’t genuinely evoke leisurely Sunday mornings.
Looking beyond color execution, the dial delivers Moser’s signature design elements: skeletonized leaf hands, applied markers, a sunburst fumé finish, and the brand’s logo rendered in transparent lacquer. Moser offers three other colorways for this exact model (and a fourth in the larger 42.8mm size), all of which present visually compelling alternatives.
Powering the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Sunny-Side Up is the in-house automatic HMC 201 movement, which recently succeeded the HMC 200. While functionally identical to its predecessor, the HMC 201 features enhanced skeletonization that reveals the entire gear train and incorporates a more openworked rotor. The movement delivers a respectable 72-hour power reserve while operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour, and showcases Moser’s exceptional finishing with signature double striping and precise anglage.
The H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Sunny-Side Up is available at a price of $15,900 USD—a substantial investment for a breakfast-inspired timepiece that may leave some collectors feeling less than sunny about its execution.
