This Mesmerizing Steel Sports Watch Has a Dial Made of the Darkest Material on Earth

Try not to fall under its spell.

Close-up of a stainless steel watch case with a textured black crown against a teal background.

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Published December 3, 2025

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There’s nothing more classic than a sports watch with a black dial. The Rolex Submariner and Explorer. The Omega Speedmaster. The Tudor Black Bay 58. The Panerai Luminor. The list goes on and on, making the evidence clear: You can’t go wrong with a black sports watch.

But not all black watches are created equal. Swiss independent brand H. Moser & Cie., for example, is the only watch brand to use the blackest material on Earth, Vantablack, on its dials.

Contrary to very dark pigments like Musou Black used by some other brands, Vantablack is not a traditional paint. Rather, it’s a space-age material composed of millions of carbon nanotubes that absorbs 99.965 percent of all visible light, resulting in the appearance of a cartoon-like two-dimensional void.

Moser has used Vantablack for its watches only a handful of times, and the brand’s latest application may be its coolest yet.

Silver metal wristwatch with a black reflective dial and silver hour and minute hands on a dark background. — The Vantablack dial absorbs 99.965 percent of all visible light.

None more black

Moser’s latest Vantablack watch is the Streamliner Genesis 2, the second of three planned installments in the brand’s Genesis series of experimental limited-edition watches.

The original Genesis, launched in 2022, was an Endeavour Centre Seconds with a Vantablack dial, a 3D-printed titanium bezel and crown, and a sapphire crystal featuring a QR code that owners could scan to authenticate their watch on the Blockchain and gain access to NFT artwork.

That first Genesis watch was admittedly not for me — anything related to the Blockchain or NFTs makes my eyes roll back into my head — but thankfully, Moser has grounded the second Genesis watch firmly in the physical world; a “return to matter,” as Moser calls it.

Black glossy watch box with two wristwatches inside, one with a QR code face and the other with a plain black face. — The first two Moser Genesis watches, with the conclusive third model still to come.

The Genesis 2 features the Streamliner’s typical curvaceous cushion case and serpentine integrated bracelet, both in stainless steel. The crown is borrowed from the first Genesis model and is again 3D printed from dark titanium and sports a pixelated, Minecraft-esque design. I quite like the aesthetic here, as it’s much more palatable in a smaller dose.

The dial, as previously mentioned, is made of Vantablack. With no logo, printing or indices, the void-like effect of the material is really amplified here. The hands are made of gray steel and have a pixelated effect to match the crown. It’s subtle but hints at the watch’s connection to the Genesis project’s Web3 links. The hands also feature Globolight solid ceramic lume inserts, which create quite a cool luminous effect against the Vantablack backdrop.

Powering the watch is Moser’s HMC203 Calibre, a two-hand automatic with a 72-hour power reserve, partially skeletonized bridges, an anthracite finish, an 18K red gold rotor and a Straumann hairspring, which Moser produces in-house. The movement is visible behind a sapphire caseback.

Close-up of the back of a silver H. Moser & Cie. wristwatch showing intricate mechanical movement with rose gold accents and a metal bracelet. — As always, Moser’s in-house calibre is a feast for the eyes.

Pricing and availability

The Streamliner always looks cool, but when paired with a Vantablack dial, Globolight hands and a visually interesting titanium crown? Sheesh. What’s more, the watch shares a name with one of the greatest video game consoles ever made. This is about as cool as sports watches get.

Of course, it’s also crazy exclusive. The Moser Streamliner Genesis 2 is priced at $37,500 and can only be purchased by the 50 buyers of the original Genesis, who also have the opportunity to invite a friend or family member to purchase one, as well.

Now, do I have any friends or family members who bought a Genesis 1…

Silver metal wristwatch with a smooth black dial and white hour and minute hands.

H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Genesis 2

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	H. Moser & Cie. Cal. HMC 203 automatic
Water Resistance	120m

$37,500 at H. Moser & Cie.

About the Author:

Johnny Brayson is an editor at Gear Patrol mostly covering watches. He enjoys watches that are packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em details and believes nearly every watch could stand to be a tad smaller.

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