Up close with the most romantic of all complications
If the recent total solar eclipse had piqued your interest in solar events, you might want to consider getting a watch with a moon phase complication. The complication tracks the moon’s continuous orbit around the earth and shows its current phase as one sees it in the sky through an aperture on the dial. Possibly the most aesthetically pleasing complication around, the moon phase is often showcased by itself or in conjunction with perpetual calendar mechanisms.
Breguet Reine de Naples Collection
Breguet
The Reine de Naples collection comes in many forms, but always retaining the distinctive egg-shaped case. This 8908BB/52/864 D00D model in white gold features a self-winding movement with power reserve and moon phase indicators. Blued-steel hands indicate the hours and small seconds over a silvered gold dial. The bezel and flange are set with 128 diamonds, while an off-centred crown and black satin strap add to the elegant profile of the timepiece.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Audemars Piguet
The 41mm stainless steel Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar combines modern aesthetics and traditional complications to create a standout timepiece. The grande tapisserie-decorated dial features day, date, astronomical moon, month, leap year, and hours and minutes. The moon phase is visible at 6 o’clock, while the 52 weeks of the year can be seen on the dial’s outer chapter ring with corresponding central hand. It is powered by the new hand-finished automatic Calibre 5134 movement, which is visible through the glare-proof sapphire crystal caseback.
Blancpain Quantième Complet
Blancpain
The ladies will fall in love with this 35mm 3663-2954-55B Quantième Complet watch with a moon phase sub-dial featuring a sleeping moon and stars, and small seconds at 6 o’clock. The complete calendar features day and month windows under the 12 o’clock position, while the date is indicated on the inner chapter ring of the dial. The nine diamond hour markers and three applied polished rose gold Roman numeral hour markers shine along with the mother-of-pearl dial and diamond bezel.
Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Ref 7121
Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Ref 7121 features a sparkling Milky Way with 66 brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel. The moon phase aperture at 6 o’clock depicts the moon and the stars with gold-dust symbols, which are colour-coordinated with gold “Poire Stuart” hands for the hour, minute, and second. The cream-colored dial is housed in a classical round yellow-gold case in the “Officer’s” style characterised by the round profile of the case flanks and straight lugs with screwed strap bars. At its heart is the Calibre 215 PS LU movement, and is fitted with a matching beige alligator strap.
Glashutte Original PanoMatic Luna
Glashutte Original
The ladies’ version of the PanoMatic Luna is a delicate light blue stainless steel timepiece. It charms with the brand’s signature ‘big date’, which incidentally celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Even more charming is the moon phase display at 2 o’clock with a silvery moon and stars, set against the delicate blue mother-of-pearl dial and matching alligator leather strap, The watch is further enhanced by 83 sparkling brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel, dial indexes, and winding screw crown.
Harry Winston’s Midnight Collection
Harry Winston
It has off-centred hours, minutes, date, and moon phase counters, yet this timepiece from Harry Winston’s Midnight Collection is finely balanced with a sophisticated appeal. The silver dial features a sunburst finish that surrounds the hour and minute subdial, while the date counter is delicately housed in a light and recessed zone to ensure that the numerals stand out. The moon disk highlights a deliberately rough and textured appearance, featuring a rich, deep, metallic blue colour that captures the magic of the moon. Housed within the 42mm 18K white gold case is the mechanical automatic movement that is visible through the open caseback.
IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37
IWC
Joining the IWC Portofino family is the Automatic Moon Phase 37 in 18K red gold, featuring a Milanese mesh bracelet and adorned with 78 diamonds. Evoking a style reminiscent of the 1960s, the timepiece has a silver-plated dial adorned with 12 diamonds, while the large moon phase display is prominently located at the top of the dial. The manufacture’s moon phase complication is said to be highly precise, and only diverge from the actual phase of the moon by just one day in 577.5 years. It is powered by the mechanical automatic movement 35800 Calibre and is water resistant up to 3 bar.
