Moon phase high end watches
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Moon-Phase Watches
The Most Sought-After Complication
Together with luxury watch market platforms Chrono24 and Ebner Publishing (known for WatchTime magazine), I started a company called Chronolytics to analyze and structure Chrono24 users' behavioral data. We had noticed that there was no real information source regarding consumer behavior in the watch market, so we decided to fill that gap for watch manufacturers.
Besides being a data vendor for the watch industry at large, Chronolytics also culls data that we consider of interest to everyday watch fans — such as the brands that are generating particular interest within specific timeframes.
In each week of March, we'll show you the most popular complication timepieces based on the data we collected from watch enthusiasts' behavior in 2012. This data consists of millions of watch queries performed by U.S. visitors to the world’s biggest luxury-watch-market platform. Check out last week’s feature: The Top 5 Chronographs.
This week, we're talking about moon-phase watches. The moon-phase complication indicates, yes, the current phase of our beloved moon. It is one of the most sought-after and wished-for complications for watch enthusiasts.
The moon-phase indicator on a watch is a rotating disc that illustrates the illuminated portion of the moon, as seen from Earth. The cycle from new moon to new moon (nothing to see from Earth, as the moon isn’t illuminated by the sun) is 29.53 days.
Depending on your interest or profession, a moon-phase complication might be very useful. However, to most people, it’s just a pretty complication. Some watch brands are really taking the design of their moon-phase indicators to the next level whereas some other brands just display a simple-looking moon or part of the moon.
We picked the five most sought-after watch models with a moon-phase indicator.
1. Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Moon Phase
Patek Philippe is well known for its complications. It makes a clear distinction between Complications and Grand Complications. The most popular moon-phase watches are in the Grand Complications collection.
This reference 5159G is part of the Grand Complications collection because of the Perpetual Calendar complication (day, month and leap year indicators). The moon-phase aperture on the 5159G is located at 6 o’clock and shows the moon (of course) and some perfectly drawn stars. A perfect dress watch!
2. Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Moon Phase
3. Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar
Jaeger-LeCoultre is the manufacturer from Switzerland with the highest number of in-house-developed movements. Of course, there are a couple of movements with moonphase indicators among them.
Although everyone knows the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso models, with their rectangular-shaped cases, the brand also produces round watches in its so-called Master collection. Starting with a very thin Master watch with time-only functionality, Jaeger-LeCoultre ends its list of Master collection with the Master Grande Tradition. This is a collection of watches with very impressive complications.
With regards to the moonphase, JLC's stainless steel reference Q151842A or Master Calendar has a beautiful moonphase indicator at 6 o’clock. In addition to the moon-phase indicator, the dial also has two apertures for the day and month. The date is indicated with a large centralized hand.
4. Patek Philippe Nautilus
We kid you not: Patek Philippe has another spot in this Top 5 most popular moon-phases list. Just to be sure, this list has been based on the U.S. watch consumer’s interest in moon-phase watches. We were quite surprised as well, as there are so many nice brands with moonphase watches.
However, this is not a classic Patek Philippe like the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on this list. This is the enfant terrible for many Patek Philippe collectors, the Nautilus. Originally designed by Gerald Genta in the 1970s, it was meant to be Patek’s luxury sports watch. The Nautilus was (and still is) Patek’s answer to Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak watch.
Although the very first Nautilus only indicated hours, minutes and the date, Patek started to introduce models with more functionality in later years. This Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A comes very close to the original Nautilus regarding its case and bracelet design, and it’s made out of stainless steel.
Besides the moon-phase indicator, it has a date (indicated by a hand) and power reserve indicator.
5. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Briefly mentioned when discussing the No. 4 spot on this list, this is the Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet, the first luxury sports watch that Gérald Genta designed in this lineup. The Patek Philippe Nautilus and IWC Ingenieur SL were the other two.
Just like the Nautilus, the first Royal Oak was the most basic version. However, these manufacturers’ customers also desired something less minimalistic, with extra functionality.
The Royal Oak reference 25829ST is a perpetual calendar watch with a moon-phase complication in the classic 39mm Royal Oak case. Actually, the movement is based on the exact same movement used in the very first 39mm Royal Oak in 1972.
Go figure how popular the Patek Philippe brand is when it comes to moon-phase complications. A Patek Philippe watch also takes the second rank in this overview, this time from its Complications collection. This time, it isn’t a moon-phase watch with a perpetual calendar but rather an annual calendar. Reference 5146 displays the day, month, moon-phases and has a power reserve indicator.
Moon Phase
Sure to impress a connaisseur
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