8 favourites – Watches with moon phase

Text: Andreas Johansson

The moon phase complication is both loved and hated among watch enthusiasts. Some think it is an ugly and pointless complication, others think it is a nice detail. The reason why it still exists at watch manufacturers we can find in our history. Mankind's fascination with the moon is mapped out and it goes back to the earliest writings we have to read.

But probably the moon has always fascinated mankind and the fact is of course that the moon's power also affects nature, for example through tides. The need to understand your circadian rhythm, sunlight and moon phases has been central in mankind's development, and it is likely, researchers argue, that several of the early sun and moon clocks have had connections to religious beliefs and rituals, such as for example different canonical hours. But today the complication is perhaps more of an ornament that shows tradition and knowledge at watch manufacturers. Personally I think the moon phase works very well on several different models, below I list a few personal moon phase favourites.   

Patek Philippe Grand Complications 5270J-001

Choosing a model with moon phase from Patek Philippe is a challenge, above all because there are so many fantastically fine models to choose from. But the model 5270J-001 is a personal favourite, in this model the moon phase was used as a part of the perpetual calendar. The moon phase is found in the classic position at 6 o'clock and is a part of the chronograph design. Despite the dial having so many functions, such as date, year and also a tachymeter scale, it does not feel cluttered. The watch measures 41 mm and is 12.4mm in thickness and comes with the fantastic calibre CH 29-535. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface Calendar

Another way to use the moon complication is as an indication of day and night. Jaeger-LeCoultre has this function in its Reverso model Tribute Duoface Calendar. In this duo-face concept there is the possibility of keeping track of a second time zone, so like a GMT. The watch has a white and blue dial, the white dial has a display with day, month and moon phase while the blue one has a day – night indicator which becomes an excellent complement for keeping track of two time zones. The watch has an in-house movement in calibre 853 and has the dimensions 29.9mm x 49.9mm. 

Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial Master Chronometer

Throughout history Omega has had several different models with moon phase. In today's range we find slightly more sporty versions in the form of the model Speedmaster which also has a moon phase. For those of you who have missed it, the Speedmaster was the first watch to visit the moon and that is something that is pointed out in this model, the moon phase namely has Neil Armstrong's footprint engraved. This model comes in several different colours and metals, my personal favourite is the blue one with the dial that imitates a starry sky. A minus is however the price tag, around two hundred thousand, and the size of almost 45mm.  

Casio Moon Graph GMW-15

This type of watch makes me genuinely happy. Casio's Moon Graph, GMW-15 is a watch entirely dedicated to the moon. It has not only a moon phase but also a navigator to also locate where in the sky the moon is. You set your longitude and after that you get the necessary data for where the moon is located and which phase it is in. There are also functions for sun – rise and set. The animated background consists, apart from a moon phase, of a starry sky and a meteorite that sometimes shows itself. A real 80s classic! The watch can be found for a few thousand-notes on eBay and similar platforms.    

Arnold & Son Luna Magna Platinum Meteorite

The watch manufacturer Arnold & Son is known for its design which often contains a large moon phase. In this model the manufacturer is inspired by space as they also include a meteorite stone in the design. The moon phase consists of meteorite and opal and has a Super-LumiNova that indicates the moon even in darkness. The watch has a fantastic shimmer both in daylight and in darkness. The watch measures 44mm and lists at 900 000 SEK.  

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet

Purely in terms of looks Blancpain's moon phase is my personal favourite. I like the classic version of "the man in the moon", which makes me think of 19th century design. Blancpain's moon phase is found on several of their watches, my favourite is however from the model Villeret and then in blue and rose gold. The watch measures 40mm and has an automatic movement (cal. 6654.4). The Villeret Quantième Complet in the version mentioned above lists at around 340 000 SEK.  

Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar

Classically the moon phase is usually placed at 6 o'clock. But there are of course several exceptions, a "hanging" moon phase is not unusual and Glashütte Original has a classic variant of that in its PanoMaticLunar, on this model the moon phase is found at 2 o'clock. The model comes in several different versions and colours, but my favourite is the one with rose gold and a silver dial. The watch measures 40mm and lists at around 261 000 SEK. 

Konstantin Chaykin Joker

Konstantin Chaykin is known for his innovative design and this model is no exception. The dial is designed as a face where the eyes are hour and minute indications and the moon phase itself is placed in the "mouth" on the dial. The watch's unique design meant that it was nominated for the GPHG's design prize in 2021. The watch measures 42 mm and comes in a few different colour variants. The cheapest on Chrono24 in the EU right now is a good bit over 300 000 SEK.