Zach Brass
Watchmaking is a profession born out of the need to keep time, and the obsession at its heart is making mechanical watches as accurate as possible. Due to the inherent beauty of astronomy and the science within it, it was a natural evolution for watchmaking to convey astronomical information on the dial of a watch, the most common of which is the moon phase. And, in fact, to this day, there is a watchmaking arms race in terms of any complication to boast the most beautiful and accurate moon phase on a wristwatch (spoiler alert for what will happen next). Of course, most people don’t really care about the current state of the moon’s phases, but the aesthetic and complication added value has long enticed watch buyers to seek one for themselves. And if you decide to buy a watch with a moon phase complication, you need to know how to actually use it. Thankfully, it’s not that difficult to figure out.
Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase
Feel free to shrug and scoff, but MoonSwatch fatigue aside, this is a cool, fun watch that offers an interesting twist on a classic complication. The Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase comes in both white and black configurations, with Snoopy adorning the double moonphase aperture on the glow-in-the-dark dial. Aside from the moonphase display, the rest of the watch is identical to previous MoonSwatch designs. Price: $310 USD
furler bailey moon phase
Fortunately, the entry price for a quality mechanical moonphase watch isn’t as high as you might imagine. The Farer Baily Moonphase is not only a great moonphase watch for under $2,000, but it also features a natural aventurine dial. The steel cushion case is gentle on the wrist and offers a classic fit with a lug-to-lug length of 43.8mm while giving it a modern presence with a diameter of 38.5mm. It’s relatively slender at 11.5mm thick, and when you look at it from the side, you’ll notice that the textured detailing on the side of the case adds an extra touch of flair. The real defining feature of this Sellita moonphase is the larger aperture and disc, which add depth and scale to the depiction of the moon in a very cool way. You’ll want to act fast, though, as this watch is limited to 200 pieces. The first 100 are currently available for preorder on Farer’s website. Price: $1,925 USD
Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase
Longines has been making more affordable moonphase watches, and affordable complication watches in general, for some time. The flagship Heritage Moonphase, available in three configurations — sunray blue, silver, and sunray silver — has a comfortable 38.5mm steel case and is powered by the weekend-capable L899 72-hour automatic movement with a silicon hairspring. The Easter egg, though, is its sturdy caseback. While you might lament the lack of a show window, the caseback, with its enamel-painted solid gold medallion, is actually better. Price: USD 3,050
Frederique Constant Classic Moonphase Date
Another strong force in affordable complications is Frederique Constant, whose recent Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture comes in beautiful green, blue, and silver options. The 40mm steel case is a little larger than the style would suggest, but the lug-to-lug length makes it easier to fit on slimmer wrists. Visible through the caseback, it’s powered by a beautifully decorated in-house automatic FC-716 movement with a 72-hour power reserve. Price: $4,095 USD
Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic Moonphase Date
A near-perfect watch in my eyes, Baume & Mercier’s first Clifton moonphase model was a surprising offering at the height of the green dial craze. The latest model was unveiled at this year’s Watches & Wonders, featuring a cleaner dial and, most importantly, a smaller diameter of 39mm. Apart from its beautiful looks, an equally attractive selling point of the Clifton Moonphase is its five-day automatic caliber with a 120-hour power reserve. Price: USD 4,900
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon
I should be fair, but if you’re interested, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Ultra Thin Moon is probably my favorite watch on this list. It certainly doesn’t have any groundbreaking new aesthetics, but it’s a masterclass in traditional finishing. The blue sunburst dial in particular is extremely attractive, and the clean layout with the dauphine hands is a nice touch to me. The watch can be purchased in either a 36mm or 39mm size, although color availability varies depending on the size in the collection. As the name suggests, the 39mm version is slender considering the complication, measuring just 10mm thick (versus 9.4mm for the 36mm version) and measuring just 45.5mm lug-to-lug, which makes it a great fit on the wrist. Both watches are powered by beautifully decorated, slim in-house automatic 925 calibers with a 70-hour power reserve that will last you through most weekends. Price: $10,900 (36mm), $11,100 (39mm)
Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar
Love the Lange 1 Moon Phase? You’ll love the PanoMaticLunar from Glashütte Original. Made in steel, it’s about 25% of the price of the Lange 1 Moon Phase, but definitely not 25% of the quality. This 40mm watch features a large off-center panoramic-style date window, large hour and minute subdials, a small running second subdial, and a spiral moon phase indicator that harmonizes with the entire galvanic dial. The movement is a 42-hour in-house automatic that is intricately decorated with stripes, bevels, and a hand-engraved balance bridge. Additionally, the winding rotor mass is made of 21K gold. Price: From USD 11,200 (with synthetic strap)
Breitling Premier B25 Datra 42 Copper
Inspired by the complete calendar watches of the 1940s, the Breitling B25 Datra 42 Copper created quite a buzz when it was introduced a few years ago, especially in the weeks before Watches & Wonders began. If you’re familiar with the watch community, you won’t be surprised at why. The dial, described as “copper,” really does resemble the salmon color coveted by collectors, and the similarity to the famous Patek Philippe 5270P definitely helps. The only common drawback pointed out about the 42mm steel case is its rather chunky thickness of 15.35mm, but that larger size comes with the added benefit of being waterproof to 100 meters. This complete calendar chronograph is powered by Breitling’s B25 automatic caliber, developed in collaboration with Concept, and features day, date, month, moon phase, and chronograph complications, as well as a 48-hour power reserve. Price: USD 13,500
Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Blue Side of the Moon
The Speedmaster is known for going to the moon, but it’s not common for it to be a watch with a moon phase. The Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon beautifully leans into the space theme with its blue ceramic case and aventurine dial that mimics the starry universe. The moon phase disc is also made of aventurine, and the moon on the moon phase disc is made of Omega’s rose-colored Sedna gold. I like how the two indications are neatly organized in each of the two chronograph registers. The register at 9 o’clock displays both the seconds and the date, while the register at 3 o’clock displays both the elapsed hours and minutes. Inside is the in-house, automatic, co-axial, METAS-certified caliber 9904 with a 60-hour power reserve. The only thing to note about this watch is that it’s on the larger side, at 44.25 mm in diameter and 17.1 mm thick. It’s not easy to slip it under a shirt cuff, but the blue is a real beauty from an aesthetic point of view. Price: $15,000 USD
T+T Timeless Pick: IWC Portuguese Eternal Calendar
Launched with great fanfare at Watches & Wonders 2024, the Portugieser Eternal Calendar not only improves on the famous Kurt Klaus IWC Perpetual Calendar module with a secular calendar, but also introduces the most accurate moon phase to date. While every other watch on this list is significantly more affordable, there’s only one moon phase that’s the best. While the T+T Timeless Pick is usually reserved for ultra-rare, limited edition, or never-before-seen vintage pieces, we think it’s hard to argue with the absence of the Eternal Calendar in this spot. Because, what could be more timeless than eternity? Price: $155,000 USD
