Reply With QuoteLook up at the sky. It's free.
(Sorry, couldn't resist 😂)
The moonphase is a complication currently missing from my collection that I feel I would like to have, but the likes of JLC ultrathin is outside my budget for now, and I'd like something a bit different anyway.
I have been somewhat taken with this:
https://www.christopherward.co.uk/c1...rn-moonphase-9
I love the blue dial and matching wheels of this variant, giving it a general "night time" feel, as opposed to the more usual blue wheel and white dial, which seems rather more "look at me, my watch has a moonphase complication, that means it's expensive!". Also the textured moon is rather stunning and is the thing I feel lifts this up from being just an "I wish I could afford a Patek" watch, to something a bit special in its own right. It's clearly a very traditional dress watch, but still manages to be quite unique and somewhat more contemporary-looking than the average moonphase. I like that about it. But, I do wish the dial were a touch less fussy. And I'm not sure about the logo, or that the overall quality would live up to my expectations for a watch like this.
What else is out there in the way of very dressy, evening-wear (i.e., no Speedies or G-shocks) moonphase watches, somewhere in the 1-3k price range, or thereabouts?
Look up at the sky. It's free.
(Sorry, couldn't resist 😂)
I got this (used of course) on this forum for within your budget.
Possibly another option if you are prepared to be patient.
HTH
While these kinds of jokes are simply hilarious and just never get old, no matter how many times they get posted on nearly every thread, despite this being a forum about watches, I will take it in good faith and briefly consider the sort of horology we may aspire to, even though few of us will ever attain it:Originally Posted by Dave O'Sullivan
Now, if anyone makes one of those which, to save money, has only has the back, without bothering with dial & hands on the front, for about 3k, that would be perfect. I would quite happily wear it upside down all the time anyway. I will continue to use either my sundial, my smartphone, or simply good old-fashioned counting-the-seconds-since-morning, to easily know the precise time of day anyway.
Frederique Constant do a very nice one at just north of a grand.
I would like to own a Zenith at some point but the right one hasn't come along at the right time. They depreciate pretty hard, but don't come up used all that often. Probably a combination of them being really nice and having such painful depreciation that people hang onto them!
Nice though that is, it's again in the "fussy white dial" category of very traditional moonphases, albeit a silver dial in this case.
This one?
https://www.chronext.co.uk/frederiqu...30mc4p6/C60085
Not bad, but this one:
Costs about twice that, but seems worth it to me. Good call there (and robert75, who I suspect meant this one in saying it was about 2k).
I've seen that but I'm not sure it works. It has the same kind of chunky toolish style that's typical of Ball, combined with some OTT blingification to make it "dressy". My description is probably worse than it really is, but it's not a watch I'd buy.
I will need to look into that. The sales thing has always bothered me about CW. I've considered just buying one of these and sending it back if it's not a 1.4k watch, but I do feel they set their standard price at about double what the watches are actually worth, just so they can offer them at 50% off to make most of their sales. I haven't seen these on sale yet, but I don't actively monitor them.
I agree the logo doesn't look too bad on this watch, it suits the contemporary look, but even so, the typography isn't very good and the watch would simply look better without it.
Apologies for the dad joke.
My choice would be a Certina. Great dial colours, (including blue), and not too expensive.
Raymond Weil Maestro Moonphase
New release over summer. $1000-1200ish USD
Hmm, I don't think they fully thought through that dial layout:
At least it's not 12 o'clock.
So, I still haven't made any decisions but I am definitely like that dark blue FC a lot and am seriously considering buying one. I'm just a bit concerned about depreciation if/when I inevitably change my mind in a few months. I am warming more and more to these dark blue dials though, which have a rather nice serenity about them. In fact, even comparing with the JLC ultra-thin, I prefer the FC with its blue dial, even though the JLC is the better watch (as it should be for 3x the price).
I just stumbled on this offering from Ball which again I quite like, because it's more of a modern take on the typical moonphase. And it has Ball's characteristic tritium lume, so is actually a practical watch to wear at night. Of course there is an argument that moonphases are to be worn during the day, and are mostly useful if you are a werewolf. Sadly, I am not a werewolf, so my interests here are mostly cosmetic.
The general toolishness makes it less useful as a formal dress watch, but on the whole I like watches that are a bit different, yet well-executed. This has a lot of that. It's one of the nicer watches I've seen from Ball, generally. I don't think it has a place in my collection though, as I certainly don't need more than one moonphase and I think dressy rather than toolish is the way to go. This would probably be the perfect watch for an astronomer, but alas, I am not one of those either.
https://www.jurawatches.co.uk/collec...nm2282c-llj-be
I would have suggested the same, great value watch that
I have this rather nice Certina DS-8 Chronograph (C033.450.16.031.00) for real moon phase geeks !!!
Cost me about £512 less 15% discount (CODE HSJ15) from HSJohnson = £435 - A bargain at that price??
Even has first, quarter, last & quarter indicator under the moon phase complication with %moon phase on top indicator :)
Longines Master Collection Retrograde Moonphase. One i’ve got my eye on for the future
Within budget around £2.5k.. most non independent AD’s would be able to come down circa 10%
Looks very smart and dressy as per your criteria.
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I agree that DS-8 precidrive is a bit of a bargain, considering how accurate those are and for the general geekiness factor. I am quite interested in that one, in fact. However, I am more interested in moonphases as a mechanical complication. If I simply wanted to know the lunar cycle accurately, I'd get an app on my phone :) There are also loads of G-shocks with moonphases, which I called out in the OP. It's quite easy when the movement is controlled by a small computer.
The moonphase complication, on a mechanical watch, is one of those odd things that exists for almost no reason whatsoever. That's kinda the point, although I am also somewhat interested in being more aware of the lunar phases and, even if I did have an app for that, I'd probably never actually look at it. Whereas a sufficiently good watch is something I will look at regularly, even if I don't wear it every day.
That's a lot of retrograde complications! I'm not sure it counts as a classic dress watch though, which is supposed to have minimal complications and ideally, no numerals, in order to be as simple-looking as possible. The moonphase is one of the few complications that slips through what is considered to be acceptable (I don't make the rules), because of its essential pointlessness and lack of dial clutter (usually).
Since you mention liking an unfussy dial, how would you feel about a one-hander? The Meistersinger Lunascope falls within your budget.
That, I like.Since you mention liking an unfussy dial, how would you feel about a one-hander? The Meistersinger Lunascope falls within your budget.
There's something a bit too utilitarian about it for a proper formal dress watch though. Too many markers (necessary because of the one hand). I like it a lot, regardless. So many watches and so little time (and money). Given unlimited resources I'd buy about 3 or 4 out of this thread so far.
I've always fancied a one-hander (without the moonphase). I nearly bought one of Roland Kemmner's ones, but sadly missed out on those at the time.
Glycine do a cheapish moonphase, the Combat Sub. I bought one from ebay seller watchgooroo, made an offer $389.99, and with the ebay global shipping added, came to about $518, less than £400 at the time. I got this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332318851400 , which is a really nice grey, but other colours are available.
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