Deployant
Review: the new Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase
Orient Star released their new hand wound mechanical watch with moon phase display - the M45 in two dial variants, one in white, and the other in grey.
Deployant
Orient Star released their new hand wound mechanical watch with moon phase display - the M45 in two dial variants, one in white, and the other in grey.
Time+Tide
Farer pairs its signature oversized moonphase display with natural stone and Eastern Arabic numerals in these two new models.The post Farer expands its Moonphase line with Stratton and Burbidge Eastern Arabic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
It’s easy to almost exclusively think about Longines’ Heritage or Spirit models, for them to be visually attractive, vintage-inspired models with a lot of arguments for a seasoned crowd. Recent watches, such as the Ultra-Chron Classic, the Spirit Pilot Flyback or the Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve, have somehow stolen the show. There’s (much) more […]
Worn & Wound
Ah, the moon. Romantic, mysterious, and the subject of many Creative Writing 101 poems, our closest celestial body has also wormed its way onto many a watch face over the years. Moonphase watches evoke a sense of sophistication and elegance, and tend to decorate watchmakers’ dressier lines, despite their somewhat subversive practicality. Farer’s moonphase collection is no exception; first launched in 2023, it took one of watchmaking’s oldest complications and applied it to the British brand’s own design ethos. Here in 2025, we have two new references to pad out that lineup: The Stratton and Burbidge Eastern Arabic Editions. Taking the same basic design of the rest of the line, the new Moonphase models are wrapped in a 38.5mm cushion case with curved sides that wear a “grain twist” texture. The case scallops in the 43.8mm between the lugs to make the strap sit flush, and a rounded crown with a solid bronze cap finishes the vintage-adjacent case look. Inside, both Moonphase models are powered by a Sellita SW288-1 M Elabore Grade movement, with blued screws and a Farer-embossed bridge. The Sellita movement allows for a 45-hour power reserve, and hour, minute, seconds, date, and of course, moonphase functions. Where the models differ is in their case material and dial design. The Stratton Edition-named for Frederick Stratton, a WWI veteran, mathematician, and astronomer who would eventually serve as Director of the Solar Physics Observatory, among many other ...
WatchAdvice
A forgotten 1970s prototype finally brought to life, the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli is Zenith at its poetic best. A celestial twist on a historic design, this is a watch that feels as timeless as the night sky it represents! What We Love The Lapis Lazuli stone dial is genuinely stunning. A vibrant, rich, and ever-changing under light, perfectly capturing Zenith’s celestial identity. The El Primero 3610 movement keeps the brand’s DNA alive with that iconic 36,000 vph beat and flawless integration of the triple calendar and moon-phase. Despite the dial’s visual complexity, the blue-and-white contrast and colour-matched calendar wheels keep everything clean, legible, and refined. What We Don’t The straight lugs don’t curve down enough, meaning the case can sit slightly proud on smaller wrists. At 14 mm, it’s not overly chunky, but some may find it a little tall, especially under tighter cuffs. As a complete calendar, it still requires five manual date changes a year, not a deal-breaker, but something to note for practicality. Overall Rating: 8.9/10 Value for money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 9/10 The story of the Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar is a fabled one, as it is about a timepiece that never made it to production, up until almost 54 years later, when Zenith went through their archives and found the original plans for this timepiece. While we can say that Zenith might’ve missed out on an incred...
Monochrome
Farer is a British watchmaking brand founded on the principles of adventurous design, accessible quality, and mechanical integrity. It builds its reputation by blending Swiss craftsmanship with bold colour, texture, and storytelling. Every Farer collection feels both familiar and fresh, rooted in heritage but always forward-looking. The Moonphase Collection, launched in 2023, brought that same […]
SJX Watches
Farer has managed to carve out its own niche in the new wave of British-founded, Swiss-made brands, with playful (and skillful) use of colour and accessible pricing. Two new additions to the Moonphase collection continue that pattern: the Stratton and Burbidge feature Farer’s signature cushion-shaped case and crisp detailing that gives them an unmistakably contemporary feel despite their traditional inspiration. The Stratton is the second Farer model to feature a natural stone dial, this time in Eisenkiesel quartz, while the Burbidge, limited to just 100 pieces, flaunts trendy Eastern Arabic numerals and a playful blue-and-pink palette. Initial thoughts Farer’s brand identity is rooted in British design and Swiss production; in this respect it’s similar to Christopher Ward and Fears. The brand offers a playful, and often colourful, twist on traditional tool watch motifs. The Moonphase collection is among the brand’s dressier offerings, and the Stratton and Burbidge are each interesting in their own right. The most eye-catching of the pair is the limited edition Burbidge with Eastern Arabic numerals for the dial and date wheel. The blue and pink colourway is charming and the exotic numerals will likely prove to be something of a ‘secret handshake’ among those who are up-to-date with collector culture. The Stratton, named for British astronomer Frederick Stratton OBE, sticks to regular numerals but features a natural stone dial made of Eisenkiesel. The thickness...
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin (VC) marks its 270th anniversary this year in grand style with La Quête Du Temps, a monumental, multi-complication clock weighing over 150 kg. A little more wearable is the Métiers d’Art Tribute to The Quest of Time, also a 270th anniversary edition but in wristwatch format. Like many of VC’s high complicated watches, Tribute to the Quest of Time is a double-faced wristwatch. On the front is a double retrograde time display that’s either on demand or en passant, which takes the form of a human figure whose arms tell the time. Also on the front is a spherical moon phase, while the back is home to an astronomical display comprising a sky chart and sidereal day indicator. Initial thoughts Tribute to the Quest of Time is a big complicated watch, and it looks and feels the part. In terms of dimensions and feel, it reminds me a little of the Lange Repeater Perpetual Calendar that was also launched this year. Even though small watches are on trend now, complicated watches like this should be large. This succeeds in that respect, and feels good on the wrist. Despite the mechanical complexity, the time is easy to read, though it takes a moment to get used to the twin scales for the time. The symmetrical dial on the front is straightforward and legible. The dial is tinted sapphire and etched with the constellations in the night sky over Geneva on the day VC was established, September 17, 1755. This is not obvious at a distance but reveals itself up close...
SJX Watches
One of the earliest wristwatches created by the modern-day Breguet company was the 3130, way back in 1983. Now for its 250th anniversary, Breguet has continued the lineage with the Classique 7235. Inspired by the historic No. 5 pocket watch, just like the earlier 3130, the 7235 reimagines a Breguet classic with the brand’s new design language that debuted with the first anniversary wristwatch earlier this year. Limited to 250 pieces, the 7235 is powered by a derivative of the same movement found in the 3130, but with one bestowed with several generations worth of technical and decorative upgrades. The calibre is also hand engraved with a 19th century streetscape of Paris that includes Abraham-Louis Breguet’s work on Quai de l’Horloge. The cal. 502.3.DRL in the 7235 Initial thoughts The 7235 is instantly familiar. A staple of Breguet’s catalogue over the years, the asymmetric dial with a power reserve, moon phase, and small seconds is quintessential Breguet in style. But the 7235 is not quite Breguet as it is now known, as while it retains the movement and dial design, it employs the new aesthetic of Breguet’s 250th anniversary line-up. While most will be accustomed to the “Breguet style” of coin-edged case with straight soldered lugs and silvered guilloche dial, the 7235 moves away from that to good effect – yet the 7235 is immediately recognisable as a Breguet. The new design marries the new with the old: the patterned case band is retained, but instead of...
Teddy Baldassarre
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Teddy Baldassarre
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Monochrome
The Classics Carrée collection is Frederique Constant’s take on a timeless style for the watch industry, the rectangular dress watch. Indeed, the Classics Carrée isn’t exactly carrée (square in French) as its name suggests, but more of a compact, lightly elongated shape. First introduced in 2003, the watch has been reimagined over the years in […]
SJX Watches
Raymond Weil continues its run of affordable, retro-stylish Millesime with the Millesime Moon Phase Chronos Japan Edition. A collaboration with Chronos Japan Edition – one of the world’s best watch magazines but published only in Japanese – the latest Millesime was designed with the help of the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Masayuki Hirota. Based on the regular production version, the Chronos Japan edition is a 35 mm in diameter while its design underlines Mr Hirota’s keen eye, especially for vintage-inspired aesthetics and watch geek-detail. This includes the Art Deco-style typography for the hour numerals, and the photorealistic moon based on NASA images. And despite being made largely for the Japanese market, this edition is available internationally via the brand’s online store. Initial thoughts I like the original versions of the Millesime; they are appealing watches. Though the build is basic, the Millesime is priced affordably and appropriately. More broadly, the Millesime’s launch two years ago marked something of a renaissance for Raymond Weil – one of the most successful watch brands globally in the 1980s and 1990s – at least in terms of mechanical watches that enthusiasts paid attention to. The standard versions of the Millesime are numerous, and mostly share the same design, so it’s really the limited edition runs that are interesting. And fortunately there aren’t too many limited editions, at least for now. The Chronos edition qualifies as ...
Monochrome
Celebrating its grand 250th anniversary, Breguet turns its attention to the Reine de Naples, a women’s collection with a royal backstory and a distinctive oval-shaped case. Fit for a queen, the new moon phase reference 9935 and the time-only 8925 are packed with novelties, a new gold bracelet and a generous sprinkling of diamonds. As […]
Hodinkee
In gold or steel and spanning a new time and date, a complete calendar, and a smaller-sized moonphase, these are the latest additions to the Villeret family.
SJX Watches
As the first complication launched by the revived Blancpain in 1983, the triple calendar with moon phase is arguably the brand’s signature. Now Blancpain has reveal the latest generation of the model, the Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune. The new version is primarily a cosmetic facelift, which includes a blue ceramic moon phase disc, but it builds on solid foundations. The model retains the innovative and patented under-lug correctors for the calendar that make for easier setting and a clean case outline. The new Villeret Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune (centre) is being launched alongside the the Quantième Phases de Lune, a 33.2 mm model for ladies (left), and Extraplate, the time-and-date base model (right), both of which have been similarly facelifted. Initial thoughts The triple calendar is a simple complication, but functions and aesthetically pleasing in the traditional layout that Blancpain employs. Though it is widely found across brands, Blancpain probably offers the most advanced triple calendar watches on the market thanks to its sophisticated movements. And Blancpain manages to do so at a reasonably competitive price relative to its peers. At a distance, the facelifted models look pretty much identical to the earlier generation – a good thing if you like the look, but the classical style might look dated to some. I find the aesthetic appealing, especially with details like the serpentine date hand and recessed dates scale. The facelift...
Monochrome
The latest Blancpain releases are classical watchmaking refined with a purpose. Long before the Villeret collection officially gained its name in 2003, Blancpain had already set the template in the early 1980s with a small, classically framed complete calendar moonphase (Cal. 6395). The look with the double-stepped bezel, Roman numerals, and slim cases became the […]
Fratello
It’s Sunday morning again, so it’s time to grab a cup of coffee and enjoy another one of our showdowns. Last week, we put two dressier moonphase watches from Longines and Tudor up against each other. This week, we’re staying on the dressier end of the watch-design spectrum. However, we’ll do so with two more […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Breguet Classique 5177 Vs. A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin Onyx to read the full article.
Fratello
During my 12 years of living in Germany, I participated in numerous high-level business meetings. You know the type - sitting around a table, wearing a suit, and drinking coffee from Alfi pitchers. As you can tell, that wasn’t always fun, so I often amused myself by checking out the watches on people’s wrists. Most […] Visit Hands-On With The Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase to read the full article.
Monochrome
Raymond Weil adds a new reference to its elegant and handsome Millesime Moon Phase 35mm with a Japan-exclusive Special Edition overseen by Masayuki Hirota, Editor-in-Chief of Chronos Japan Edition. The watch retains the compact proportions, sector-dial grammar, and restrained vintage cues that made the 35mm Millesime line such a hit, then sharpens it with a two-tone […]
Fratello
Stylish, thought through, sophisticated… These are just a few words to describe the 35mm Japan-only Raymond Weil Millesime Moon Phase. This limited edition of 100 pieces was brought to life with Masayuki Hirota, the editor-in-chief of Chronos Japan Edition. The small watch is clearly a historically inspired Millesime, with its sector dial marking the hours, […] Visit Introducing: A 35mm Japan-Exclusive Raymond Weil Millesime Moon Phase to read the full article.
Fratello
It’s Sunday morning, so it’s time for a cup of coffee and an epic showdown between two similar timepieces. After last week’s battle of affordable divers, we now turn to a less popular genre - the classic moonphase watch. Last week, Tudor surprised us with its new 1926 Luna. The latest creation certainly had people […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Tudor 1926 Luna Vs. Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase to read the full article.
SJX Watches
On episode 11 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon Moore discuss the monumental La Quête Du Temps astronomical clock that Vacheron Constantin just unveiled in Paris alongside the companion Quest of Time wristwatch. We also tackle Tudor’s first moon phase complication and what it means for the brand’s collection of dress watches. SJX also shares his views on the news that Rolex chief executive Jean-Frédéric Dufour will be giving the keynote at Dubai Watch Week, a move that’s largely unprecedented for the industry’s most impenetrable brand. We also chat about the other big news in the world of watch fairs, Audemars Piguet’s return to Watches & Wonders in 2026. Last but not least, we discuss what Girard-Perregaux’s new movement platform might reveal about the future of the brand. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.
Monochrome
Ochs und Junior, the independent brand founded in 2006 around the inventive genius of Dr Ludwig Oechslin, has built its reputation on watches that present complex astronomical or calendar displays in radically simple, functional designs. Models such as the perpetual calendar, annual calendar, and moon phase are already cult favourites among collectors who appreciate mechanical […]
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