Category: Moon phase

Introducing – The New Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Manufacture With Roman Numerals

The Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Manufacture is no stranger to us. It even is a cornerstone of FC’s collection. We’ve already covered it when it has been launched with an elegant ivory dial and we reviewed it in its dark blue dial version. One thing is sure, it’s a watch that we loved. Affordable, well-made, well-powered and elegant. Yet, an evolution is around the corner, as a new version with classical Roman Numerals is about to hit the stores.

8 years ago

Review – Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar, A Saxon Icon

The Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar was originally presented in the early 2000s and its most recent update was unveiled in 2015. Since then, and together with its hand-wound sister the PanoReserve, it has become one of the icons of the brand. Straightforward, efficient with Saxonian poetry, it stands out with its clear graphics and elegant aesthetics. Today, we review this handsome complication watch, which perfectly defines the German School of Watchmaking and, more precisely, the DNA of Glashütte Original.

8 years ago

Pre-SIHH 2018 – Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar “Excellence Platine”

It seems that Vacheron Constantin’s current favorite complication might well be the triple calendar (or full calendar, or complete calendar… all refer to the same complication). Brought back at center stage with the stunning Historiques Triple Calendrier 1942 in steel and its gold sibling, the Triple Calendrier 1948, two superbly vintage-inspired pieces, the elegant calendar display is now integrated into a more modern – and highly precious – watch, as a preview of the SIHH 2018. Please meet the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar “Excellence Platine“.

8 years ago

Women’s Watch Wednesday – The Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Moon Medium Tested

Earlier this year, Swiss watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled its newest collection of Rendez-Vous watches, including the Rendez-Vous Moon Medium watch. The 34mm timepiece quickly captured the hearts of women around the world thanks to its chic design, intricate dial, romantic moon-phase complication and technical prowess. Today, we give this watch some wrist-time and see why it has some great appeal.

8 years ago

Frédérique Constant Updates the Slimline Moonphase Manufacture with New Display and Case

As we already showed you in several articles, Frédérique Constant watches have some impressive qualities. In fact, they allow collectors with a smaller budget accessing to a luxurious and elegant design, classical complications and even manufacture movements (as we showed you in our video report). This is what the brand calls “accessible luxury”. With this in mind, Frédérique Constant has decided to update one of its best-sellers, the discreet and elegant Slimline Moonphase Manufacture, with a new display – all of that being available in a relatively small case.

8 years ago

Ulysse Nardin Goes Back To Astronomical Watches with the Complex Moonstruck Worldtimer

Ulysse Nardin’s history is deeply linked to Marine chronometers, yet there’s another speciality, rather forgotten, that the manufacture masters (and which is not that far from Marine watches), the astronomical watches. Some may recall the mid-1980s Trilogy – Astrolabium Galileo Galilei (introduced in 1985), Planetarium Copernicus (introduced in 1988) and Tellurium Johannes Kepler (introduced in 1992). This year, UN introduces yet another astronomical watch, the Moonstruck Worldtimer, combining the movements of the moon and sun in relation to the Earth, as well as a map of the tides and (novelty) a world-time display. You say complex, we say exciting.

8 years ago

Women’s Watch Wednesday – Blancpain’s New Quantieme Phases de Lune Has a Tiny Secret on the Moon

Since its inception back in 1984, Blancpain has never built a quartz watch. In fact, I remember the unveiling of the first-ever Blancpain watch at the Basel Fair, wherein the then 34-year-old Jean-Claude Biver announced in the midst of the quartz era that this was a brand dedicated to mechanical watches. The announcement shook attendees at the event, with many naysayers insisting the brand could not last with a mechanical focus. Fast-forward 33 years and not only is Blancpain still a pure mechanical brand, but also it is creating simple mechanical complications for women, just like the recently introduced Blancpain Villeret Quantième Phases de Lune.

8 years ago

Hands-On – The IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase, A Classic Modernized

Over the last few years, IWC has been steadily re-positioning its various collections in a decidedly upward direction. Most notably, the Portugieser has moved up a few rungs on the price list, whilst the Portifino now occupies the space this move created. Although at first this may not seem like great news for your wallet, it has resulted in the introduction of several interesting and attractive pieces into the Portofino range, including this gorgeous IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase. Today, we go hands on to find out what all the fuss is about.

8 years ago