Will 2024 Be The Year of the Moonphase?
Taking out the crystal ball to make my 2024 prediction. Out with the green, in with the moon.
A new year brings new predictions. It’s a tale as old as time. (Pun intended? Most definitely). Unfortunately, predictions are about as useful as fortune cookies. It is the equivalent of chasing the wind, usually pushing some far fetched unrealistic idea to anyone who is willing to read, listen, or watch them. Yet, a year ending without some outlandish predictions feels akin to a trip to Costco without free samples, and suddenly, the hot dog also costs $2.50.
That said, I couldn’t resist making a prediction for the state of watches in 2024. It’s a daunting task to predict the horological horoscope for the year, considering the risk of my hopes being dashed by yet another green watch.
This year, despite my fervent desire for a Tudor GMT in the BB58 case, I decided to explore different complications. As a vintage lover, one of my favorites is the moonphase. Jack Forster eloquently chronicled its history earlier this year, stating that the moonphase is as old as watchmaking itself. He added, “Today, it’s a nod to tradition, but it’s also more than that – it’s a piece of visual poetry on the wrist, and a reminder that we’re part of a larger universe.”
A Brief History of the Moonphase
And to look into the future, we must glance into the past. The moonphase is a romantic complication, capturing attention from the outset. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations that closely observed celestial bodies and their movements. The lunar cycle, with its waxing and waning phases, held significant cultural, religious, and practical implications.
Ancient cultures associated the moon with deities, believing in its influence on various aspects of life. Tracking the moon’s phases was crucial for religious rituals, agricultural practices, and timekeeping. The lunar cycle played a vital role in determining the timing of planting and harvesting crops, with farmers relying on optimal conditions, such as planting during the waxing moon for increased growth.
As mechanical clocks and watches evolved, horologists sought additional features beyond basic timekeeping. The moonphase complication emerged in the mid 14th century and were found in elaborate astronomical or tower clocks. Sailors, explorers, and navigators found the moon’s position and phases useful for determining longitude, guiding their journeys. Moonphase complications were integrated into marine chronometers for this purpose.
In the 19th century, the moonphase complication gained popularity in high-end pocket watches, incorporating artistic elements like depictions of the moon and stars. In today’s technologically driven world, the moonphase complication serves as a reminder of our connection to nature and the cosmos.
Now, in 2024, with De Bethune, Patek Philippe, F.P. Journe, Jaeger-LeCoultre mastering the moonphase, what can we expect? I anticipate a surge in moonphase complications from various brands, from micros like Furlan Marri to high-end independents like Akrivia.
In the ever-shifting watch market, classical and Art Deco designs are making a comeback. While progress and innovation are welcome, there’s an undeniable return to classical designs and dimensions, evident in many brands smaller case size options in 2023.
My Picks
So, it is at the point I must admit that when I started writing this story I had not settled on the watches I believed would integrate a moonphase complication. My first thought was a Moser Streamliner Vantablack with a moonphase, but they already have one in the Endeavour line and I felt it just didn’t have enough pop. And, in all honesty, it wasn’t me. I wanted to think of what I, the collector, would actually want to see.
Putting any semblance of reality aside, the first watch I would love to see incorporate a moonphase has to be the Breguet Type XX.
Quick side note on my love of Breguet. Many moons ago, when my most distinguished watch was a Hamilton Field Khaki, I was hanging out at the aptly named GMT Tavern in Greenwich Village with my brother-in-law. At the time, I was just diving into my horological obsession when two men sat next to us. They were your standard NYC old-timers. Men from a time when people read newspapers on the subway, when soda was made in front of you, when music had instruments… you get the picture. One of the men was clearly older than the other and far too tan for a full-time NYC resident. I will spare you the rest of the details, but a few bourbon’s later, the watch talk began and I will never forget what the orange-tinted gentleman said to me. He said, “Buy the B’s. Breguet and Blancpain (he was wearing a Panerai Luminor by the way), you will never go wrong with a Breguet or Blancpain.” And so started my obsession with these two companies.
Fast forward to today and here I am, explaining why my favorite Breguet needs a moonphase in the year of 2024. Some of the layout details would have to be sorted and part of me would love to see a moonphase at the 9 o’clock subdial just to shake things up a bit and mess with our natural desire for symmetry. I find Breguet, with such a rich history, especially in dress watches, would be the perfect brand to incorporate a moonphase in what has become their most popular model.
The other watch I would love to see incorporate a moonphase is a bit obscure for high-end enthusiasts but a household name for budding watch nerds – Baltic, the small French microbrand that has firmly secured its place among the top microbrands worldwide and prides itself on recreating classic French watch designs. Considering their current lineup, it would make the most sense to feature the moonphase on the MR01. It would seamlessly complement the Breguet numerals, although my preference would be to see it on their Bicompax. Specifically, the original Bicompax-001 Limited Edition Panda Dial. I would be more excited than a ten-year-old heading to Blockbuster with a pocket full of gift cards and minimal parental supervision.
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The 1916 Company Office Picks
After finally deciding on two watches, I felt it was necessary to pick the brains of a few colleagues. So I headed to the metaphorical water cooler to find some new perspectives.
The ideas were, dare I say it, phenomenal. Czapek Antarctique, Laurent Ferrier Classic, Rolex Sky-Dweller (even if its feasibility remains uncertain, the idea is captivating), and finally, a Gröenfeld 1941 Principia.
Let’s just take a moment to imagine a Czapek Antarctique Titanium ‘Dark Sector’ with its minute track discreetly placed around its anthracite dial, double row of arched parallel segments outlining the hours and a captivating red tipped second hand, all accompanied by a deep blue moonphase gracefully flying behind the sword shaped hour hand. Do you feel that? Yes, chills. I know.
The Laurent Ferrier Classic was another gem of an idea. This independent brand only produces roughly 300 pieces a year but all of them, to steal a line from Jack, are truly “poetry on the wrist.” With so many colors and configurations available the possibilities are not literally endless but they feel like they are. In celebrating their 12th year anniversary they released the Origin Blue; the founder’s favorite color. Imagine a moonphase subtly set into its small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The visual makes me salivate like Pavlov’s dogs and my wallet quiver with fear. With its gradient blue opaline dial, 18k white gold indices, and elegant assegai-shaped hands, it is begging for a moonphase.
For the sake of sanity I am skipping the idea of putting a moonphase on a Sky-Dweller simply due to the sheer mental overload of thinking how it could work mechanically and aesthetically, but that is not to say I don’t love the idea.
Finally, The Gronefeld 1941 Pincipia salmon dial in white gold. In a brief detour from the purpose of this article, I need to state my love of salmon dials. I live by the mentality that every man must own a salmon dial. They are refined in an understanded elegant type of way. That said, if I were Gronefeld, I would place a small crescent window opening above the 6 o’clock subdial and within the center ring. The symmetry and simplicity will pop when accompanied by the gold plated salmon dial and blue hands.
Now, if my prediction holds true, and we witness a plethora of moonphase iterations from our favorite watch houses, remember—you heard it here first. In 2024, we bid farewell to the dominance of green watches and welcome the era of the moonphase.