Image: NASA
Cover Image: NASA

From the limited edition Speedmaster to Arnold & Son's beautiful rendition of the moon phase

July 20, 1969 was not just the day that man first stepped foot on the moon—it was also the day that a watch was first worn on the moon, by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Since then, our fascination with the moon has only begun to grow, with many watchmakers paying tribute to the celestial body. As the momentous 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing approaches, we round up five exquisite timepieces—including the famed “moon watch”—to fete the occasion. 

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'gallery right' 'gallery right'
Photo 1 of 2 (Image: Omega)
Photo 2 of 2 (Image: Omega)

1. Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition

There is no watch more closely linked to space exploration than the Omega Speedmaster. Worn on the first American spacewalk by Ed White in 1965, the watch went on to be the first worn on the moon during the Apollo 11 lunar landing—earning it the moniker of “moon watch”.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing, Omega is presenting a limited edition of the moon watch. Paying tribute to Apollo 11, it boasts a number “11” feature in 18-karat Moonshine gold on the watch face and a nine o’clock sub-dial laser-engraved with the image of astronaut Buzz Aldrin climbing down to the lunar surface.

The 42mm case is created from stainless steel, with a bezel ring in polished black ceramic which is emblazoned with a Omega Ceragold tachymeter scale. Other details like the indexes, bezel, logo, and watch hands are also crafted from 18-karat Moonshine gold. Only 6,969 pieces were created.

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Above (Image: Joël Von Allmen/Hermès)

2. Hermès Arceau L'heure de la lune

Presented at SIHH earlier this year, this beautiful moon phase watch from Hermès features not one, but two mother-of-pearl moons with a pair of floating lacquer dials that rotate to reflect the current moon phase in the Southern and Northern hemisphere. Framed within a 43-mm white gold case, a grey meteorite or starry blue aventurine dial sets the backdrop for some celestial-gazing on your wrist.

The Swiss-made watch runs on the Hermès Manufacture H1837 movement with a frequency of 28,800 vph (4Hz). Only 100 pieces of each design were produced.

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Above (Image: Jaeger-LeCoultre)

3. Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel

Also presented at SIHH this year, the Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel is a testament to exquisite watchmaking. Understatedly elegant, the blue guilloché enamel dial—entirely hand-crafted by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s master watchmakers—draws your attention at first glance. A subdial at the bottom of the watch face features a polished new moon on a starry sky framed within an engraved date counter.

Powered by the automatic Caliber 925/2, only 100 pieces of the 18-karat white gold timepiece are available.

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Above (Image: A.Lange & Söhne)

4. A.Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Moon Phase “25th Anniversary”

Newly unveiled this month, the Lange 1 Moon Phase “25th Anniversary” is the sixth of ten watches A.Lange & Söhne is releasing to celebrate a quarter-century of the Lange 1. It is modelled after the 2017 Lange 1 Moon Phase. Framed within a white gold case, this anniversary piece features a blue-printed argenté-coloured dial and blued hands. The moon phase on a smaller dial also acts as a day and night indicator, depicting the moon against a bright blue sky in the day and a starry dark sky at night.

The limited-edition piece is powered by the manual-winding calibre L121.3, and only 25 pieces are available.

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Above (Image: Arnold & Son)

5. Arnold & Son HM Perpetual Moon Aventurine

Artfully crafted, HM Perpetual Moon Aventurine’s moon phase aperture is the centrepiece of the watch. Occupying a staggering 29mm in diameter, the moon disc, decorated in a deep blue guilloché pattern, frames a 11.2mm golden moon. Around the aperture, the aventurine stone dial sparkles like a starry night sky, detailed and encased in 18-karat red gold.

Powered by the hand-wound A&S1512, only 28 pieces of this limited-edition watch was produced.

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