Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeiko
WristBuzz› › Moonphase Watches
🌗 Style · Romantic complication · 29.5 days

Moonphase Watches

The most romantic complication. From classical Patek and Lange moonphases through De Bethune's 3D spherical lunar disc, the moonphase is watchmaking's most-loved decorative complication.

29.5 days Lunar cycle
1 day / 122 yr Standard accuracy
Perpetual Astronomical-grade
Spherical 3D modern
558 Articles
Bring a Loupe: A Pair Of Issued Smiths, A Gübelin 18K Triple Date Moonphase, A Universal Genève Ferrovie dello Stato, And Much More

Photo: Hodinkee · 3 days ago

A moonphase complication shows the current phase of the moon as a small disc rotating through a "bay" cutout on the dial. The standard mechanism rotates one full disc cycle every 59 days (two lunar cycles of 29.5 days each); the disc is painted with two moon images visible through the dial cutout. Standard moonphases drift by 1 day every 32.5 months; astronomical-grade moonphases (Patek 5159, Lange 1815 Moonphase, A. Lange Datograph Perpetual) drift by 1 day every 122 years. Modern De Bethune built a 3D spherical moonphase with palladium and blued-steel hemispheres rotating to show actual lunar visibility from Earth.

Moonphase watchmaking dates to the 16th century (early astrolabe pocket watches and ecclesiastical clocks). The wristwatch moonphase was rare until the 1980s; the Patek Philippe ref. 3940 perpetual calendar (1985) and the Patek 5396 annual calendar with moonphase (1996) re-opened the category at the haute-horlogerie tier. Today every serious complications house has at least one moonphase reference; mid-tier brands offer cheaper but mechanically simpler implementations.

The mechanism: a 59-tooth wheel driven by a daily-advance finger, rotating a disc with two moon images. The 59-tooth ratio gives 29.5 days per moon, matching the lunar synodic month to within 44 minutes. Astronomical-grade moonphases use a 135-tooth or 270-tooth wheel for the longer drift period. A. Lange & Söhne's 1815 Moonphase and the modern Patek 5159 are the canonical haute-horlogerie modern references.

The visual language matters as much as the mechanism. Patek tends toward gold-on-blue-lacquer disc with hand-painted stars; Lange uses an unembellished blued-steel disc against frosted gold; H. Moser & Cie. often integrates the moonphase into the fume dial as an almost-invisible feature; De Bethune's 3D spherical moonphase rejects the disc entirely. See also: moonphase wiki, perpetual calendar.

Iconic moonphase watches

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Moonphase / Lange 1 Moonphase Astronomical-grade Lange moonphase. Saxonian craft.

Related brands

Patek Philippe A. Lange & Söhne Vacheron Constantin Jaeger-LeCoultre Blancpain H. Moser & Cie. De Bethune Breguet Glashütte Original Zenith

From the wiki

Wiki · Guide
Moonphase Complication
Wiki · Guide
Perpetual Calendar
Wiki · Guide
Annual Calendar
Wiki · Guide
Denis Flageollet (3D moonphase)

Latest Moonphase Watches news

558 articles · Page 1 of 24
Bring a Loupe: A Pair Of Issued Smiths, A Gübelin 18K Triple Date Moonphase, A Universal Genève Ferrovie dello Stato, And Much More Hodinkee
3 days ago

Bring a Loupe: A Pair Of Issued Smiths, A Gübelin 18K Triple Date Moonphase, A Universal Genève Ferrovie dello Stato, And Much More

Happy Friday, folks, and congrats on bustling through another week. Hopefully you're staring down a welcome break of a weekend with rest and good cheer. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Zenith De Luca sold for €4,750, the Carlo Ferrara for €2,816, the Gen 1 Speedmaster X-33 for 2,000 SGD, and the Patek Philippe 1415 will sell this Friday. Strays Photo courtesy of The Saleroom. For those suddenly enthusiastic about vintage Zenith De Lucas that look an awful lot like the Daytona of the same time period, here's an excellent example, but if you'd rather a Zenith with a little more color and flash and water resistance, here's a great-looking vintage Defy. This Gübelin pocket watch is breath-arrestingly lovely, as are both of these (dog leg, non dog leg) 18k Omega Constellations. This Vintage Meister Anker chronograph is a catch-22 watch in that it looks really cool, but it's also got a plated case, and it's powered by an Ebauches Bettlach pin-lever movement, so proceed with caution. On September 18, Millon in Paris will host an auction that's listed as the "Collection Monsieur B," and whoever Monsieur B is, he's got phenomenal taste. Among the offerings are an Omega Chronometer Seamaster 'Sparkle' reference 168.022, a Universal Genève Polerouter Super, an Omega Holy Grail, a Sinn EZM 1, and a Zenith El Primero A386, but there are tons more you should go check out. Finally: Memosails forever. A Pair of Issued Smiths The British Ministry of Defense issued the Smiths W10 ...
Read article
Highlights: Magnificent Pocket Watches at Sotheby’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
3 days ago

Highlights: Magnificent Pocket Watches at Sotheby’s Hong Kong

In exactly a week, Sotheby’s Hong Kong will stage Important Watches, an impressive, two-day auction that includes a selection of outstanding pocket watches from Switzerland and Great Britain, namely timepieces by Patek Philippe and Charles Frodsham, with most of the latter made by Nicole Nielsen. Three watches stand out from this already elite herd, built by the best of London and Geneva – a modern grand complication, one of the first-ever flying tourbillon watches, and a minute-repeating pocket chronometer. Despite a recent uptick in interest, pocket watches still offer phenomenal value, and are often the most interesting lots in auction catalogues for movement nerds. The pocket watches in Sotheby’s upcoming sale exemplify this. Lot 2293 – Patek Philippe ref. 942/2 “Grande Complication” This is a relatively recent example of a historical Patek Philippe genre, the grande complication pocket watch, one that dates back over a century now. The common watch complications fall into three categories: chiming, timing, and calendars. Chiming watches include repeaters in all their resolutions, plus clock watches, alarms, and hour strikers. Chronographs, rattrapantes, dédoublantes and independent seconds functions are timing complications. Calendar complications, besides the obvious, include moon phase, time of sunrise and sunset, and equation of time. A triple complicated watch combines complications from all three families. For Patek Philippe this traditionally meant ...
Read article
Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Watches From Geneva Watch Days 2026 (And Beyond) Hodinkee
4 days ago

Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Watches From Geneva Watch Days 2026 (And Beyond)

In case you somehow missed it, last week was Geneva Watch Days. While not the absolute busiest week of the year for new watch releases, it's not far off the mark, and 2026 saw dozens of brands converging on Geneva to show off their latest and greatest novelties. We covered a lot of those watches as they dropped, but now that we've had a few days to process what we got to see (some of us in person, the rest vicariously), we thought it would be a good moment to share some of the watches that stood out to us from a week full of new watches. And please forgive us: while we did our best to hold ourselves to Geneva Watch Days proper, as was inevitable, a few ancillary picks made their way into the mix, but I think we can all agree they're still watches worth talking about. Of course, our ragtag team of editors can only cover so much here, so once you've seen all our picks, be sure to drop a line in the comments — we'd love to know which watches from Geneva Watch Days stood out to all of you. Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Dusk in Yellow Gold (plus the M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese) [Ben Clymer] Can I pick two? I have to. Because this year kinda felt like the old days – the two watches I'd actually buy of GWD 2026 are from brands I've loved (and owned) a long, long time - Laurent Ferrier and MB&F. The first is Laurent Ferrier's new limited run of "Dusk" annual calendar moonphases in yellow gold. As you probably know, I love yellow gold, and this is the first iteration of a lovely w...
Read article
Sunset On The Wrist: The Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Dusk Fratello
Sep 4, 2026

Sunset On The Wrist: The Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Dusk

There is something slightly dangerous about the Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon. The recipe sounds almost too typical of high horology — a 40mm round case, manual winding, an annual calendar, moon phases, and a dial with Roman numerals. On paper, it could easily disappear into the enormous category of beautiful, traditional watches. In the metal, […] Visit Sunset On The Wrist: The Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Dusk to read the full article.
Read article
Beyond the Familiar: A History of A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Collection SJX Watches
Sep 3, 2026

Beyond the Familiar: A History of A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Collection

Ferdinand Adolph Lange was born in Dresden on February 18th, 1815. Thirty years later he’d found his eponymous company, and 145 years after that a new A. Lange & Söhne would rise from the proverbial ashes of East Germany. The A. Lange & Söhne we know today debuted in 1994 when the brand launched four watches: the Arkade, Saxonia, Lange 1, and the flagship Tourbillon Pour le Mérite, which established a set of visual codes that would later define the 1815 collection. Today, the 1815 family is primarily known for its many time-only variants, the 1815 Up/Down, and, of course, the 1815 Chronograph. However, the 1815 collection also includes some of the brand’s most extraordinary, unusual, and rarely seen models. Lange 1815 Emil Lange Moon Phase (1999) The Tourbillon Pour le Mérite of 1994 defined the 1815 collection’s design codes, specifically the printed Arabic dial that is vaguely reminiscent of a pocket watch despite being an almost from-scratch design. However, it was not officially badged as an 1815. That designation arrived the following year with the refs. 206.021 in yellow gold and 206.025 in white gold. These introductions saw the rectangular movement inside the Arkade and Saxonia reformatted to make it presentable through a display case back. The extra space was put to use in the followup 1815 Up/Down, which added the namesake power reserve indicator and recreated the running seconds. In 1999, Lange launched the 1815 Moonphase Emil Lange (1849-1921) to mark...
Read article
Beyond the Familiar: A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Retrospective SJX Watches
Sep 3, 2026

Beyond the Familiar: A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Retrospective

Ferdinand Adolph Lange was born in Dresden on February 18, 1815. Thirty years later he’d found the eponymous company, and 145 years after that a reborn A. Lange & Söhne would rise from the proverbial ashes of East Germany. The A. Lange & Söhne we know today debuted in 1994 when the brand launched four watches: Arkade, Saxonia, Lange 1, and the flagship Tourbillon Pour le Mérite, which established a set of visual codes that would later define the 1815 collection. Today, the 1815 family is primarily known for its many time-only variants, the 1815 Up/Down, and, of course, the 1815 Chronograph. However, the 1815 collection also includes some of the brand’s most extraordinary, unusual, and rarely seen models. Photo credits: @lelangelust and @scatteringphotons Lange 1815 Emil Lange Moon Phase, c. 1999 The Tourbillon Pour le Mérite of 1994 defined the 1815 collection’s design codes, specifically the printed Arabic dial that is vaguely reminiscent of a pocket watch despite being an almost from-scratch design. However, it was not officially badged as an 1815. That designation arrived the following year with the refs. 206.021 in yellow gold and 206.025 in white gold. These introductions saw the rectangular movement inside the Arkade and Saxonia reformatted to make it presentable through a display case back. The extra space was put to use in the followup 1815 Up/Down, which added the namesake power reserve indicator and recreated the running seconds. In 1999, Lange launched...
Read article
Introducing: Frederique Constant Highlife Moonphase Date And Classics Moneta Handwinding Hodinkee
Sep 2, 2026

Introducing: Frederique Constant Highlife Moonphase Date And Classics Moneta Handwinding

What We Know At Geneva Watch Days this year, Frederique Constant introduces two new references that continue to build on the momentum the brand generated at Watches and Wonders. The Highlife Moonphase Date adds a moonphase complication to the Highlife collection; the Classics Moneta Handwinding is the first mechanical movement in a collection that launched in 2024 with a quartz movement and added a solar version earlier this year. Together, the two references display the range of what the manufacture builds in-house, from a complicated moonphase module to a hand-wound caliber developed exclusively for the brand. The Highlife Moonphase Date measures 39mm and comes in two dial colors. The rosé champagne dial uses a sunray finish that radiates outward from the moonphase window at 6 o'clock rather than from the center, with gold and copper tones set against a blue moon disc. The night blue dial uses a lighter sunray finish closer in tone to its own moon disc, with a red "31" marking the final day of longer months.  The moon disc is rendered with grey shading and surface relief rather than a flat metallic disc. Both versions use applied, mirror-polished, lume-filled indexes and hands. By comparison, the Classics Moneta Handwinding measures 38.5mm and comes in a single dial color: a smoked salmon-tone gradient that darkens to black at the edges, with applied mirror-polished hour markers, two dauphine hands, and a small seconds sub-dial at 6 o'clock. The Highlife Moonphase Date...
Read article
First Look - The New Frederique Constant Highlife Moonphase Date Manufacture (Incl. Video) Monochrome
Sep 2, 2026

First Look - The New Frederique Constant Highlife Moonphase Date Manufacture (Incl. Video)

Founded in 1988, Frederique Constant can now boast an impressive lineup of 35 in-house calibres powering the brand’s top-tier Manufacture pieces.  Redesigned and relaunched in 2020, the Highlife collection is Frederique Constant’s vision of a versatile luxury sports watch with a barrel-shaped case, an interchangeable integrated bracelet and a textured dial. Last year, the brand […]
Read article
Hands-On With Longines Master Collection Chrono Moonphase: A Complicated Classic, Refined WatchAdvice
Aug 28, 2026

Hands-On With Longines Master Collection Chrono Moonphase: A Complicated Classic, Refined

I’ve had the chance to take the newly redesigned Longines Master Collection Chrono Moonphase for review to see how the subtle refinements elevate this complicated favourite! What We Love Refined, less cluttered dial design Exceptional complications for the price Beautifully matched blue leather strap What We Don’t Limited 30m water resistance Substantial thickness for smaller wrists Busy display may not be to everyone’s liking. Overall Rating: 8.9 / 10 Value For Money: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 There are few watches that bring together Longines’ classical design language and mechanical expertise as completely as the Master Collection Chrono Moonphase. This is one of my favourite Longines models, and I have finally had the opportunity to review the latest evolution of one of the brand’s most iconic timepieces. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Watch Advice (@watchadvice) Longines first introduced the Master Collection in 2005 to showcase its traditional watchmaking expertise through an entirely mechanical collection. It was created as a meeting point between the brand’s classical elegance and its ability to produce increasingly complicated mechanical timepieces. This distinguished the Master Collection from Longines’ sportier models through its more traditional dial designs, decorative finishing, and mechanical complications. The 1911 Longines pocket watch serves as the inspiration behind the aesthetics of the Chr...
Read article
Longines Impressively Expands The Master Collection Fratello
Aug 25, 2026

Longines Impressively Expands The Master Collection

Within the Longines lineup, the Master collection focuses on the rich history of the brand’s craftsmanship and watchmaking elegance. Back in June, the time-and-date Master models got a complete overhaul. Longines now introduces a new dial variation of the Master 41, an updated version of the Master Chrono Moonphase, and the impressive Master Chrono Monopusher. […] Visit Longines Impressively Expands The Master Collection to read the full article.
Read article
Hands-On: The Longines Master Collection Launches A New Monopusher Chronograph Alongside A Refresh Of The Triple Calendar Chrono Hodinkee
Aug 25, 2026

Hands-On: The Longines Master Collection Launches A New Monopusher Chronograph Alongside A Refresh Of The Triple Calendar Chrono

Earlier this year, Longines started rolling out a refresh of its dressy, polished Master Collection. But while that update was relegated to a large array of time-and-date models, I think today's new product launch brings something much more noteworthy to the table. There are two main additions: one by way of an update to a classic Longines chronograph, and the other, the first monopusher chronograph designed for the Longines Master Collection. The Updated Master Collection Chrono Moonphase The first is a refresh of the Master Collection Chrono Moonphase, ref. L2.962.4.73.2, largely an aesthetic refinement over the outgoing model. First is the consolidation of two case options, 40mm and 42mm, meeting in the middle at a 41mm diameter for the new generation. The thickness of the stainless steel case measures 13.8 mm (down from 14.2mm), and the lug-to-lug comes in at a large but not oversized 48.6mm. The case silhouette remains largely untouched here, reflecting the soft, fully polished case design with little in the way of contrasting lines or faceting on the exterior, which is exaggerated by the polished concave bezel. Most of the changes come by way of the dial, which combines a whole slew of small design changes for what is, in my opinion, a significantly improved design. Iterating on the brand's familiar barleycorn-textured dial, Longines cleans up a lot of the typography for a much more balanced look overall.  It's essential for what is quite a busy dial, needing to cra...
Read article
Bring a Loupe: A Patek Phillipe 5000R, A Seiko 7018-8000, Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar Moonphase Meteorite, And Much More Hodinkee
Aug 7, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Patek Phillipe 5000R, A Seiko 7018-8000, Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar Moonphase Meteorite, And Much More

Welcome to the dregs and dog days of summer, and happy Friday again. I was emailing someone in Germany who informed me she'd be out of contact until her company reopened—they shut down for the first three weeks of August—and I desperately wish that idea had taken hold worldwide. Especially for those of us north of the equator, these weeks feel like they'd be best spent lounging, taking a sort of seasonal siesta, reading books (the new Tana French is phenomenal) and catching up on shows and movies (Widow's Bay, good lord). Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Wittnauer 235T ends tomorrow, the 8th, and is at $800 at the time of writing, the Blancpain sold for €20,000, and the Eberhard and Cleto Munari are both still available. Strays Photo courtesy of Tropical Watch. My apologies, Baller, for not including this Harwood automatic from the 1920s in last week's listing. While it's a tidy, tiny 30mm, Harwoods are worth paying attention to because they're some of the first automatic watches ever (Leroy beat them, apparently, as being the very first), and you'll note the thing's crownless as well, because the unmarked bezel's not a timing bezel, it's how the time was set. Congrats to whoever snagged it. If you're also more than a little ensorcelled by asymmetric watches, and this Cartier ticks all sorts of boxes (other than all the diamonds). At some point I'll find a Smiths worth giving full coverage to, but until then, this Smiths Imperial—part of a three-watch lot—is w...
Read article
Bring a Loupe: A Wittnauer 235T, A Cleto Munari "Sotsy," A Blancpain Technisub, And An Eberhard Contograf Hodinkee
Jul 31, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Wittnauer 235T, A Cleto Munari "Sotsy," A Blancpain Technisub, And An Eberhard Contograf

You hanging in there, Baller? It feels like it's been a hard bit, or at least it is with the folks I check in with. I hope that, despite whatever's frustrating you and causing grief—from stubbed toes to wildfires and their attendant smoke to your team not making enough moves at the trade deadline—you're getting by. And congrats, obviously, to all the Sixers fans. Strays Photo courtesy of Huntington Company. Perhaps, like me, you were unaware that in 1967 Bulova made an Accutron Astronaut in 18k gold, and if that sounds like fun, Goodwill's got one that's on an 18k JP Champion bracelet to boot. The good folks at Huntington Company have a bit of a left of the dial watch this week, this Sarcar triple date with moonphase, and a fun game to play is to imagine what it'd be priced at with a different name on the dial. If you're bored by watches that are too quiet, or you're interested in truly unhinged complications, here's a Boegli which features a music box that plays a bit of Mozart's "The Magic Flute." For those who missed their shot on the Louis Erard x Kudoke Regulator from a few years ago, here's a very very nice blue one, and if you'd prefer a different blue watch, this Rolex Oysterquartz Datejust is almost certainly not from 2005, as the listing says (it's got a tritium dial, for one, plus the reference 17000 ceased production in 2001), but it certainly looks in great shape. Finally, here's a phenomenally pretty gold Audemars Piguet Day Date Moonphase (almost certain...
Read article
Christopher Ward Introduces The Twelve Xander, a New Collaboration with The Dial Artist Worn & Wound
Jul 9, 2026

Christopher Ward Introduces The Twelve Xander, a New Collaboration with The Dial Artist

As Christopher Ward has grown in stature in recent years, it’s their most ambitious watches that have resonated the most with me, personally. Nothing against the Sealanders, Tridents, and the like, but the brand has really become interesting to me with watches like the Bel Canto and the Loco, and even the more artistic, design forward stuff like the C1 Moonphase. The Twelve collection falls into a middle ground, of sorts. The Loco, their most avant-garde watch, is built on the Twelve platform, but at its core it’s a fairly straightforward (though incredibly well made) integrated bracelet sports watch, something the hobby is not exactly in short supply of these days. But they occasionally stretch the bounds of the Twelve, exploring a variety of materials, ultra-thin case designs, and even finishing techniques.  And that brings us to the latest release from the UK based brand, the all new The Twelve Xander, a 150 piece limited edition made in collaboration with The Dial Artist, otherwise known as Chris Alexander. Chris has been expanding his portfolio as of late, after getting his start in the watch world adding custom, graffiti inspired art to off-the-shelf watches. He’s now an in-demand collaborator, having worked with brands like Holthinrichs on completely original dial designs and executions.  What makes this new project somewhat different is that there’s no actual “dial” for The Dial Artist to paint. The Twelve X is fully skeletonized, so Chris has added h...
Read article
Interview: Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO JĂ©rĂ´me Lambert SJX Watches
Jun 29, 2026

Interview: Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO JĂ©rĂ´me Lambert

From now until July 18, Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) is exhibiting the sixth edition of its Collectibles programme at the brand’s boutique in London. The occasion offered an opportunity to sit down with CEO Jérôme Lambert to understand what the brand hopes to achieve with its Collectibles exhibitions. Launched in 2023, the concept stems from the eponymous book that assembled a dream collection of vintage JLC watches. Since then, museum-grade pieces have been sourced from around the world, restored in the brand’s dedicated workshop — without altering their patina — and presented for sale through travelling exhibitions. Triple Calendar with Moonphase from 1946. The capsule collection assembled for the London edition features seven Reverso models alongside five other rare watches, including a 1946 Triple Calendar with moon phase. With one exception — a small 1931 Reverso — all 12 watches had found buyers within hours of opening. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Yannick Nardin (YN): What is the purpose of the Collectibles programme? Is it a commercial, strategic or heritage-driven initiative? Jérôme Lambert (JL): All of those dimensions played a role in its creation. First, there were our conversations with collectors. Many expressed a desire to acquire exhibition or museum pieces, while others approached us to authenticate watches they had purchased through dealers. Two-tone Reverso from 1941. At the same time, following the great JLC exhibitions of...
Read article
Introducing - The New Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune Monochrome
Jun 26, 2026

Introducing - The New Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune

Van Cleef & Arpels approaches watchmaking as a medium for storytelling. The brand’s Poetic Complications line, launched in 2006, unites its high jewellery and artistic expertise with sophisticated mechanical movements to bring these stories to life. Expanding its Jour Nuit collection, Van Cleef adds a moon phase complication with on-demand animation inside the majestic Midnight […]
Read article

Comments 2

  1. Tomek
    Moonphase is nice, but also impractical. You look at dial, not moon in sky. Still, classical Patek and Lange pieces have soul that modern watches sometimes miss.
    1. Anonymous replying to Tomek
      Fair point on practicality, but that's kind of the appeal for me. It's jewelry that happens to tell time. And yeah, those vintage Pateks just hit different, soul or not.

Leave a comment

All comments are reviewed before they go live. Email is for our records only - it's never published.