# Moon Phase Watches - What Is The Point Of Them?



## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

I've long wondered about this but never asked before. What exactly is the point in having a watch that indicates the phases of the moon?

Is it just another complication to show off the prowess of the manufacturer? Or maybe another complication to show off the depth of the owners wallet? Having said that they can be had for very little money from just about everyone and their dog these days.

Personally I've just never seen the fascination or indeed the point of them. I'm not a werewolf (although others might disagree with me on that one) and if I need to see if the moon's out a brief look at the night sky is sufficient.

Don't get me wrong I'm not a minimalist when it comes to watch design and like most blokes I love pointless gadgets. My collection of chronographs that will tell you that, even if I can barely remember the last time I used a chrono function for anything remotely useful.

So anyone care to enlighten me moon phase watches them at all?

Cheers,

Gary


----------



## ong (Jul 31, 2008)

Gary

Whereas your chrono collection all perform some useful function ( H M S, stopwatch, speed etc)all the moon phase watches I've seen only record the passing of the day into night and not the actual phase of the moon ( full ,new etc). I may be mistaken but perhaps someone can provide an example of a moon phase watch that actually does show the moons phases.

Regards

Ong


----------



## sparrow (Feb 7, 2009)

i think moon phases make a fascinating addition to a watch. I'd onyl guess that a moon phase would be pretty handy if you worked at sea / needed to know about tidal pulls (and you know which moon phases effect the tide). Otherwise they probably don't have any real use (much like a tourbillon!)

I can't remember much about this watch, but all its time functions are derived from the moon:










Details: http://www.japantrends.com/the-astrodea-celestial-watch-from-citizen-true-lunar-time-on-your-wrist/


----------



## jss (Jun 29, 2009)

Iâ€™ve never had a moonphase watch but because of the shape of the window the moon is shown through I always assumed that it went round in 28 days and did show the phase of the moon as it appeared and disappeared. How do they work, do they go round every 24 hours?


----------



## ong (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks, now that is a moon phase watch with purpose, and at USD576 with only 300 pieces a year (info from your link ) - get in early !

Ong


----------



## James (Jul 17, 2006)

Any Poljot kal 31679 like the Maktime but a frigging pain to set so you do it once then forget how then just sits there as a useless yet cool complication

bah put in wrong moonphase thread

But to answer your question if you were loup garou moonphase pieces are required, still an fn pain though

..


----------



## Defender (Jan 27, 2009)

Agent orange said:


> I've long wondered about this but never asked before. What exactly is the point in having a watch that indicates the phases of the moon?
> 
> Is it just another complication to show off the prowess of the manufacturer? Or maybe another complication to show off the depth of the owners wallet? Having said that they can be had for very little money from just about everyone and their dog these days.
> 
> ...


I'm with you on this, never seen the point of them, or even seen one that has been exicuited in such a way that it even looks half reasonable to my eye?

But some people love them, we all have differing tastes!

Best regards,

Defender :astro:.


----------



## PaulBoy (Dec 2, 2007)

> I've long wondered about this but never asked before. What exactly is the point in having a watch that indicates the phases of the moon?


Probably come in handy if you are a werewolf









Paul


----------



## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

I seem to remember hearing that they were an historical throwback to days before any type of street lighting was commonplace so the amount of light likely to be provided by the moon was important. I like them on clocks,less so on watches.


----------



## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

I am thinking perhaps a WOMAN PHASE WATCH would be more useful.

A guy could get out of the house and go down the pub just before she loses her rag, (excuse the pun), every month.


----------



## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

glug said:


> I am thinking perhaps a WOMAN PHASE WATCH would be more useful.
> 
> A guy could get out of the house and go down the pub just before she loses her rag, (excuse the pun), every month.


  Like your thinking. I just check for chocolate wrappers or bits of broken crockery in the bin.

Cheers,

Gary


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

I've a few moon-phase models. Not sure what use they are but I still like them. Personal hate is the watches with day night indicators that people insist on naming Moon-phase when they are clearly not.

I've a Rip Curl moon-phase with tidal indicator knocking about somewhere and I picked up a nice Timex quartz moon-phase a week or so ago, that I've not got around to taking pictures of yet so you'll have to make do with my Sewills Moon-phase


----------



## Dick Browne (Dec 16, 2008)

Moonphase? No idea. Maybe useful for people without windows who don't know if it's dark outside or not. But then again, if they had no windows, they wouldn't need to know how much daylight was available. Hmm, OK, maybe it's for people without windows, who are afraid of moons and need to know if it's the time of fear? Nope, I give in, haven't a clue...

Anyway, tourbillon. Useful, not just decorative - they are supposed to negate the effect of position on the accuracy of movement, although once again, I suspect that now the iPhone is super-accurate regardless of position (except the one I left in a taxi in Paris, the position of that one effected my timekeeping I can tell you) the real usage of tourbillon technology is to simultaneously measure the depth of a wearers pocket whilst displaying the fatness of their wallet


----------



## Pilot65 (Feb 2, 2009)

im more a fan of "simple" dials - dont really get the whole moon phase thing at all..


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

Dug out the Moonphases I have (four of them). All quartz I'm afraid.

First a groupshot of them together










Now a stand-alone picture of the Sewills, which I've pictured many times before;










A picture of the Zeon, bought to replace the one I originally owned back in the 80's;










And a picture of the front and back of the recently acquired, and soon to be moved on Timex;



















I've not pictured the Rip-curl as I forgot to take the close-up









All four models are 'true' moonphase watches (yes, even the Timex with the silly face on the moon), not day night indicators, as they display the full lunar calendar.


----------



## stevieb (Feb 12, 2010)

I have a few mechanical Moonphase watches. For the technically minded a Valjoux 7751, Valjoux 90 , Venus 203, and a felsa 693.

Its my favorite complication,

They were originally created to mimic the moonphase complication in clocks.

The primary use as previously said would be to provide an simple indication of the amount of avaliable illuminance at night. Which comming from a village with no street lighting is a distinct advantage when comming home from the pub on a dark night.

Also knowing the phases of the moon will provide information on tides

In medieval times phases of the moon were used as a principle unit of time / calendar which up to the 1960's included the period for the payment / collecting of rents.

There is also the historical connection with 18th & 19th century astronomy.

On a good moonphase movement the disc rotates every 59 days showing the 29 & 1/2 period in the window with the small bumps providing the information on waxing or waining.

In this modern world they have no use other than to demonstrate the expertise of the watch maker / manufacturer.

Sorry to make this sound like a wikipedia article.

Regards Steve b


----------



## stevieb (Feb 12, 2010)

This is the Viajoux 7751 made by Georg Jensen i have.

The general feel, attention to detail and perception of quality is really good.

Not my images as i only have an N96 phone camera, but this is my first attempt at up loading images.




























Regards steve b.


----------



## jss (Jun 29, 2009)

> On a good moonphase movement the disc rotates every 59 days showing the 29 & 1/2 period in the window with the small bumps providing the information on waxing or waining.


Thats how I thought they would work. I knew those bumps must be there for something


----------



## gregory (Feb 13, 2009)

I like how they let you know it's nightime, without having to go outside.

:jawdrop:

:tongue2:


----------



## bobbymonks (Jan 13, 2009)

ong said:


> Gary
> 
> Whereas your chrono collection all perform some useful function ( H M S, stopwatch, speed etc)all the moon phase watches I've seen only record the passing of the day into night and not the actual phase of the moon ( full ,new etc). I may be mistaken but perhaps someone can provide an example of a moon phase watch that actually does show the moons phases.
> 
> ...


Mine shows proper moonphases. rising from the left, cycling to the right.

New moon on left full in the centre then waning crescent on the right.

Although not of any real use to me I do like the fact it does it all mechanically and accurately.

Then again mine is an El Primero Zenith.

And here's your proof


----------



## itsguy (Nov 16, 2009)

I think there's a certain romance to them. For a city dweller it reminds you to think a bit... bigger. That there's more out there than Tesco. Time and space on a watch rather than just time. Looking at the website, I imagine Jaquet Droz feels the same way...

Also I used to live in very central London and people would definitely go crazy on full moon nights - I'm no astrologer but it seemed to do something, quite strange. I guess it's something we've mostly lost touch with but it's still there in the DNA.


----------



## Akkibo (Jan 29, 2010)

I think there is no relevance of moon phase in modern times, other than, colour full dial look beautiful to WIS. I suppose most of the people having moon phase watches, do not care to check which phase of moon is going on.

All the Best

Akkibo


----------



## bobbymonks (Jan 13, 2009)

Akkibo said:


> I think there is no relevance of moon phase in modern times, other than, colour full dial look beautiful to WIS. I suppose most of the people having moon phase watches, do not care to check which phase of moon is going on.
> 
> All the Best
> 
> Akkibo


I do. I didn't until I got a Moonphase, but I do now.

It has nothing to do with knowing what the moon is up to, it's to check whether my moonphase accurately represents what the moon is up to. And its does


----------

