Moonphase watches are commonly considered a classic and elegant complication, and have been popular among watch enthusiasts and collectors for many years. In addition to its functional purpose, the moon phase display adds a decorative element to the watch’s dial, and can be found in a variety of styles and designs. Without further ado, let’s take a look at our expertly curated list of the (in our opinion) best moon phase watches on the market today, spanning a wide range of price points!
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Our Top Choices of Moon Phase Watches for All Price Points
Tissot Carson Premium Gent Moon Phase
Specs:
- Movement: Quartz
- Caliber: ETA F05.841
- Case Width: 40 mm
- Lug Distance: 20 mm
- Price: Around $300
The Tissot Carson Premium Gent Moonphase has a distinctive and classic look. The attention is drawn to the large Roman numerals. To counterbalance this visually strong element, the leaf (or feuille) hour and minute hands have a dark blue color that ties in beautifully with the moon phase function’s blue color.
The case is 40 mm wide, a great size for most wrists, and the overall height is 7.6 mm, so it’s a comfortable fit under shirt cuffs.
Zeppelin Series LZ129 Hindenburg Moon Phase
Specs:
- Movement: Quartz
- Caliber: Ronda 706B
- Case Width: 40 mm
- Lug Distance: 20 mm
- Price: Around $200
Zeppelin’s LZ129 Hindenburg Moonphase is an exciting and budget friendly option. This chronograph has a rather elegant design, and the spade hour hand is a nice detail. The silver dial is offset with gold, blue, and red colors, making the timepiece visually dynamic. The moonphase function is located at the 6 o’clock position.
Our favorite feature is the hand that shows the current week’s number on the scale around the dial, which at first glance, looks like a tachymeter. An interesting detail that makes this watch a unique choice.
Longines Master Collection Silver
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: L899
- Power Reserve: 72 hours
- Case Width: 42 mm
- Lug Distance: 21 mm
- Price: Around $2,000
Since its inception, Longines has been producing outstanding watches as a traditional watchmaking company. Today, the Longines Master Collection is the ideal representation of this business spirit, as seen by the popularity this collection has attained since its introduction in 2005. The numerous models in this series, which are all equipped with self-winding movements, provide a variety of unique characteristics. The Longines Master Collection combines the timeless beauty and superb craftsmanship that never cease to surprise people who value fine watches.
The beautiful guilloché pattern on the dial completes the classic design look and is further amplified by the moonphase complication at 6 o’clock position. Additionally, the blue color of the hour and minute hands are giving the perfect amount of modern touch to this classic beauty.
Montblanc Star Legacy Moon Phase
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: MB 29.14
- Power Reserve: 42 hours
- Case Width: 42 mm
- Price: Around $2,500
Montblanc watches are always classy and elegant, and the Star Legacy Moonphase is no exception. The dark gray dial with silver-tone Arab numerals and leaf (or feuille) minute and hour hands is a simple and understated look. The subdial at 6 o’clock functions as the moon phase function that is combined with the date function as well.
Inside the rounded case, the MB 29.14 caliber automatic movement provides a 42-hour power reserve. A very classy choice!
Baume et Mercier Hampton Moon Phase
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: Soprod Caliber TT651
- Power Reserve 42 hours
- Case Width: 31 mm x 48 mm
- Price: Around $3,000
The Baume et Mercier Hampton wristwatch features a black alligator strap with square scales, grey stitching, and a polished steel case for a sophisticated modern look. An opaline and grained dial with black ruthenium indexes and Arabic numbers is visible through a curved sapphire crystal. A very classy option!
Baume et Mercier Clifton Moon Phase
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: M14-1975A C2
- Power Reserve: 120 hours
- Case Width: 42 mm
- Price: Around $3,000
he Baume & Mercier Clifton Chronograph is very clean looking with its stark white dial against the polished stainless steel case. The silver-toned hour indices and slim dauphine minute and hour hands add to this overall bright and polished look. The sundial’s function is a combination of the moonphase feature and the date sundial – a very elegant and efficient solution.
Our favorite part: at 6 o’clock position, we usually see “automatic” movement, and the movement caliber potentially. Here, it reads “Baumatic” and “5 days”. This wordsmithing refers to the BM14-1975A C2 caliber, an automatic movement that provides a 120 hours of power reserve, a stunning 5 days worth of power!
Certina DS-8 Chronograph Moon Phase
Specs:
- Movement: Quartz
- Caliber: G10.962
- Case Width: 42 mm
- Price: Under $1,000
The Certina DS-8 Chronograph Moon Phase embraces a darker appearance. The dark blue dial color is combined with slightly darker shades for the subdial. Visually, the top half of the dial holds the attention, as the moon phase function is located at the top left subdial, while the top right subdial is the hour subdial. The secondary colors for the markers on the subdials are the same silver-toned color as the main dial’s hour and minute markers. In contrast, the subdial at the 6 o’clock position (for the seconds) doesn’t have markers or indices, leaving that space blank. While the overall look is well balanced, the bottom half of the dial has a pronounced darker feel. Always a great choice, as Certina watches are known to be high quality and reliable.
Frederique Constant Classic Moon Phase
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: FC-712
- Power Reserve: 42 hours
- Case Width: 42 mm
- Price: Around $2,000
Frederique Constant always gets a seat at the table when it comes to high quality, elegant timepieces. The Classic Moonphase watch with the off-white dial color and the lengated Roman numerals is – as the name of the watch suggests – an absolute classic and a beautiful design solution. While an undoubted classic, the design has a fresh twist: the rounded case is paired with a relatively thick curved bezel, which makes the watch contemporary and feels very robust. The two subdials are centered along the dial’s horizontal axis, one subdial for the dates, the other for the moonphase function. As with most moonphase watches, the leaf (or feuille) hour and minute hands are a perfect addition. Inside the 42 mm wide case we have the FC-712 automatic movement, providing 38 hours of power reserve.
Raymond Weil Maestro
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: RW4280
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Case Width: 39.5 mm
- Price: Around $1,500
The maestro moon phase timepiece adds a unique dimension to the concept of space and time. Its six o’clock moon phase opening infuses a touch of celestial romance to this timeless watch. The cool tones make the blue accents in the moon phase aperture and watch hands stand out against the silver dial. The moonphase function has the additional stars as design elements, and the wavy decoration of the dial’s inner round reminds us of Van Gogh’s Starry Night – we definitely think this watch qualifies as a piece of art.
Christopher Ward C1 Moonglow
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: JJ04 (Sellita SW220 base)
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Case Width: 40.5 mm
- Price: Around $2,000
The C1 Moonglow by Christopher Ward is a moonphase watch on a whole different level. The C1 Moonglow is a modern and ambitious moonphase watch solution: it displays the moon as if looking at the night sky. Its dial and the moon itself are intricately detailed, and the watch features an in-house moonphase movement that can accurately track the moon’s orbit for an impressive 128 years. A unique and intriguing addition to any collection.
A moonphase watch is a type of mechanical watch that displays the phases of the moon. The watch features a small aperture on its dial that shows the current phase of the moon, which is typically represented by a disc that rotates to indicate the moon’s position in its 29.5-day lunar cycle.
A moonphase watch works by using a small, rotating disc to display the current phase of the moon. The disc is usually located on the watch’s dial, and it has two identical images of the moon that are opposite each other. The disc rotates once every 29.5 days, which is the length of a lunar cycle.
To create the moon phase display, the watch’s movement is typically fitted with a gear train that is designed to translate the rotation of the disc into a visual representation of the moon’s phase. This gear train is connected to the watch’s hour wheel, which allows the moonphase disc to rotate in time with the watch’s hands.
The moon phase display is usually adjusted through a small pusher. To set the moonphase display accurately, a lunar calendar needs to be used to determine the current phase of the moon. The pusher is then used to advance the moonphase disc until it aligns with the correct lunar phase.
Moonphase watches are often considered to be more complicated and sophisticated than other types of watches, as they require additional gearing and engineering to create the moon phase display. They are typically more expensive than simpler watches as a result.