A dive watch does a lot. Its a tool for a safe dive in lieu of (or in combination with) a dive computer. Its becoming an acceptable GADA (Go Anywhere, Do Anything) in modern culture. And, of course, dive watches capture an aesthetic and serve as robust companions for all of us non-divers. But of all the dive watches with all the additional complications possible, there are hardly any that have a moonphase indication. The Oris Aquis Dat Watt Limited Edition and Blancpains Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de Lune show the phases of the Moon within the confines of a unidirectional divers bezel. The Panerai LAstronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time GMT comes from water-watch heritage. Its the only one that wont be getting its feet wet though. Hey, pickings were slim.Imagine youre planning a nighttime pleasure dive off the shores of Bonaire in the Southern Caribbean picturesque, shallow shore diving. You tell your buddy your plan and the tentative date. He looks at you quizzically. Sure, he says, but thats the New Moon. Its going to be pitch black out there. Why not go on the Full Moon? Indeed, why not enjoy the shallows beauty under natures pale spotlight? But planning a dive around the phases of the Moon was something you never considered.Beyond using a moonphase for nocturnal oceanic activity, the Moon and Earths oceans have such a pronounced relationship that it amazes me that the combination of the dive watch and moonphase isnt celebrated more horologically, even as a novelty. Sure, dive watches are still maintaining the flagging persona of a tool watch, but if there were ever a practical application to a moonphase indicator, it would relate to the ocean.
Oris Dat Watt Limited EditionBoth their price points and specs keep Oris Aquis dive watches firmly in the tool-watch category. The Oris Aquis Dat Watt Limited Edition is one such Aquis thats relatively accessible and thoroughly robust, moonphase included. It was created in conjunction with the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat to raise funds and awareness about the Wadden Sea, an international UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest tidal flood plains in the world. Fitting the motif, this moonphase is in fact touted as a tidal range indicator, with white lines on the dial showing the median level of the tide over a full cycle. Since tides are influenced by the Moon, that full cycle is the lunar cycle. The phases of the Moon are indicated around the dial for the separate indicator hand to point to.
Still a toolIts a gorgeous watch and definitely one Ive had my eye on since its introduction. Ill most likely wait until all 2009 limited editions sell out and regret it. But cest la vie. What I like about it is that it takes all of the standard Aquis elements 300m water resistance, elegantly stub-lugged case, and a unique design for the hands and indices and imports a moonphase indicator that doesnt visually or thematically compromise its dive watch-ness.
Courtesy of OrisThe 43.5mm-diameter case creates a dial with some real estate, which the tide/moon chart fills perfectly. Steering clear of some goofy, smiling, man-in-the-moon depiction that rotates in and out of view was a good call. This isnt Oriss first time around with this complication in this exact orientation. The brand used it for the first time in 2015 for the ProDiver Pointer Moon and a few Artix models. The Oris caliber 761, based on Sellitas SW220-1, is what provides the simple pointer hand. The extra hand and printed charts impart a no-nonsense informational quality to the complication, and thats exactly the kind of moonphase that fits a tool-ish dive watch best.At $2,750, someone can pick up one of the remaining pieces and be proud to own one of the rarest combinations of watch features. And with a modified Sellita with a simple moonphase module beating inside, maintaining it unto perpetuity wont break the bank either. Thats exactly what we need from our tools. Plus, the gradient blue-to-gray dial color is pretty.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de LuneNow we go from the contemporary to heritage with the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de Lune. Blancpain revealed the first Bathyscaphe models in 2013, the 60th anniversary of the legendary Fifty Fathoms the first purpose-built dive watch, as Blancpain claims. The Bathyscaphe design modernizes the Fifty Fathoms, featuring a thinner bezel and more restrained elements across the board. The Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Comple Phases de Lune takes all the dial real estate the refinement created and packs in a complete calendar complication as well as a moonphase indicator.Despite its history with tool watches, Blancpain as a brand oozes with luxury. Somehow, the manufacture makes even its non-Bathyscaphe Fifty Fathoms models positively luxurious, despite them being based on a rough-and-tumble tool watch. Its fitting then that Blancpain should add some very luxury-oriented complications to the Bathyscaphe diver.
Courtesy of BlancpainA moonphase dress watch with a divers bezelIn this case, the addition of a full calendar and a moonphase complication transforms the Bathyscaphe. It goes from a gentlemans diver to a complicated dress watch with a dive bezel and a skin-diver case. The included textile strap and brushed steel case surfaces are convincing, but not enough. The script Fifty Fathoms logo and the navy-blue backdrop to a smiling moon seal the deal for its intended audience and use. Id be very surprised to see this dive watch flipping backward off the edge of a boat and into the drink. Its much more likely to be on a yacht on an arm holding a drink.
The specs, however, are mighty convincing. Technically, with 300m of water resistance, this is still very much a dive watch. The sapphire crystal and bezel insert ensure scratch resistance, and the brushed surfaces of the case will do their fair share to hide scratches as well. The movement, Blancpains 6654.P.4, beats at 28,800vph and has a power reserve of 72 hours. For everything thats packed into it, the $14,800 price tag is surprisingly low. It makes the Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Phases de Lune almost serious about diving.
Courtesy of TimeforumTake it diving!While driving through American wine country one day, I made the joke that if I had the money Id buy a vineyard, rip out the grapes, and grow potatoes. Its an insane prospect, considering the cost of land there and the money to be made off wine. In a landscape of very traditional watches with very grand complications, Blancpain has done essentially that. The brand ripped up the traditional conventions of luxury and made a (very nice) potato. And it isnt a joke if someone buys it. Whoever does just has to figure out whether the potato its for making alcohol or stew. The rebel in me wants to see stew. I want the Blancpain Fifty Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de Lune to go diving.
Panerai LAstronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time GMTIf Blancpains Bathyscaphe moonphase dive watch is surprisingly accessible given its complications, the Panerai LAstronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time GMT referred to as simply the LAstronomo from here on is, fittingly, incredibly expensive. The $230,000 price abruptly distinguishes the LAstronomo as anything but a tool watch. Rather, it might be a country cabin, if I can locate the front door amongst all the gears and sub-dials. This dive watch (yes, dive watch more on that in a bit) is decidedly not for divers, or at least any divers making their livelihood from diving Unless, of course, theyre successful treasure hunters who do not descend deeper than 100 meters.
What ocean?Because yes, the LAstronomo only has a water resistance of 100 meters. Vineyards for potatoes is one thing, but taking this watch swimming is madness. Yet, I contend it is still a dive watch. Panerais long history and relationship with the Italian Navy is marked by many dive-intended watches. The earliest versions of these were without divers bezels or the currently ubiquitous 200+ meter water resistance. Panerai watches have been diving before there even was an ISO code for regulating dive-watch specifications, because dive watches in the 40s and 50s were simply watches that could generally survive the dives. So is Panerais Luminor the base model for the LAstronomo a dive watch? Yes, historically. Not today. But the only way the LAstronomo is touching the ocean is via historical references anyway.
What Moon?So its a dive watch, you grumble. Wheres the moonphase? Its on the back, because somehow Panerai couldnt find room to fit it on the front with the time, date, GMT hand, running seconds, sunrise time, sunset time, equation of time, and tourbillion window (also viewable from the back). The rear moonphase is incorporated into a day/night indicator, just in case you need to know that too.
Courtesy of PaneraiIts a shame, honestly, that with all the investment of development and craft that went into the LAstronomo, Panerai strayed from the water-dwelling roots of the Luminor and diminished the water resistance. Its 50mm size only just surpasses the diameter of the large, early Luminors. It incorporates the iconic Luminor crown mechanism, which is the technology that initially brought Panerai watches to 200m of water resistance. Why then, on what is arguably the most extravagant version of a truly iconic watch from one of horologys oldest water-watch companies, are the water-resistance characteristics not at least on par with the base-model Luminor? I suspect theres someone at Panerai who shuddered at the thought of someone foolhardy enough to think 200m water resistance would make this a good dive companion.
If the Speedmaster gets a moonphase, so should weThe Oris Aquis Dat Watt, Blancpain Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de Lune, and Panerai LAstronomo are the only three worthy dive watches I could find with moonphase indicators, and even that was a stretch. Honestly, I dont know why the moonphase complication is not more prevalent in the dive-watch genre. If some Omega Speedmasters get to have moonphases a feature made completely useless once off the surface of the Earth then why cant watches related to the ocean have them too? The ocean is arguably more moonphase-tied than the Moon. Once youre standing on the Moon, its a matter of sunrise and sunset.If these three examples dont do it for you, let me know what does. I hope you have better luck than I did hunting down dive watches with moonphases. Surprisingly, the one company that has several versions is Invicta.
Oris Dat Watt Limited EditionBoth their price points and specs keep Oris Aquis dive watches firmly in the tool-watch category. The Oris Aquis Dat Watt Limited Edition is one such Aquis thats relatively accessible and thoroughly robust, moonphase included. It was created in conjunction with the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat to raise funds and awareness about the Wadden Sea, an international UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest tidal flood plains in the world. Fitting the motif, this moonphase is in fact touted as a tidal range indicator, with white lines on the dial showing the median level of the tide over a full cycle. Since tides are influenced by the Moon, that full cycle is the lunar cycle. The phases of the Moon are indicated around the dial for the separate indicator hand to point to.Still a toolIts a gorgeous watch and definitely one Ive had my eye on since its introduction. Ill most likely wait until all 2009 limited editions sell out and regret it. But cest la vie. What I like about it is that it takes all of the standard Aquis elements 300m water resistance, elegantly stub-lugged case, and a unique design for the hands and indices and imports a moonphase indicator that doesnt visually or thematically compromise its dive watch-ness.Courtesy of OrisThe 43.5mm-diameter case creates a dial with some real estate, which the tide/moon chart fills perfectly. Steering clear of some goofy, smiling, man-in-the-moon depiction that rotates in and out of view was a good call. This isnt Oriss first time around with this complication in this exact orientation. The brand used it for the first time in 2015 for the ProDiver Pointer Moon and a few Artix models. The Oris caliber 761, based on Sellitas SW220-1, is what provides the simple pointer hand. The extra hand and printed charts impart a no-nonsense informational quality to the complication, and thats exactly the kind of moonphase that fits a tool-ish dive watch best.At $2,750, someone can pick up one of the remaining pieces and be proud to own one of the rarest combinations of watch features. And with a modified Sellita with a simple moonphase module beating inside, maintaining it unto perpetuity wont break the bank either. Thats exactly what we need from our tools. Plus, the gradient blue-to-gray dial color is pretty.Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de LuneNow we go from the contemporary to heritage with the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de Lune. Blancpain revealed the first Bathyscaphe models in 2013, the 60th anniversary of the legendary Fifty Fathoms the first purpose-built dive watch, as Blancpain claims. The Bathyscaphe design modernizes the Fifty Fathoms, featuring a thinner bezel and more restrained elements across the board. The Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Comple Phases de Lune takes all the dial real estate the refinement created and packs in a complete calendar complication as well as a moonphase indicator.Despite its history with tool watches, Blancpain as a brand oozes with luxury. Somehow, the manufacture makes even its non-Bathyscaphe Fifty Fathoms models positively luxurious, despite them being based on a rough-and-tumble tool watch. Its fitting then that Blancpain should add some very luxury-oriented complications to the Bathyscaphe diver.Courtesy of BlancpainA moonphase dress watch with a divers bezelIn this case, the addition of a full calendar and a moonphase complication transforms the Bathyscaphe. It goes from a gentlemans diver to a complicated dress watch with a dive bezel and a skin-diver case. The included textile strap and brushed steel case surfaces are convincing, but not enough. The script Fifty Fathoms logo and the navy-blue backdrop to a smiling moon seal the deal for its intended audience and use. Id be very surprised to see this dive watch flipping backward off the edge of a boat and into the drink. Its much more likely to be on a yacht on an arm holding a drink.The specs, however, are mighty convincing. Technically, with 300m of water resistance, this is still very much a dive watch. The sapphire crystal and bezel insert ensure scratch resistance, and the brushed surfaces of the case will do their fair share to hide scratches as well. The movement, Blancpains 6654.P.4, beats at 28,800vph and has a power reserve of 72 hours. For everything thats packed into it, the $14,800 price tag is surprisingly low. It makes the Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Phases de Lune almost serious about diving.Courtesy of TimeforumTake it diving!While driving through American wine country one day, I made the joke that if I had the money Id buy a vineyard, rip out the grapes, and grow potatoes. Its an insane prospect, considering the cost of land there and the money to be made off wine. In a landscape of very traditional watches with very grand complications, Blancpain has done essentially that. The brand ripped up the traditional conventions of luxury and made a (very nice) potato. And it isnt a joke if someone buys it. Whoever does just has to figure out whether the potato its for making alcohol or stew. The rebel in me wants to see stew. I want the Blancpain Fifty Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de Lune to go diving.Panerai LAstronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time GMTIf Blancpains Bathyscaphe moonphase dive watch is surprisingly accessible given its complications, the Panerai LAstronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time GMT referred to as simply the LAstronomo from here on is, fittingly, incredibly expensive. The $230,000 price abruptly distinguishes the LAstronomo as anything but a tool watch. Rather, it might be a country cabin, if I can locate the front door amongst all the gears and sub-dials. This dive watch (yes, dive watch more on that in a bit) is decidedly not for divers, or at least any divers making their livelihood from diving Unless, of course, theyre successful treasure hunters who do not descend deeper than 100 meters.What ocean?Because yes, the LAstronomo only has a water resistance of 100 meters. Vineyards for potatoes is one thing, but taking this watch swimming is madness. Yet, I contend it is still a dive watch. Panerais long history and relationship with the Italian Navy is marked by many dive-intended watches. The earliest versions of these were without divers bezels or the currently ubiquitous 200+ meter water resistance. Panerai watches have been diving before there even was an ISO code for regulating dive-watch specifications, because dive watches in the 40s and 50s were simply watches that could generally survive the dives. So is Panerais Luminor the base model for the LAstronomo a dive watch? Yes, historically. Not today. But the only way the LAstronomo is touching the ocean is via historical references anyway.What Moon?So its a dive watch, you grumble. Wheres the moonphase? Its on the back, because somehow Panerai couldnt find room to fit it on the front with the time, date, GMT hand, running seconds, sunrise time, sunset time, equation of time, and tourbillion window (also viewable from the back). The rear moonphase is incorporated into a day/night indicator, just in case you need to know that too.Courtesy of PaneraiIts a shame, honestly, that with all the investment of development and craft that went into the LAstronomo, Panerai strayed from the water-dwelling roots of the Luminor and diminished the water resistance. Its 50mm size only just surpasses the diameter of the large, early Luminors. It incorporates the iconic Luminor crown mechanism, which is the technology that initially brought Panerai watches to 200m of water resistance. Why then, on what is arguably the most extravagant version of a truly iconic watch from one of horologys oldest water-watch companies, are the water-resistance characteristics not at least on par with the base-model Luminor? I suspect theres someone at Panerai who shuddered at the thought of someone foolhardy enough to think 200m water resistance would make this a good dive companion.If the Speedmaster gets a moonphase, so should weThe Oris Aquis Dat Watt, Blancpain Bathyscaphe Quanti房me Complet Phases de Lune, and Panerai LAstronomo are the only three worthy dive watches I could find with moonphase indicators, and even that was a stretch. Honestly, I dont know why the moonphase complication is not more prevalent in the dive-watch genre. If some Omega Speedmasters get to have moonphases a feature made completely useless once off the surface of the Earth then why cant watches related to the ocean have them too? The ocean is arguably more moonphase-tied than the Moon. Once youre standing on the Moon, its a matter of sunrise and sunset.If these three examples dont do it for you, let me know what does. I hope you have better luck than I did hunting down dive watches with moonphases. Surprisingly, the one company that has several versions is Invicta.