SAVOIR FAIRE How To Read the Moonphase Complication
1min
The moon is front and center on the new TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer, a timepiece that combines classic elegance with modern sophistication. On top of that, it presents a style of moonphase indicator rarely seen, but one that is entirely in line with the Maison’s avant-garde values.
What is a moonphase, and why has it fascinated people for centuries?
The moonphase is not a new complication in timekeeping by any measure — lunar calendars have been found dating back to the Neolithic period, with the first mechanical moon phase being the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek model of the solar system dating back to the second century BCE. Regardless of whether you’re tracking the moon from an ancient device or a modern watch, the concept remains the same. At its heart, a moon phase indicator displays where the moon is in its 29.5-day cycle, with a disc advancing once per day and showing the slowly changing phases of the moon.
How does the moon change in the sky?
How the moon looks in the sky varies depending on what phase of the lunar cycle we’re currently in. There are four major phases of the moon — the new moon, the first quarter, the full moon and the last quarter. In between these full phases are intermediate times when the moon presents as a crescent (between a new moon and a quarter moon) or gibbous (between a quarter moon and a full moon). If the apparent shape of the moon is thickening, it is waxing, and if it is thinning, it is waning.
To complicate things further, how the moon looks in the sky differs depending on where in the world you are — the difference between northern and southern hemispheres is most striking, with the passage of the moon in the southern hemisphere being from left to right, rather than right to left in the northern skies.
How does the Carrera Astronomer’s dial stand out ?
Most moon phase displays use a disc mostly hidden behind an aperture on the dial, so that the visible moon on the dial matches up with the moon in the sky. For the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer, things are a little different. TAG Heuer has opted for a fully visible rotating display, with twin slim arrows sitting in a recessed lunar disc, which rotates daily at 1:00 AM. This pointer indicator lines up with a boldly graphic display showing the seven phases of the moon, dominating the lower half of the dial in a striking arc.
How do you read the moonphase on this watch?
The display shows precisely what the current position in the 29.5-day lunar cycle is. The opposite side of the lunar indicator (closest to the bottom of the dial) describes in text what phase is shown visually at the top. Reading this style of moon phase is intuitive, as you can see the entire linear progression of the moon clearly at a glance.
Why does TAG Heuer call this approach avant-garde?
TAG Heuer’s avant-garde approach represents a break from the traditional moon phase display, with the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer’s display offering legibility, functionality and precision perfectly in keeping with the Maison’s technical and scientific approach to timekeeping.
