To read more about how the moon phase mechanism represents the phases of the moon, click here Arnold & Son HM Perpetual MoonĪrnold & Son HM Perpetual Moon is a standout timepiece in more ways than one. Here are 10 such remarkable timepieces that might quench your fascination with the moon. Each year, prominent watchmaking companies present the moon phase display in innovative and creative ways, while striving for a more accurate variation of the mechanism. Although, with time, it lost its practical use, the romance for the complication never faded away among the watch collectors. Over the next few centuries, the complication appeared on standalone clocks, pocket watches, and finally, in the 20th century, on wristwatches.

Displaying the orbit of the known planets and phases of the moon, along with the time and month of the year, the timepieces gained a lot of popularity during the Renaissance and were installed inside cathedrals. For Europeans, though, it took another two centuries to invent their own astronomical clocks.

Known as Cosmic Engine, the 12m-tall mechanical clock was designed not only to tell time but also revealed how the stars and Earth move through space. Here is Arnold & Sons HM Perpetual Moon, which features an oversized, 29mm moon phase displayīut what laid the foundation for the modern watches with moon phase was the invention of the first astronomical clock by the Chinese scientist Su Song in 1092 AD. There’s something quite magical and poetic to have the moon on your wrist. Built by the ancient Greeks in 205 BC, the astronomical calculator was able to display the position of the moon, dates, and even the timing for the ancient Olympic Games. This led to the development of the Antikythera mechanism. As humans continued to evolve, their desire to understand the movement of celestial bodies grew too. Archaeologists believe that the hunter-gatherers of Mesolithic Britain used the calendar to keep track of the passage of the seasons and the lunar cycle. The earliest evidence was discovered in Scotland-a 10,000-year-old lunar calendar consisting of a series of 12 large, specially shaped pits which resembled various phases of the moon. In fact, early humans used the moon to tell time even before the first language was written, before the establishment of any civilisation, and well before the foundation of any religion. The concept of moon phases dates back to a long, long time before they were seen on wristwatches.

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