Hands On The Glashutte Original PanoMaticLunar Watch

By Arthur Touchot | December 7, 2015

The telescopes in Glashütte must have special lenses, because the craftsmen from this tiny German village located on the edge of the Eastern border have captured the moon in a way none had ever before them.

Unveiled during Baselworld 2015, the PanoMaticLunar is part of the brand’s last Pano collection, which also includes two new variations to the PanoReserve family, also in steel and in red gold. An unusual pair of materials to launch in one go – brands typically go for the precious material first – but that shows the confidence the brand has in these models.

The new PanoMaticLunar features the collection’s famous asymmetric layout, featuring an off center hours and minutes dial intersected by a small-seconds dial at 7 o’clock, a moon-phase indicator between 2 and 3 o’clock, and finally a big date at 4 o’clock.

There’s something magical about how the red gold accents light up the dark, galvanised face of the PanoMaticLunar. Made by the brand’s specialist facility, located in Pforzheim, Germany, it makes a case for “Made in Germany” watches. At $23,900, it’s a superb moon-phase watch with more than a sprinkle of gold on top. In fact, the PanoMaticLunar is quite a thick watch at 12.7 mm; the only reproach I could make to the overall aesthetic of the watch.

While it’s easy to get caught star gazing in front of the PanoMaticLunar, this is one of those watches that I wouldn’t mind wearing upside down. Such is the beauty of its manufacture made caliber 90-02, a self-winding movement with 42-hour power reserve.

It features the signature Glashütte three-quarter plate, decorated with familiar Glashütte ribbing, while the skeletonized 21-ct gold rotor and blued screws add some warmth the mechanical heart of the watch.

And then there’s the hand-engraved balance cock with duplex swan neck fine adjustment. Simply incredible! That view: good luck finding at this price range.