Alright so this week I got totally hooked on moon phase watches after seeing some fancy Instagram reel. Figured hey, why not actually see which brands are worth the hype? Grabbed my laptop and dove straight into the mess of online comparisons.
The Rabbit Hole Phase
Started simple – just Googled “best moon phase watches” like anybody else would. Instantly bombarded with like a hundred articles and forum threads. Noticed the same 5-6 brand names popping up everywhere:
- Seiko for budget stuff
- Hamilton and Tissot in the middle range
- Orient mentioned a lot too
- Then the big boys like Longines and Oris popping up
- And of course folks drooling over Jaeger and Patek if money was no thing
Price Shock and Confusion
Man, opened like 15 tabs on different shopping sites and manufacturer pages. Prices were all over the damn place.
- Saw some Seiko dress watches with a tiny moon phase for around $300. Looked okay but kinda basic.
- Scrolled down and boom! Oris Artelier stuff sitting pretty at $2000+. Moon disc looked cleaner for sure.
- Hamilton Jazzmaster ones looked solid around $1500, but some models had this weird “day/night” indicator instead of a proper moon. Not cool.
- Then fell into a Longines Master Collection page… gorgeous dials, but man those prices climb past $2500 quick. Felt my wallet sweating.
Checked some videos too – noticed the cheap movements sometimes had the moon phase stuck way up high under the crystal, making the moon look tiny. Felt like they hid it.
Realization Hits
After hours of clicking and switching tabs back and forth? Total mess. Every single “best” list contradicted the last one. Some hyped brands that felt overpriced for what you actually got, especially the ones charging luxury prices for basic movements hidden behind pretty faces. Saw forum arguments about accuracy – apparently some moon discs jump at noon instead of midnight? Weird stuff I never even thought about before.
My practical takeaway after all that clicking and comparing?
1. If you just want the look and don’t care much? Stick with Seiko or Orient. Cheap, gets the job done, even if the moon’s microscopic.
2. Want something nicer looking without taking out a loan? Tissot or Hamilton might hit the sweet spot, but double-check it’s actually showing the moon phase, not just sun and moon icons!
3. Dropping serious cash? You better LOVE that Oris or Longines dial design because you’re paying mostly for the brand sticker. The moon function itself ain’t worth that price jump, trust me.
Honestly? Ended up overwhelmed. Learned a ton but still couldn’t pick a clear “best” brand without bending to the price tag. Probably just gonna stare at my phone’s moon app and keep saving pennies. Maybe next time, universe.
