Christiaan van der Klaauw Real Moon 1980

Quick specs Christiaan van der Klaauw Real Moon 1980
Price: on request
Size: 40 mm
Reference:
CKRL1124 (rose gold)
CKRL2225 (platinum)
CKRL3344 (steel)
CKRL7704 (white gold, aventurine dial)
CKRL7724 (white gold, silver dial)

This Christiaan van der Klaauw Real Moon 1980 is one of the most advanced and accurate moon phase watches on the market. Since its introduction in 2011 it has had some very small updates, and it is only produced in very limited numbers. You can get it with either a stainless steel, rose gold, white gold, or platinum case.

The case is round and measures 40 millimeters with a thickness of 11.8 millimeters. The dial comes in black or silver with a wave pattern, or with a perfectly matching aventurine glass. The latter gives a miniaturized impression of a starry sky. Which is the focus of this timepiece. So, let’s have a look at what this watch tells us about the sky.

Declination of the sun on a watch

The dial can be divided into four zones when it comes to the complications. At the 12 o’clock position is the sun declination indicator. It shows the height of the sun in relation to the horizon. The small Van Der Klaauw logo depicts the sun, and it moves with the seasons. When summer starts the sun is at its highest position and when winter starts the sun is at its lowest position.

Now, the logo moves up and down in a period of approximately 6 months. The symbols that serve as indexes depict the 12 astrological signs of the zodiac. Cancer (crab, depicted as ♋︎) on top (June 22–July 22) for the summer. And Capricornus (goat, depicted as ♑︎) is on the bottom (December 22–January 19) for the winter.

Watch dial with solar & lunar eclipse

At the 3 o’clock position is another very remarkable complication of the Christiaan van der Klaauw Real Moon 1980. An eclipse indicator that shows if there is an eclipse of the sun or the moon, somewhere on earth. And it shows it by hand. When a solar eclipse takes place, the moon blocks our view of the sun, and when a lunar eclipse takes place the shadow of the earth obscures the moon.

We know the moon orbits around the earth and is tilted relative to earth’s orbit around the sun. This tilt gives occasional eclipses with a certain pattern; thus it is calculable. Each year, between 4 to 7 times there is an eclipse, the moment that the earth, moon, and sun line-up for this cosmic-scale shadows. And as it Is calculable, it is technically possible to build that into a watch. NASA offers some great information about eclipses. And Van Der Klaauw converted it into a complication.

3D Moon phase

Then at 6 o’clock there is a 3-dimensional moon depicting the real moon. It’s how the moon looks when hit by direct sunlight and the part we can see from the earth. Things to keep in mind: the moon is tidally locked to earth. As it spins on its axis precisely once every time it orbits the earth. Which one calls motion synchronous rotation.

This information, and much more other data form the layer of calculations that can be made in order to show the moon phases on a watch. Most watches are able to do this with an accuracy of 1 “drift day” per 122 years. So, once every 122 years you have to correct the mechanism. However, this Christiaan van der Klaauw Real Moon 1980 only needs correction once every 5,400 years. Speaking of accuracy…

The Christiaan van der Klaauw Real Moon 1980 has a power reserve of 96 hours

The last part of the dial shows the date and month on a round sub dial, with two overlapping hands. Design-wise the dial is perfectly balanced and even thought there is a lot of information, everything is perfectly readable. So don’t whine about the “311” on the date and the challenge to depict all the zodiac signs as good as possible.

All the magic of the watch runs with the Christiaan van der Klaauw caliber CVDK7384, which probably has a Soprod automatic as base. On top of that Van Der Klaauw builds its own astronomical complications, here the CVDK Real Moon 1980 module. And thanks to two barrels it has a power reserve of 96 hours.

Keep it winded for 5,400 years of accuracy

The Christiaan van der Klaauw Real Moon 1980 comes on a matching black or brown leather strap. The folding clasp had the Klaauw logo engraved, and the material is the same as the case.

You will also get a special Swiss Kubik winder box with the timepiece to keep it winded whenever you don’t wear it. This also prevents the watch to stop and keeps the astronomical complication accurate. The price is on request but count a price range of 50,000 – 100,000 euros or dollars.