To welcome this leap year, Blancpain unveils the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Perpétuel Green, a reference to the forest of Le Brassus
The moon phase or lunar phase is the shape of the sunlit portion of the Moon when you look at it from Earth. These phases change cyclically as the Moon orbits the Earth, according to the changing positions of the Moon and Sun relative to the Earth.
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The Moon’s rotation is tidally locked by the Earth’s gravity, therefore the same lunar surface always faces Earth. This face is variously sunlit depending on the position of the Moon in its orbit. There are four principal lunar phases: new moon (0% sunlit), first quarter, full moon (100% sunlit), and third quarter (also known as last quarter).
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Timing of the Moon’s phases shifts
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The average calendar month, which is 1⁄12 of a tropical year, is about 30.44 days, while the Moon’s phase (synodic) cycle repeats on average every 29.53 days. Therefore, the timing of the Moon’s phases shifts by an average of almost one day for each successive month. (Lunar year=354 days.)
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The approximate moon phase can be calculated for any date by calculating the number of days since a known new moon (such as January 1, 1900 or August 11, 1999) and reducing this modulo 29.530588853 (the length of a synodic month). Can you imagine how watch makers manage to create a complication like this?
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Watches with a moon phase
The Omega x Swatch Bioceramic Moonswatch Mission to the Moonphase adds a new chapter to the collab with Omega
The Christopher Ward C1 Moonglow 2024 is a subtle update of the 2019 C1 Moonglow version of the British brand, focused on the case
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar John Mayer is the result of a collaboration with singer/songwriter John Mayer
The Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Date x seconde/seconde/ shows that high-end watchmaking is still done by hand
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked Cactus Jack is the outcome of a collaboration with musician Travis Scott
Carl F. Bucherer introduces four stylish versions of the Manero Peripheral Perpetual Calendar, featuring dials in black, green, rose, and taupe
The Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar 2024 is a timepiece designed for the Year of the Dragon that starts on the 10th of February
The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Chinese Calendar Limited Edition joins the Endeavor collection to celebrate the Chinese New Year
The Arnold & Son Luna Magna Red Gold Meteorite is the latest member of the Luna Magna collection, now with a blue meteorite dial