Having previously owned a Rolex, an Omega and a Seiko beater (Shogun), I was ill equipped for the particular brand of delights that blossomed a few days into owning this watch.
The search for my one and only “classic dress watch” had gone on for some years. This was partly due to indecision, and partly due to the funds required for a gold watch not yet feeling superfluous enough. There is only enough room in my watch box for six pieces, and it is my intention to set that as the hard limit. This would be watch number four (unless you count that expendable replica that I don’t like to talk about).
Point being, I wouldn’t buy more than one dress watch. Particularly as the continuing “casualisation” of modern business and social life paints the Dress Watch as ever more the throwback than the reference point. But good lord, is a simple-looking, premium timepiece a beautiful thing to behold. I’m determined to work one in, and it would have to have a gold case.
End digression.
The basic composition of the Master Ultra Thin Moon struck me several years back as what felt like an immediate and obvious favorite.
The 39” case is a a polished and rounded 10mm with just a few facet lines to throw reflections into the light. Triple-angled applied indices form a delicately glittering ring around a calm ocean of matte dial with three central hands and a complication. And when you look into the complication, your eyes will only affix itself to the date wheel if you’re looking for it. The mirrored moon phase orb and subdial whitespace dominate the information presented in a similar proportion to how the whitespace of the dial overshadows the complication. On the dial/subdial is only written essential information. Proportionally and stylistically, the watch is beyond reproach. It is calming and intoxicating to look at and move about, just so, in the light.
In terms of feel, setting the watch and listening to the rotor wind the mainspring gives the impression of both fineness and sturdiness. None of the functions of this watch are sloppy, sluggish or the least bit inaccurate. The two in-set pushers for date and moon click their complications forward with deft precision while hiding from view. On the wrist, the proportions are lovely. Ten millimeters by 39mm, I believe, are the objectively ideal dimensions for a classic looking watch - at least on my wrist. Any larger and it would feel too overt. Any smaller and it would feel under-proportioned to the size of my wrist. Any thinner and it wouldn’t have much wrist presence, any thicker and it wouldn’t feel sleek enough.
**
But I could never decide which version of the watch suited me best. The black/stainless is very striking, but almost a bit TOO striking. And besides, a watch like this really wants to be in a precious metal. I don’t particularly care for white dials, which feel too formal to me. I do like the pink gold with slate dial, but when I tried it on it just felt a bit too... mature for my aesthetic.
Then, on a trip to Geneva, I tried on the white gold edition in the local boutique. The gray dial and beautiful silvery shine of the case had me hooked. And I just loved the 22ct yellow gold rotor (with classic, simple Geneva stripes that in the 6:00 position, line up precisely with those on the movement). There it was: an understated classic watch with just a touch of sportiness. And one that could be brought to match any color scheme.
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Apart from whether or not you endorse the moon phase complication, there is little fault one can hope to find in the MUT Moon. A gentleman once reviewed another version of this watch as “objectively beautiful” and I completely agree. The worst criticisim I’ve heard from anyone is “gorgeous, but not really my style.”
When I handle this watch, and then something like a VC Patrimony or PP Calatrava, I get a particular type of pleasure: that of having something that easily rivals the very best, but that is a far better deal, if not quite so fancily adorned. JLC made many of their most popular movements anyway. #keepingItReal
And so, in the this watch, a great weight has been lifted from my collection. I’ve found the perfect dress watch for me.
But do I even really need a dress watch? Well, that point is MUT.
The search for my one and only “classic dress watch” had gone on for some years. This was partly due to indecision, and partly due to the funds required for a gold watch not yet feeling superfluous enough. There is only enough room in my watch box for six pieces, and it is my intention to set that as the hard limit. This would be watch number four (unless you count that expendable replica that I don’t like to talk about).
Point being, I wouldn’t buy more than one dress watch. Particularly as the continuing “casualisation” of modern business and social life paints the Dress Watch as ever more the throwback than the reference point. But good lord, is a simple-looking, premium timepiece a beautiful thing to behold. I’m determined to work one in, and it would have to have a gold case.
End digression.
The basic composition of the Master Ultra Thin Moon struck me several years back as what felt like an immediate and obvious favorite.
The 39” case is a a polished and rounded 10mm with just a few facet lines to throw reflections into the light. Triple-angled applied indices form a delicately glittering ring around a calm ocean of matte dial with three central hands and a complication. And when you look into the complication, your eyes will only affix itself to the date wheel if you’re looking for it. The mirrored moon phase orb and subdial whitespace dominate the information presented in a similar proportion to how the whitespace of the dial overshadows the complication. On the dial/subdial is only written essential information. Proportionally and stylistically, the watch is beyond reproach. It is calming and intoxicating to look at and move about, just so, in the light.
In terms of feel, setting the watch and listening to the rotor wind the mainspring gives the impression of both fineness and sturdiness. None of the functions of this watch are sloppy, sluggish or the least bit inaccurate. The two in-set pushers for date and moon click their complications forward with deft precision while hiding from view. On the wrist, the proportions are lovely. Ten millimeters by 39mm, I believe, are the objectively ideal dimensions for a classic looking watch - at least on my wrist. Any larger and it would feel too overt. Any smaller and it would feel under-proportioned to the size of my wrist. Any thinner and it wouldn’t have much wrist presence, any thicker and it wouldn’t feel sleek enough.
**
But I could never decide which version of the watch suited me best. The black/stainless is very striking, but almost a bit TOO striking. And besides, a watch like this really wants to be in a precious metal. I don’t particularly care for white dials, which feel too formal to me. I do like the pink gold with slate dial, but when I tried it on it just felt a bit too... mature for my aesthetic.
Then, on a trip to Geneva, I tried on the white gold edition in the local boutique. The gray dial and beautiful silvery shine of the case had me hooked. And I just loved the 22ct yellow gold rotor (with classic, simple Geneva stripes that in the 6:00 position, line up precisely with those on the movement). There it was: an understated classic watch with just a touch of sportiness. And one that could be brought to match any color scheme.
Apart from whether or not you endorse the moon phase complication, there is little fault one can hope to find in the MUT Moon. A gentleman once reviewed another version of this watch as “objectively beautiful” and I completely agree. The worst criticisim I’ve heard from anyone is “gorgeous, but not really my style.”
When I handle this watch, and then something like a VC Patrimony or PP Calatrava, I get a particular type of pleasure: that of having something that easily rivals the very best, but that is a far better deal, if not quite so fancily adorned. JLC made many of their most popular movements anyway. #keepingItReal
And so, in the this watch, a great weight has been lifted from my collection. I’ve found the perfect dress watch for me.
But do I even really need a dress watch? Well, that point is MUT.