Moritz Grossmann is known for making exceptional wristwatches with traditional methods, designs and materials. Not so traditional with this is the 44.5mm case which is crafted from stainless steel and then given a DLC treatment. The photos make it looks like gunmetal grey, but I’m told it’s actually a black colour.
The most striking feature about the Moon in Space watch is undoubtedly its offset dial arrangement. Following from last year’s Lost in Space watch, the Moon in Space features the entire movement placed to the right of the case. A small time dial sits next to an even smaller seconds subdial, and both are surrounded by a metal ring which has relief engraving designed to recreate the surface of the moon. Both dials have Grand Feu enamelling on them and Moritz Grossmann’s signature hand-polished stainless steel which have a brown/violet hue.
Behind this sits the calibre 102.0, an in-house, manually wound movement from Moritz Grossmann. It’s made of 196 parts, with 26 jewels of which three have been placed in polished gold chatons. It uses a traditional lever escapement with a Grossmann shock-resistant balance and a Nivarox hairspring and beats at 3Hz for a total of 48 hours. There’s a whole host of exciting features on this movement, and Moritz Grossmann lists as many as possible on their website, what we’ve covered here barely scratches the surface.
The entire movement and time display has been offset inside the case, and then attached to the case via 4 arms placed so that they mimic the four antennae of humanity’s first artificial satellite: Sputnik 1, which not only broadcast for three weeks (and stayed aloft for a further two months), but it also sent the USA into a state of panic and kick-started the Space Race. It’s only fitting then that they pay homage to both the beginning and the end of the Race. Perhaps there should be a tribute to the first human being to go into outer space, one Yuri Gagarin? Let’s hope so. This is as good a time as any to do it.
The Moritz Grossmann Moon in Space watch will cost €30,700 and is limited to just eight examples worldwide. Last year’s Lost in Space was limited to 26, a reference to Moritz Grossmann’s founding in 1826, now that we’ve had both 26 and 8, could there be a super watch from them coming? One that’s limited to 1 example?
Visit Moritz Grossmann here.
