A brand that’s long built a reputation for its robust tool watches, Tudor has now delivered something decidedly more romantic with the 1926 Luna — their first-ever moonphase timepiece. Released just ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, this celestial addition to the 1926 collection further shows Tudor’s push into accessible luxury, even if it means stepping away from their in-house movement philosophy.
Breaking New Ground for the Shield
The moonphase complication has deep horological roots, tracing back to the Antikythera Mechanism of ancient Greece and later appearing in Renaissance church clocks. When Patek Philippe made a smaller version for our wrists in 1925, they established a template that’s remained largely unchanged. Tudor’s interpretation follows this classical approach, positioning the moonphase indicator at 6 o’clock beneath a domed sapphire crystal in a polished 39mm steel case.
What’s particularly striking is how Tudor’s design team, working alongside brand ambassador Jay Chou, approached the visual execution. The champagne dial variant (Chou’s personal preference) features a phantom gold moon disc emerging from an inky black cutout, creating literal poetry on the wrist. The blue and black dial options offer their own charms, with silver and gold accents respectively. None of the variants feature lume — a conscious choice that reinforces the Luna’s dress watch appeal.
Practical Concessions
Here’s where things get interesting from a brand perspective. The T607-9 movement inside is a Sellita SW280-1 base, not one of Tudor’s Kenissi manufacture calibers. For a brand that’s spent the better part of a decade establishing in-house credibility, this is a calculated retreat to Tudor’s historical approach of combining Rolex-quality cases with third-party movements.
Still, the movement gives us solid fundamentals like a 41-hour power reserve, chronometer-grade regulation (-4/+6 seconds daily), and the requisite moonphase accuracy that’ll need correction only once every 122 years. At 10.1mm thick, the case has elegant proportions, though the 100m of water resistance is a step down compared to Tudor’s usual 200m minimum.
For the seven-link steel bracelet, the brushed outer links are paired with polished center sections, while the folding clasp (sans micro-adjustment) keeps costs reasonable on this sub-$3,000 moonphase watch.
Spec Sheet
Model: Tudor 1926 Luna
Case Material: 316L stainless steel
Case Size: 39mm
Case Thickness: 10.1mm
Movement: Tudor T607-9 (Sellita SW280-1 base)
Power Reserve: 41 hours
Water Resistance: 100m
Crystal: Domed sapphire
Band: Seven-link steel bracelet
Dial Options: Black, blue, champagne
Price: $2,800
Pricing & Availability
Not limited in edition size, the Tudor 1926 Luna moonphase watch is available now through Tudor retailers and boutiques for $2,800.
Recap
Tudor 1926 Luna Moonphase
Tudor just dropped their first-ever moonphase watch with the 1926 Luna, marking a surprising shift from their usual tool watch focus into more romantic territory. At $2,800 with a Sellita movement inside, it’s a solid entry into dress watch complications, even if it means stepping back from their recent in-house movement push.
