4 spectacular new watches that track the lunar cycle

With its signature red gold case and a midnight blue fume dial, the new perpetual calendar by H. Moser & Cie. is deceptively business-as-usual. Look closer and you will discover that a window at ‘12’ displays the Chinese character for “rabbit”, your first hint that the watch may be more than it seems.

The Endeavour Chinese Calendar, limited to 100 pieces, displays both the Chinese and Gregorian calendars, a feat made possible with the help of Agenhor SA, a complication specialist who has created movements for Hermès and Ming, among others. As the Chinese lunar calendar has 10.88 fewer days than the Gregorian solar calendar, an extra 13th month—known as an embolismic month—is added every two to three years to avoid excessive discrepancy.

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Unlike most Chinese calendar watches, where there are at least 70 manual corrections required, the Endeavour Chinese Calendar features the first movement to operate according to the cycle without external interventions thanks to two cams working in parallel and conveying the Chinese calendar information using feelers, including the embolismic months. An adjustment is only necessary once every 12 years.

The window at ‘12’ displays the Chinese zodiac sign of the lunar year; below it is the embolismic month number whenever there is a 13-month year. On the left side of the dial is the indication for the Chinese calendar month while on the right side is the indication for the Chinese calendar days and moon phase. At ‘6’ is a window displaying the Gregorian date.