Chrono24 Magazine

Until recently, Bulgari was best known as a high-end Italian jeweler. In fact, in most circles, that's all they were known for. This was a problem for the brand’s watchmaking division. They needed a way to get people’s attention, especially that of serious watch lovers. This meant demonstrating their ability to make luxury watches that were every bit as desirable as their exquisite jewelry. {a1}Bulgari{/a1} decided to do the thing many brands (and people) do when they’re looking to make a name for themselves: They picked a fight.

Seeing as the Moon, like the Sun, has long played an important role in our understanding of time, moon phase displays have appeared on timepieces – specifically grandfather clock dials – since the 16th century. The moon phase, or moon phase display, is considered a small complication in watchmaking. Everything in watchmaking comes down to gears that must meet and turn one another at specific times.