Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar Ref. 1-90-02-11-35-30
The Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar Ref. 1-90-02-11-35-30 features a blue dial, 18-carat red gold case, a moon phase display and a Panorama Date. Behind the scenes, the self-winding movement, the Calibre 90-02, is beautifully appointed. Having spent time with this refined watch, Angus Davies shares his observations.
A few years ago, whilst attending an event in Basel, I visited a restaurant. I selected a hamburger and ‘fries’ along with a small glass of house red. Having devoured the delicious burger and quaffed the agreeable glass of wine, I requested the bill. I was somewhat surprised when I discovered my modest dinner had just cost me approximately £45.
My reason for mentioning this is that although £45 is hardly a king’s ransom, the meal I received did not represent value for money.
In contrast, the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar (Ref. 1-90-02-11-35-30) retails for £17,900, a significant sum by comparison. However, considering its specification this watch sounds incredible value for money.
Housed in an 18-carat red gold case and sporting an exquisite blue dial, this high-end watch from Saxony caught my attention whilst perusing the brand’s website. Therefore, I contacted the company’s UK office and they kindly provided a press sample for me to evaluate.
The dial
Just a brief glance at the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar and its asymmetric dial layout will ensnare your heart. Indeed, there is something wonderfully idiosyncratic about this dial that makes it wonderful. By placing the hour, minutes and seconds to the left, the watch sets aside horological convention.
However, the brand from Saxony has not sacrificed practicality on the altar of style. The biased arrangement of the hours, minutes and seconds affords space for the moonphase and ‘Panorama Date’, positioned to the right.
Returning to left side of the dial, the lancine-style hour and minute hands are gold and lined with Super-LumiNova. Applied, golden hour markers, presented in baton-form, denote the hours save for 5, 6 and 7 o’clock where the overlapping small seconds display assumes prominence. A softly spoken minute track encircles the hour and minute display. Personally speaking, I did struggle to see the subtle white markings, albeit this does little to diminish my overall admiration for the dial.
As previously mentioned, a small seconds display overlaps the main hour and minute display. It features a lone golden hand, sans luminescent treatment, which converses with a white track and Arabic numerals.
Both the hour and minute display as well as the small seconds display are lightly snailed. Where some brands endow a surface with deep concentric rings, Glashütte Original favours a subtle, understated approach. This design philosophy is repeated throughout. Indeed, the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar is the very antithesis of conspicuous and crass consumption, exuding elegant and tasteful restraint.
A crescent-shaped moonphase, positioned at 2 o’clock, encompasses silver and gold tones. A golden disc collaborates with an arcing track to show the age of the moon in days. The expansive nature of the indication heightens interest and grants a welcome alternative to the ubiquitous circular displays typically found at 6 o’clock.
When appraising the dial of the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar, the pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the Panorama Date. This large format indication has become a speciality of the house. In common with other large date displays, the Panorama Date employs two discs, one to indicate the tens and a second to show the units. However, the approach taken by Glashütte Original is different from that employed by other companies. For example, the two discs are positioned at the same level and are not framed, causing a two-digit date to appear as if presented on one disc. This widescreen depiction of the date is the finest you will see anywhere, irrespective of price.
The case
The Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar looks surprisingly neat when placed upon the wrist. Its case is 40mm in diameter, but looks smaller in the flesh. I suspect the reason for the model’s compact appearance can be attributed to the design of its lugs. I measured the lug to lug distance as circa 46mm, no doubt a function of the lug’s strongly curved profile. For most prospective wearers, the proportions of each case element and the overall scale of the watch provide further reasons for considering this high-end timepiece.
There are various factors that strongly influence the final selling price of a watch, including the case material employed. The Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar is made of 18-carat red gold. Where the Manufactory has conferred value and virtue in equal measure is by using a significant amount of the noble metal and imbuing it with an exquisite blend of finishes. For example, the bezel, the upper lug surfaces (including the chamfered edges) as well as the caseback are polished, while the remaining surfaces are satin-brushed. Whenever polished and satin-brushed surfaces are juxtaposed it requires time and expertise which, by default, heightens cost. Every tactile encounter with this watch reinforces the perception of luxury.
The Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar is supplied on a sumptuous blue Louisiana alligator leather strap. My press sample came supplied on a ‘fold fastener’, retailing for £17,900, however, the watch is available on a pin buckle for £16,300 (prices as at 21.7.2021). Furthermore, Glashütte Original offers an alternative version of the PanoMaticLunar in steel that may prove more accessible to some purchasers.
An exhibition caseback affords views of the self-winding movement within the watch.
The movement
Over the years, I have worn several Glashütte Original models. The Manufactory has an extraordinary ability for making beautifully refined in-house watch movements and the Calibre 90-02 proves no exception.
This self-winding movement employs an openworked three-quarter rotor. It features the brand’s ‘double-G’ symbol and incorporates a 21-carat gold weight affixed to its outer edge. The movement also features a three-quarter plate, upholding Glashütte tradition, a feature which confers greater stability than multiple bridges and cocks.
The Calibre 90-02 is equipped with a screwed balance and features the brand’s iconic duplex swan-neck fine adjustment system which includes hand-engraved balance cocks. Thermally blued screws abound and the three-quarter plate is adorned with Glashütte ribbing and bevelled edges. Every element of the movement is exquisitely presented.
Closing remarks
The dial of the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar is a top-drawer performance. Beyond imparting the hours, minutes and seconds, the display includes a charming depiction of the moon’s age and includes the German marque’s now-legendary Panorama Date. The dial is both attractive and simple to read.
When appraising the dial through a loupe, its excellence comes to the fore. The various dial details are not overdone, but presented in elegant and understated form. The dial is made at the watch brand’s own dial making facility, based in Pforzheim. It is just one more constituent element that Glashütte Original has chosen to produce in-house.
The case doesn’t boast, it assumes seemly behaviour at all times. Measuring 40mm in diameter, its dimensions will suit the majority of potential wearers. Indeed, one of the strengths of this case relates to the brand’s close attention to proportions, with everything looking balanced and poised.
In terms of the movement, Glashütte Original has chosen to equip the Calibre 90-02 with a three-quarter rotor instead of a large oscillating mass. This allows the wearer to see more of the finely decorated three-quarter plate instead of obstructing their view. The finishing is extraordinary and certainly surpasses what I would expect of a watch offered at this price. This may seem a strange comment for a timepiece costing £17,900, however, the prestigious brand has used a significant amount of gold when making this watch. While some firms may enjoy savings by achieving economies of scale, this economic principle doesn’t apply to procuring commodities such as gold.
At this juncture, you have probably ascertained that I like the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar. Its design and the quality of the materials used are very impressive. The watch represents incredible value for money. How does the brand achieve this? Certainly, making watches in Germany is cheaper than Switzerland. My daughter works in Saxony and wages are much lower than in the canton of Neuchâtel.
Furthermore, Glashütte Original is part of the watchmaking behemoth, the Swatch Group. This latter company owns 18 watch brands and makes movements and components for its own companies as well as third party watchmakers. Swatch Group certainly enjoys economies of scale and delivers exceptional watches for incredibly keen prices, the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar merely serves to reinforce my opinion of its parent company’s remarkable competitiveness.
Further reading
https://www.glashuette-original.com/
Technical specifications
- Model: Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar
- Reference: 1-90-02-11-35-30
- Case: 18-carat red gold; diameter 40 mm; height 12.70mm; water resistance 5ATM (50m); sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition case back.
- Functions: Hours, minutes; small seconds; second stop; Panorama Date; moon phase,
- Movement: Calibre 90-02; self-winding movement; frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz); 47 jewels; power reserve = 42 hours (±5%)
- Strap: Blue Louisiana alligator strap presented on an 18-carat folding clasp
- Price: £17,900 (RRP as at 21.7.2021)