Tudor has always been a brand with boots on the ground. Its reputation has been built on sturdy divers, military chronographs and modern tool icons like the Ranger, Black Bay and Pelagos. Which is why, when the curtain rise on its first-ever moonphase, eyebrows will inevitably lift. Isn’t this the brand that thrives on grit rather than starlight?

The answer is yes – but not only. Running through Tudor’s history is a quieter seam of classic watchmaking. From the early Oyster Prince references of the 1950s to today’s 1926 and Royal lines, the brand has always carried an undercurrent of dress-watch tradition. That makes the 1926 Luna feel less like a surprise detour and more like a natural extension – a watch that reaches for the skies while keeping both feet firmly planted.

Its 39mm case is in 316L steel, slim at just over 10mm, water-resistant to 100m, and topped with a domed sapphire. In short, this is a moonphase you can actually wear. The bracelet is the 1926’s familiar seven-row design, with polished centers and satin outer links giving just enough sparkle without tipping into showiness. Even the guarantee is practical: five years, transferable, and no registration required. Historically, that’s what Tudor’s best dress watches have always promised – elegance that slips under a cuff, yes, but also reliability to see you through the years.

The dial is where the intrigue lies. Available in black, blue or an elegant champagne, each carries applied Arabic numerals and faceted arrow markers. Then, at 6 o’clock, the moonphase makes its entrance – not via a standard scalloped crescent cut-out, but through a round “sky aperture” framed with a polished bevel. On the champagne dial, the so-called “phantom” effect – a disc that disappears into a darkened sub-register as the moon wanes – feels more like looking through a telescope than glancing at a complication. It’s a simple design twist that manages to be fresh without being fussy.

This is also where the Tudor DNA asserts itself. The complication hasn’t been forced into a Black Bay in search of novelty; it belongs within the 1926 collection, where tradition and subtlety are the natural fit. There’s no ambassador signature on the caseback, no commemorative flourish. Just a design that earns its place through quiet confidence.

Not entirely a coincidence, the 1926 Luna launches just before the Mid-Autumn Festival – one of the most important celebrations in Chinese culture, and one that honors the harvest and the full moon as a symbol of unity and renewal. It would, however, be a mistake to see the watch as a timepiece made only for the Asian market. Yes, it benefits from the creative touch of Jay Chou, but the watch itself is universal. At 39mm, it hits the sweet spot for modern wearers – versatile enough for smaller wrists yet substantial enough to carry detail.

Jay Chou himself deserves mention. Known as the “King of Mandopop,” he is also an actor, director and a restless creative with a long-standing interest in design. Tudor has partnered with him since 2018, and his influence here is subtle but real. The lunar window that resembles the eyepiece of a telescope, the balance between shadow and light – these are the kind of thoughtful details he helps to shape. His name isn’t stamped on the dial, but his sensibility lingers in the design.

Inside beats the T607-9, built on a Sellita base but tuned to Tudor’s standards: regulated in Switzerland, tested in-house as a complete watch and held to tolerances of –4 / +6 seconds per day. While Tudor has made a strong push in recent years to use in-house Kenissi movements in its sports lines, relying on external suppliers (ETA, Valjoux and, more recently, Sellita) for its classic and dress watches is both consistent with the brand’s history and deliberate in its positioning. The message is clear: what matters is performance, not provenance.

On the wrist, the 1926 Luna doesn’t feel like a contradiction. It feels like a reminder of Tudor’s dual character: practical but never plain, imaginative but never indulgent. Where many moonphases are treated as delicate showpieces, reserved for formal occasions, Tudor has created one that is both refined and reassuringly robust. It slips under a cuff at dinner, but it also feels completely natural on the wrist for work the next morning.

Tech Specs: Tudor 1926 Luna

Reference: 91560-67050
Movement: Self-winding Tudor T607-9; chronometer-grade regulation; Sellita base
Functions: Central hours, minutes and seconds; date; moonphase
Case: 39mm; 316L steel; smooth polished bezel; 100m of water resistance
Dial: Black, Blue, Champagne; applied numerals/markers; date window at 3 o’clock; moonphase at 6 o’clock
Strap: 316L steel seven-row bracelet
Price: CHF 3,900 (incl. VAT)