Moonphase Watch – By Claude Bernard Watches

History in a watch

The method of telling the time by the passing of the moon around the earth has been used for centuries. The discovery of a stone mechanism called the Antikythera dating back to 100 B.C. is thought to be the earliest known “clock” that could predict the position and phases of the moon around the earth.

It is the regularity of the moons movement around the earth that has made reading the phases of the moon a reliable method of recording the passage of time.

The “moon phase” is the area of the moon that is lit and visible to us as it travels around the earth. As a point of interest, the moon travels in a counter-clockwise direction around the earth as all planets do, except Venus.

Astronomers have identified the four major phases of the moon as follows,

• The “New Moon” occurs when the moon is not visible from earth as the sun and the moon are in alignment on the same side of the earth.
• “First Quarter” is when the sun shines on the right-hand side of the moon.
• The “Full Moon” occurs when the entire surface of the moon is lit by the Sun`s light.
• The “Last Quarter” is when only the left hand-side has the Sun`s light on it and so only the left hand side of the moon is visible from earth. This cycle is repeated every 29.53 days which is close to the average number of days in our present Julian calendar that we use today.

Moonphase watch

How to set the time on your Claude Bernard Moonphase watch.

To set Moonphase Time

• Pull-out the crown to its full position.
• Find the current position of the moon in the sky from Moonphase tables https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/uk/london or at http://www.claudebernard.ch/customer-service download the instructions on using your Claude Bernard time piece. www.claudebernardwatches.co.uk
• Rotate the crown of the watch “clock wise” until you see the shape of the moon that it should be aligned with in its current astrological moon position. This phase of the moon should be visible in the centre of the viewing window of your watch.
• Close the crown of the watch by pushing it back in again.

To set regular day Time

Pull out the crown fully and rotate the crown anti-clockwise until you find the desired time setting then push the crown back in.

To set the Date

1. Pull out the crown slightly to its half out position. Then rotate clockwise to adjust the date, pushing the crown back in when complete.

Moonphase Watch- Their importance

 The Moonphase watch can be a very important tool for many people.

• Sailors/ Fishermen – they need to know the tidal phases which are determined by the moon`s phases. http://www.tides4fishing.com/lunar-calendar
• Farmers/Gardeners – need to know the best times to sow seed and bring in harvests. In general, plant seeds at the beginning of the new moon, harvest your crop on a full moon. http://www.almanac.com/content/planting-moons-phase-gardening-calendar or http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/phases.html
• Certain Religious Groups/ Religious worshipers
• Human Health Bio Rhythms. http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/indepth/moon-affects-us/
• Scientists/Astronomers– Star gazers.

This list provides just a few examples of people who may need to know the moon`s phase and have a watch that shows its phase. Please e-mail enquiries@claudebernardwatches.co.uk if you would like to provide more examples of users and references for the uses of a Moonphase watch.

Claude Bernard watches was established in the Jura Valley of Switzerland in 1972 (final year of NASA`s Apollo Moon Missions) with the aim of manufacturing high quality Swiss watches without the high price tag.

Today Claude Bernard watches offer a range of Moonphase watches at affordable prices so that everyone can enjoy the beauty of a watch that shows the moon`s phases.

Please visit www.claudebernardwatches.co.uk to discover the Moonphase watch universe.

Quiz question: Time is more accurately measured by the movement of the earth around  a) The Sun b) The Moon ?

Answer: The Moon.