I think it must be the case that CODE41’s workshops are the closest thing to a mad scientist’s lab that you’ll find in the watch industry. Constantly pushing boundaries in terms of modern, industrial design as well as exploring intriguing niches within the sphere of horology through projects like the Mecascape. For their latest creation, CODE41 are striking out in a new direction with the Moon INCEPTION.
The first thing you’ll note about the CODE41 Moon INCEPTION is that unlike every other watch they’ve produced, it has a closed dial with no skeletonization. Instead, it showcases an entirely new level of classicism and high-quality finishing that they’ve never demonstrated before. Those qualities are best observed on the watch’s dial, which consists of three discs. The first, largest disc is the main dial of the piece, bordered on all sides by the railway minute track. It has a grained texture finish reminiscent of the surface of the moon.
On top of that disc and off set towards 7 and 8 o’clock is the moonphase disc, which depicts the silver moon against a backdrop of celestial constellations. Then, in the top right of the display at 2 and 3 o’clock is the date disc with a similar constellation background but instead of the moon at its centre is the date. The different sizes of the discs almost make the display appear like its own celestial system with the various complications orbiting around each other.
Zooming out from the dial to the case, this feels like more familiar territory for CODE41. The Moon INCEPTION is presented in a 41.5mm steel case in a cushion shape with sharply facetted lugs, giving it a high tech, modern appearance despite cushion watches often being associated with retro or Art Deco designs. Although, there are actually some intentionally retro aspects to the design of the watch because it has a convex sapphire crystal. It gives the watch an intriguing hybrid style.
Below the surface of the watch is housed the new C41-MP automatic calibre. It’s based on the architecture of the Sellita SW288 Elaboré movement with custom moon discs and rotors produced by AJS, a Swiss watchmaking factory. It’s a really solid movement with a 41-hour power reserve and options upon ordering to be upgraded to a COSC certified chronometer version.
The chronometer upgrade isn’t the only optional benefit on offer either, as 16 customers will be be able to take part in an immersive watchmaking experience. Taking place in a real watchmaking workshop, they’ll be invited to assemble their Moon INCEPTION themselves, overseen of course by professionals helping them at each stage.
Pre-orders for the watch are open now and will stay open only for a single Lunar cycle, between the January and February full moons. Which, if you don’t have a moonphase watch already to keep track of it, means pre-orders close on February 23rd. As for pricing, the CODE41 Moon INCEPTION is £2,905 with the COSC upgrade adding £273 on top of that. I personally think this is one of the most exciting launches CODE41 have done in the past few years, although I am biased by my love of retro design, which this leans into for the first time.
Price and Specs:
More details at CODE41.
