A Lunar Tribute: TUDOR’s First Moon Phase Watch Celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with Jay Chou
Written by Fête Chinoise Editorial Team
Images courtesy of TUDOR
As the moon prepares to shine at its fullest during the Mid-Autumn Festival, TUDOR introduces a timely new addition to its collection: the 1926 Luna, the brand’s first watch featuring a moon phase complication. Designed in collaboration with TUDOR ambassador Jay Chou, the release draws inspiration from Eastern lunar traditions, offering a mechanical tribute to a cultural moment that celebrates family, unity, and reflection under the moonlight.
In Chinese tradition, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for reunion, storytelling, and reverence for the moon as a symbol of completeness. The moon phase complication, which tracks the 29.5-day lunar cycle, holds deep symbolic meaning in this context. Its presence on a TUDOR timepiece, particularly within the vintage-inspired 1926 line, feels both timely and culturally resonant.
Jay Chou, musician, filmmaker, and long-time TUDOR ambassador, contributed to the creative direction of the Luna. Known for incorporating elements of fantasy and heritage into his work, Chou lent his vision to one of the watch’s three dial variants: a champagne-coloured dial paired with a moon phase display unlike any TUDOR has produced before.
In this model, a phantom gold disc representing the moon emerges and fades behind a jet-black cutout, mimicking the shifting phases of the moon. It’s a subtle yet imaginative interpretation that adds poetic flair to the traditional complication. The watch manages to evoke both the mystery of the night sky and the technical precision TUDOR is known for.
The 1926 Line: Heritage and Craft
The 1926 collection takes its name from the year “The Tudor” was first registered as a brand by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf. It represents TUDOR’s founding philosophy: creating watches of exceptional quality at an accessible price point. The Luna continues that legacy with a 39mm case in 316L stainless steel, housing a chronometer-grade Swiss automatic movement, the Calibre T607-9.
The moon phase display is positioned at 6 o’clock on each of the three dial versions: black, blue, and champagne, each framed by a polished bezel and domed sapphire crystal. The dials feature a mix of faceted arrow-shaped markers and applied Arabic numerals, while sword-shaped hands add a vintage aesthetic touch. A polished and satin-brushed bracelet completes the design, offering comfort alongside refinement.
The Practical Magic of a Moon Phase
Unlike complications that track time zones or elapsed hours, the moon phase serves a more poetic purpose. It’s a mechanical record of the sky, measuring the passage of lunar time in quiet contrast to the ticking of the seconds. In traditional mythology, especially across East Asia, the moon is associated with beauty, magic, and mystery, a fitting theme for a watch released during the season when the moon is most revered.
The 1926 Luna not only tracks the solar day but aligns itself with a broader natural rhythm, offering a rare dual perspective: the immediate and the eternal.
Legacy and Longevity
Like all current TUDOR watches, the 1926 Luna is backed by a five-year transferable guarantee—with no need for registration or regular maintenance checks during the period. Built to last, the model carries forward the brand’s commitment to robust watchmaking while embracing a softer, more symbolic complication.
Whether seen as a collector’s piece, a seasonal tribute, or a new expression of TUDOR’s design language, the Luna speaks to a deeper connection between watchmaking and culture. Its release during the Mid-Autumn Festival is a reflection of TUDOR’s willingness to engage meaningfully with heritage, both horological and cultural.
More from Fête Chiniose
As the moon prepares to shine at its fullest during the Mid-Autumn Festival, TUDOR introduces a timely new addition to its collection: the 1926 Luna, the brand’s first watch featuring a moon phase complication. Designed in collaboration with TUDOR ambassador Jay Chou, the release draws inspiration from Eastern lunar traditions, offering a mechanical tribute to a cultural moment that celebrates family, unity, and reflection under the moonlight.