WOTW: Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar Green Dial Watch

Without a doubt, the PanoMaticLunar is one of Glashütte Original’s most beloved timepieces. It’s also one of its oldest collections and has evolved over the years to become what is now concerned by the German School of Watchmaking as a modern wristwatch with a distinguishable display, with substantial case dimensions and a dial that occupies several complications. Many Glashütte Original collectors feel that the Saxon-based brand is somewhat reserved in its choice of colour combinations – the silver and blue models of which have no doubt become the cornerstone to the brand’s entire catalogue. But more recently we have observed Glashütte Original shift from its comfortable stance of black, blue and silver dials to the more innovative fiery oranges, glacier blues and now forest green colours.

There is a lot to love about a PanoMaticLunar watch with a silver dial. Classic, understated and perfect for combining with office wear - it balances form with function perfectly. But despite it fitting in charmingly with the concept of Saxon manufacture that Glashütte Original values so high, more unusually coloured timepieces are becoming a desirable aspect for many a luxury watch collector.

Say “hello” to the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar Green watch – the sister of the PanoReserve model albeit an automatic version. It asymmetrical look and quirky colour codes combined with superior functionality deem this piece a precise companion for business, leisure and travel, appealing to those collectors who await a timepiece that will get them noticed for all the right reasons.

To be bright and bold does not mean to be flash and over-confident – a point that Glashütte Original barely needs to make clear, since it has spent the previous two centuries specialising in crafting humble and unpretentious timepieces for the modest male and female. This time, the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLuna watch takes inspiration from the soaring Ore Mountains and captures the intense green shades of the dense coniferous forests that drape over the mountains like a blanket of rich green silk. These picturesque mountains surround the brand’s manufacturing facilities in Pforzheim. The asymmetrical layout of the watch’s dial is all about the golden ratio. Don’t think for a second that the features have merely been placed randomly in positions around its deep green display. The golden ratio is a classic law of aesthetical harmony, which not only creates visual pleasure but breaks away from the retrained and disciplined look of many a luxury wristwatch today.

To start, there are two off-centred dials positioned on the left of the watch’s face. One represents the main hour and minutes. The other, which gently overlaps this larger dial, is the small second counter. The two lightly intertwine without compromising on one another’s space and clarity. Over to the right-hand side of the dial and a date aperture resides at 4 o’clock, dressed against a bright white background. Above this is a moonphase indicator framed by an “age of the moon” track.

The deep green shades of the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar Green watch is framed by a slim, polished 40mm bezel crafted from stainless steel to match the rest of the case. The caseband, however, is executed in a brushed finish to contrast against the polished caseback, lugs and crown. With a 12.7mm case height, the watch still feels robust and present whilst worn underneath the cuff of an office shirt, yet balanced with the thin bezel and large diameter, it feels spacious to reference the time from. Short and curved are the lugs for ergonomically shaping to the contours of the wrist, offering a comfier fit.

Inside the 50-meter water-resistant case of the captivating green wristwatch is the calibre 90-02 which is entirely made, assembled and executed in-house. The rotor within the movement is cleverly positioned off-centre and not just to honour a design in-keeping with the dial, but also to optimize proportions for better performance. Views are afforded of hand-engraved golden motifs, blued screws, thin stripes on the bridge, a beautifully decorated cock, bevelled edges and a duplex swan-neck fine adjustment system through a sapphire crystal glass exhibition caseback. The same material is also used on the front of the watch, protecting the dial with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant properties. The self-winding calibre provides a useful 42-hour power reserve and performs at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour.

One of the most intriguing features of this PanoMaticLunar watch, however, is how the sun hits pockets of light across its sumptuous gradient green dial. Darkening to deeper moss-green and emerald-green shades that melt into an almost-black colour around the periphery – the dial is both lively and fascinating to admire on the wrist. To finish, the watch is completed on a brown Louisiana alligator nubuck leather strap with earthy tones that remain faithful to the nature-inspired theme of this design. See more details on the availability and price of the Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar Green watch.