Four decades after the Apollo 11 lunar mission, Swiss luxury watch brand Romain Jerome transcends the legend with its new collection: Moon Invader.
With four stunning models: Black Metal Automatic, Black Metal Chronograph, Eminence Grise Automatic and Eminence Grise Chronograph, this enigmatic watch collection from Romain Jerome surely amplifies the emotions of the epic lunar saga. Moon Invader is a fatal weapon of those who wish to escape the bonds of tradition in order to imagine other ways of conceiving legends.
A technically complex 46 mm new case to frame the lunar legend, featuring a more bevelled yet delightfully rounded cushion shape that is almost a rectangle on its hidden side, made from steel coalesced by fusion with spare parts from Apollo 11.
Each watch is thereby literally pervaded by memories of the lunar adventure. This case designed like a safe is an alchemist’s crucible: a spaceship capable of exploring boundless horizons, while carrying in its hold Moon seeds that sow dreams.
The functional ball-and-socket joints in the four “corners” of the “squared circle” featured on the case are cut like the feet of the lunar landing module. These extremely sophisticated components mounted on axles anchored in the case hold the lugs of the rubber strap.
They enable the watch to adjust to all wrist sizes. This comfort-enhancing characteristic also creates an immediately recognisable visual identity.
As the signature feature of the Moon Invader, the RJ security screws with four ball-and-socket joints are echoed on the functional movement-locking screw on the watch case-back. These screws evoke the futuristic codes of contemporary astronautics.
While maintaining the symbolic X that has become a tradition on RJ dials, the Moon Invader line treats itself to a “mesh pattern” directly inspired by the woven metal strands on the tires of lunar roving vehicles. On the multi-layered dial, this gridwork pattern creates a high-tech screen effect never yet used in the watch industry and which lends a symbolic functional element to the new collection codes.
Each of the four zones of this meshing appears on the dial in one of the areas formed by the emblematic RJ X motif. The inner bezel rings are hand-applied, polished and drawn; like the hands, they are openworked and enriched with superluminova (creating an electric blue luminescent effect at night).
There is infinite aesthetic subtlety in the offset position of the lugs in relation to the axes of the central X; a great deal of elegance in the way the round minute circle is superimposed on the dial grid, or how the counter is integrated within the dial structure; and a beautifully balanced effect in the respective proportions of the case, the ball-and-socket joints, the dial and the crown.
The functional ball-and-socket joints in the four “corners” of the “squared circle” featured on the case are cut like the feet of the lunar landing module. These extremely sophisticated components mounted on axles anchored in the case hold the lugs of the rubber strap.
They enable the watch to adjust to all wrist sizes. This comfort-enhancing characteristic also creates an immediately recognisable visual identity. As the signature feature of the , the RJ security screws with four ball-and-socket joints are echoed on the functional movement-locking screw on the watch case-back. These screws evoke the futuristic codes of contemporary astronautics.
The promise embodied in the special Moon Silver plate on the stellar case-back of the watch is a powerful promise of the Moon on the wrist – thanks to a silver alloy boasting an extremely low oxidisation rate and incorporating moon rocks.
This engraved plate depicts the lunar surface, of which the mineral particles interact on an infra-molecular level with the wearer of the watch. The Moon within reach, like a talisman to help keep your feet firmly planted on Earth.
The veined pattern and grainy texture on the case-back evoke the future superstructures of lunar colonisation bases. These motifs also extend along the rubber strap. The security screw locks the access “hatch“ to the movement of the Moon Invader.
Technical details
RJ-Romain Jerome Moon Invader Black Metal Automatic
Movement
Calibre : RJ001-A
Mechanical self-winding movement
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Jewelling: 23 jewels
Power reserve : 42 hours
Functions
Central hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock
Case
46mm
Black PVD-coated steel
Lugs fitted with safety screws and integrated ball-and-socket joints for optimal wrist adjustment
Case with integrated back, composed of spare parts from Apollo 11
Grainy-textured stellar-patterned back with medallion in representing the moon
RJ safety screw on the case-back, exclusively accessible to watchmakers
Screw-lock crown
Water resistance: 3 atm
Dial
Gem-set gridwork motif with integrated X-shaped traverses
Black PVD-coated satin-brushed inner bezel ring, polished and satin-brushed small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock, beadblasted X-shaped traverses
Hands: Oxidised black, polished, with “blue emission” C1 superluminova
Strap
Black vulcanised rubber
Grainy-textured interior of stellar-patterned strap
Buckle: Black PVD-coated steel
Edition
Limited edition: 1’969 pieces
RJ-Romain Jerome Moon Invader Black Metal Chronograph
Movement
Calibre: RJ001-C
Mechanical self-winding movement
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Jewelling: 23 jewels
Power reserve: 42 hours
Functions
Central hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock
Chronograph, 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock
Case
46mm
Black PVD-coated steel
Lugs fitted with safety screws and integrated ball-and-socket joints for optimal wrist adjustment
Case with integrated back, composed of spare parts from Apollo 11
Grainy-textured stellar-patterned back with medallion in representing the moon
RJ safety screw on the case-back, exclusively accessible to watchmakers
Screw-lock crown
Water resistance: 3 atm
Dial
Gem-set gridwork motif with integrated X-shaped traverses
Black PVD-coated satin-brushed inner bezel ring, polished and satin-brushed chronograph counters at 3 and 6 o’clock, circular satin-brushed small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock, beadblasted X-shaped traverses
Hands: Oxidised black, polished, with “blue emission” C1 superluminova
Strap
BIack vulcanised rubber
Grainy-textured interior of stellar-patterned strap
Buckle: Black PVD-coated steel
Edition
Limited edition: 1’969 pieces
RJ-Romain Jerome Moon Invader Eminence Grise Automatic
Movement
Calibre: RJ001-A
Mechanical self-winding movement
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Jewelling: 23 jewels
Power reserve: 42 hours
Functions
Central hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock
Case
46 mm
Dark grey PVD-coated steel and red gold
Lugs fitted with safety screws and integrated ball-and-socket joints for optimal wrist adjustment
Case with integrated back, composed of spare parts from Apollo 11
Grainy-textured stellar-patterned back with medallion in representing the moon
RJ safety screw on the case-back, exclusively accessible to watchmakers
Red gold screw-lock crown
Water resistance: 3 atm
Dial
Gem-set gridwork motif with integrated X-shaped traverses
Dark grey PVD-coated satin-brushed inner bezel ring and beadblasted X-shaped traverses, polished and satin-brushed red gold small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock
Hands: Red gold, polished, with “blue emission” C1 superluminova
Strap
Black vulcanised rubber
Grainy-textured interior of stellar-patterned strap
Buckle: Dark grey PVD-coated steel and red gold
Edition
Limited edition: 1’969 pieces
RJ-Romain Jerome Moon Invader Eminence Grise Chronograph
Movement
Calibre: RJ001-C
Mechanical self-winding movement
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Jewelling: 23 jewels
Power reserve: 42 hours
Functions
Central hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock
Chronograph, 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock
Case
46 mm
Dark grey PVD-coated steel and red gold
Lugs fitted with safety screws and integrated ball-and-socket joints for optimal wrist adjustment
Case with integrated back, composed of spare parts from Apollo 11
Grainy-textured stellar-patterned back with medallion in representing the moon
RJ safety screw on the case-back, exclusively accessible to watchmakers
Red gold screw-lock crown
Water resistance: 3 atm
Dial
Gem-set gridwork motif with integrated X-shaped traverses
Dark grey PVD-coated satin-brushed inner bezel ring, circular satin-brushed small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock and beadblasted X-shaped traverses. Polished and satin-brushed red gold chronograph counters at 3 and 6 o’clock
Hands: Red gold, polished, with “blue emission” C1 superluminova
Strap
Black vulcanised rubber
Grainy-textured interior of stellar-patterned strap
Buckle: Dark grey PVD-coated steel and red gold
Edition
Limited edition: 1’969 pieces
