Lebeau-Courally Phase De Lune

Lebeau-Courally, the manufacturer of highly exclusive hunting guns that incorporate traditional know how and artistic crafts, now sets to become a fully established luxury watch manufacture, thanks to the recent acquisitions made by the current owner of the Belgium based prestigious gun manufacturer.

In 2015, at Baselworld jewellery and watch fair, Lebeau-Courally unveiled the Phase de Lune – the first watch in its Manufacture Collection. It is equipped with the first Lebeau-Courally calibre ever made for watches, the LC0040.

This exceptional mechanical movement drives a fixed moon phase for which the brand applied for a patent license. This innovation not only showcases the technical creativity of its in-house watchmakers – it also embodies a realistic reproduction of the different lunar phases in the moon calendar, for the first time ever.

Most traditional moon phase watches have always used an optical illusion with a lunar disc that gradually disappears behind the dial. In actual astronomy, the moon never disappears – except in the case of a total eclipse. In fact, based on its orbital position relative to Earth, the moon shows us its sunlit side in different angles. Consequently, what we actually see from our planet is that ‘lit’ part of the moon, which we call the moon phase.

In Lebeau-Courally’s Phase de Lune, this natural phenomenon is reproduced by a rotating disc that covers part of the fixed moon, represented with extremely detailed relief. The exactitude of this rotating masking disc is guaranteed by a wheelwork, subject to the hour wheel – and progressing continuously to complete the lunar cycle of 29.5 days.

This watch therefore shows the lunation from the left to the right – representing the way we perceive the moon in our regions. Depending on your position on the planet – east, west, north or south – the lunar cycle is perceived differently. In Hong Kong, for example, the moon phases evolve top to bottom.

The uniqueness of Lebeau-Courally’s moon phase consists of the fact that the fixed moon can be positioned in such a way that it represents the moon phase and its evolution realistically – exactly as it would occur in the position where the observer is located on Earth.

Lebeau-Courally’s Phase de Lune calibre is housed in a gold case of 43 mm in diameter. The dial and the moon phase disc have been crafted in enamel ‘grand feu’. Apart from hour and minute indications, a third hand indicates the date on a 1 to 31 scale around the dial.

At 8 and 10 o’ clock a newly designed lever in the shape of a ‘clé de fusil’ can be found. This lever is an iconic design feature of all Lebeau-Courally watches, referring to its heritage in bespoke hunting arms making. This lever has 2 functions: pressing it changes the date instantly; lifting it adjusts the moon phase setting.

Inside beats the LC0040 calibre, a mechanical movement with double barrel manual winding to guarantee a power reserve of at least 100 hours.

With all components conceived, developed and produced by the Swiss Lebeau-Courally manufacture in Le Locle, this watch holds 195 components. Among those: a unique anchor escapement with a spiral and a balance with internally adjustable screws. The finishing of all components is done by hand – respecting the great Swiss watchmaking tradition.

The movement can be admired through the sapphire glass on the back of the watch. The movement furthermore covers the entire case-back of the watch – the silent, yet distinctive proof of authentic manufacture calibres.

Technical details
Model: Phase de Lune

• Functions: Moon phase, hours, minutes, central date
• Movement: Manufacture calibre LC0040 (28,800 vibrations per hour), manual winding, power reserve of min. 100 hours
• Finishing: Decoration of bridges in ‘Côte de Genève’, stippled mainplate, bridges and levers angled by hand
• Case: 43 mm Ø in rose gold 4N or grey gold PD125
• Dial: in enamel ‘grand feu’ black & blue
• Strap: Alligator leather strap