Hands-on Review: MeisterSinger Lunascope

Hands-on Review: MeisterSinger Lunascope. We recently had the opportunity to try the MeisterSinger Lunascope with blue dial (ref. LS908), a watch that was introduced at Baselworld 2018. The MeisterSinger Lunascope has a price of Euro 2,990 which is in line with the quality of the watch and its complications.

German watchmaker MeisterSinger is worldwide renowned for the creation of watches with a single hand to indicate the time. And although the brand also produces watches with more than one hand or with a “jumping hour” indication, the name MeisterSinger has become a synonym of single hand watch.

One might think that it is difficult to present something new while using just one hand to indicate the time. On the contrary, in the last few years MeisterSinger has been able to keep surprising us with original novelties each year.

This is also the case of the MeisterSinger Lunascope, a watch that was introduced at Baselworld 2018 and that we recently had the opportunity to test for a week.

MeisterSinger’s first astronomical watch, the Lunascope is characterized by a large aperture in the upper half where a detailed moon moves across a dark blue, starry sky. One of the largest on the market, this moon-phase display realistically depicts the surface of the earth’s satellite and offers a fascinating and slowly changing spectacle.

The new model comes in an ideally sized 40 mm stainless steel case with a polished finish and it is available in two dial variations: with a sunburst dial in the same dark blue of the moon’s background (ref. LS908) or with a silvery opaline dial (ref. LS901).

For our review we had the blue dial version, which is particularly attractive for its capability to change hues depending on the light of the environment. It also offers a perfect background to make the bright moon stand out prominently.

The satellite’s various phases are represented with exceptional precision. While the moon takes 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.9 seconds to circumnavigate the Earth, most watches round this figure down to 29.5 days via the movement, which means they deviate by eight hours per year and need to be corrected by one complete day every three years.

Differently, the MeisterSinger Lunascope — once correctly set and assuming that the watch runs continuously — only needs to be corrected by one day every 128 years!

To achieve this result, MeisterSinger equipped the Swiss automatic ETA 2836 movement with a MeisterSinger moon-phase module which integrates two additional gear systems incorporating four wheels to drive the moon disc and a further two wheels for the setting mechanism.

Beating at 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and offering 38 hours of power reserve, the beautifully finished movement and its rotor engraved with the logo of the brand can be viewed through the screwed glass exhibition back.

Reading the time on the Lunascope is easy and even fun once you get accustomed to the concept of a single hand sweeping over the 12 hours divided by 144 markers, each representing 5 minutes. The dial also offers the always useful date indication at 6 o’clock.

The round case is flawlessly finished with curved lugs for enhanced comfort on the wrist and an extra-large crown adorned with an embossed MeisterSinger logo - the musical notation for a pause.

The Lunascope can be matched to a wide variety of straps that can be equipped with a pin buckle or a deployant clasp. Thanks to MeisterSinger’s quick release system, it takes just few seconds to change straps without needing any tool.

It was fun to change from a dark brown leather strap to a less formal cognac-toned one. Through its web site, MeisterSinger allows you to preview how the model look with the various options.

Water resistant to 50 metres / 165 feet, the MeisterSinger Lunascope is produced with meticulous attention to details. The result is a watch that it is a pleasure to wear as well as to admire. Its price of Euro 2,990 is in line with the high quality of the timepiece and its complications. meistersinger.com

Suggested reading:
- Single-hand timepieces in watchmaking history