Hands-on review of the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase with plenty of exclusive pictures. Full specs and price: €12,800
One of the pillars of Glashütte Original's production, the Senator collection comprises technically sophisticated timepieces where mechanical complexity harmoniously blends with timeless design and traditional watchmaking.
In late 2023, the German watchmaker expanded the line with two Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase models and two Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar models, available in stainless steel or red gold.
We recently had the pleasure of spending a few days with the stainless steel Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase and the red gold Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar. During this time, we captured several images that we’re excited to share with our readers.
In this article, we’ll focus on the Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase in stainless steel, while the Perpetual Calendar model will be highlighted in a separate review in the coming weeks.
Both models are offered with a variety of strap and bracelet options, including alligator leather straps, synthetic straps, or a stainless steel bracelet.
For our review, we opted for the green synthetic strap to explore an alternative style. These new synthetic straps are not only exceptionally durable and comfortable but also align with Glashütte Original’s commitment to sustainability, being crafted from innovative yarn made entirely from recycled fishing nets.
The new Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase comes in a 40 mm x 12.2 mm round case whose lines are highlighted by its meticulous finish alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces.
The polished bezel features a concave profile, a design detail that not only enhances its visual appeal but also provides the practical benefit of being less prone to scratches than a convex one.
With its balanced size, this timepiece is highly versatile, equally at home with a suit in a business setting or with a weekend casual look, especially when paired with one of Glashütte Original’s synthetic straps. For reference, the wrist in our pictures measures 17.8 cm / 7 inches.
The stainless steel version of the Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase features a galvanic grey dial, characterised by a fine-grained surface texture and well protected by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
The raised Roman numerals and the hands, including the central hour and minute "poire" hands, are polished and thermally blued.
The elegant central seconds hand is adorned with the distinctive double G-logo, a recurring element also featured on the crown and the rotor of the movement.
Between 10 and 11 o'clock, a handcrafted silver-toned moon traces its path beneath a curved aperture in the dial. Precision diamond milling ensures a sharp profile, beautifully contrasted against the galvanic blue night sky.
A fine-toothed gear ensures the exceptional accuracy of the moonphase display: once correctly set, and provided the watch runs continuously, it will not require manual adjustment for the next 122 years.
At 4 o'clock, Glashütte Original's signature Panorama Date features two concentric date discs with white numerals against a matt blue ground, ensuring exceptional legibility at a glance.
The numerals are seamlessly displayed without a central vertical bar, as the two discs are mounted on the same level, a detail that highlights the brand's meticulous attention to even the smallest aspects.
All functions can be comfortably controlled via the crown without any need for additional correctors: in position 1 the crown serves to wind the watch, in position 2 both the date and moon phase can be set, and position 3 permits the owner to set the time of day.
The transparent sapphire crystal case back offers a mechanical spectacle thanks to the finely finished Calibre 36-24.
Operating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour), this self-winding movement offers a power reserve of at least 100 hours or more than 4 days thanks to an optimised spring barrel whose enlarged diameter with a smaller spring core has made it possible to lengthen the mainspring and significantly increase its number of windings.
All Senator Excellence models undergo a rigorous 24-day testing process by Glashütte Original, exceeding the standards of the German chronometer test. This applies to all models, regardless of their complications. A "Q" engraving on the case back certifies each watch's quality, and future owners can access detailed test results through the brand's online platform.
The bi-directional skeletonised rotor, enriched by a similarly skeletonised double-G-logo, offers an unobstructed view of the typical Glashütte three-quarter plate architecture and its components, enhanced with decorations and aesthetic refinements like perlage, sunburst finishing, stripe finish, bevelling, and polishing.
The galvanised balance cock with swan-neck fine adjustment has been hand-engraved.
To learn more about these decoration techniques, we suggest you read the report of our visit to the Glashütte Original manufactory (link at the end of this article).
The new Senator Excellence Panorama Date and Panorama Date Moon Phase are not only aesthetically captivating and precise, but also robust and reliable. In fact, they are water-resistant up to 5 bars (approximately 50 metres / 165 feet) and, thanks to the silicon balance spring equipping the Calibre 36 family, resistant to shocks and everyday magnetic fields from objects like speakers, computers, and mobile phones. Silicon enhances the spring’s immunity to magnetic fields and temperature fluctuations, while improving precision by stabilising oscillation.
The green synthetic strap fitting the watch is secured to the wrist by a stainless steel triple folding clasp with security push-buttons.
A highly appealing choice for those seeking a stylish timepiece with character, impeccable finishes, and a state-of-the-art manufacture movement, the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase in stainless steel (ref. 1-36-24-02-02-64) is offered at a recommended retail price of €12,800, reflecting the uncompromising quality of the model. glashuette-original.com
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