Read our hands-on review of the PanoLunarInverse by Glashütte Original. Exclusive pictures and full details. Price €46,100
In a landscape where many watches tend to resemble one another, Glashütte Original has developed a design language all its own. The asymmetric layouts of the Pano collection, with their off-centre displays, are instantly recognisable and firmly rooted in Saxon watchmaking tradition.
The PanoLunarInverse, introduced in 2024, takes this identity a step further by placing the balance, the watch’s beating heart, on the dial side, alongside a large moon phase display set against a shimmering starry sky.
The result is a combination that emphasises both the technical sophistication and the distinctive aesthetics that set Glashütte Original apart.
On the left half of the dial, the self-intersecting auxiliary dials display hours and minutes, with the small seconds positioned below, all aligned along a vertical axis.
Both sub-dial rings are enriched with a "snailed" decoration—or vinyl-type pattern, as the brand calls it. The applied indices and diamond-polished hands are crafted in white gold.
Behind the hours and minutes, a miniature deep-blue starry sky provides the backdrop for the moon phase. The sparkling effect, reminiscent of twinkling stars, is achieved using aventurine (or goldstone), a glittering material first created in the 17th century by Venetian glass artisans on Murano.
The moon itself is rendered in relief, its surface intricately 3D laser-engraved to reflect the craters and mountains of Earth’s celestial companion.
Once it passes through the cut-out section of the dial, the moon continues its orbit, still visible beneath the grey-blue sapphire crystal, whose translucent surface offers a constant view of the two lunar discs.
A fine-toothed gear ensures the high precision of the moon phase indication: once correctly set, and assuming continuous operation, it will not require adjustment for the next 122 years.
The sword-shaped hands indicating hours and minutes are filled with Super-LumiNova for improved visibility in low light. Super-LumiNova is also applied to ten dots placed around the hour markers, except at 5 and 7 o’clock, where the small seconds subdial intersects.
On the top right, the Panorama Date is clearly legible at a glance thanks to white numerals on blue discs, framed in white gold.
Notably, the two numerals defining the date are not separated by a central vertical bar; this is made possible by mounting the concentric discs on the same level, a more complex but visually cleaner solution.
On the bottom right, the inverse design of the movement reveals the balance wheel and duplex swan-neck fine adjustment, which appear to float in space, supported by a black rhodium-plated balance bridge with intricate guilloché decoration, also decorating the three-quarter plate on which all dial elements are placed.
The ensemble is completed with screw-mounted blued screws and ruby-red jewels, protected by a glare-proofed sapphire crystal.
The PanoLunarInverse is housed in a 42 mm x 12.46 mm round case crafted from platinum, water-resistant to 5 bar (50 metres / 165 feet).
The case features alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces: the bezel and tops of the lugs are polished, while the caseband is satin-brushed.
The concave bezel lightens the design while also offering the advantage of being less exposed to potential scratches.
All functions are adjusted using the crown at 3 o’clock, embossed with the double-G logo, with three positions:
Position 0 (pressed against the case) for manual winding, Position 1 to adjust the date counterclockwise or the moon phase clockwise, and Position 2 to set the time.
Thanks to ergonomically designed lugs, the watch sits comfortably on the wrist. As a reference, the wrist shown in the pictures measures 17.7 cm / 7 inches.
The watch is secured with a grey Louisiana alligator leather strap with a nubuck finish and a platinum folding clasp engraved with the double-G logo. Other strap options are available. The lug width is 21 mm.
The transparent sapphire case back continues the lunar theme, revealing a skeletonised rotor adorned with a domed moon. All finishes are executed by hand.
The self-winding 91-04 calibre operates at 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and delivers a 45-hour power reserve. The movement is secured in the case with a bayonet mounting, providing effective shock and impact resistance. Each watch is assembled, finished, and regulated in Glashütte Original’s workshops.
Limited to 200 pieces, the Glashütte Original PanoLunarInverse (ref. 1-91-04-01-03-62) has a suggested retail price of €46,100.
The PanoLunarInverse exemplifies Glashütte Original’s focus on technical precision and meticulous craftsmanship. By placing the balance and moon phase on the dial side, the watch makes its most complex mechanisms visible while maintaining a carefully balanced layout.
Every component—from the guilloché-finished three-quarter plate and hand-polished screws to the aventurine starry sky and individually crafted hands—is largely produced in-house, with up to 95% of all parts manufactured internally.
The result is a timepiece that combines mechanical sophistication with a distinctive design identity, clearly reflecting the brand’s expertise and vision. glashuette-original.com
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This is really a wonderful watch. Kudos to GO!
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