Surprise from Geneva
Tudor and moonphase – until now, those two didn’t belong together. Black Bay, Pelagos, Ranger – these are the names people associate with Tudor. Sports watches, heritage design, Kenissi manufacture calibers.
And now comes the 1926 Luna. A classic dress watch with a moonphase display. Tudor’s very first.
September 2025, right on time for the Chinese Moon Festival. That’s no coincidence.
39mm and Three Dials
The Luna measures 39mm in diameter and 10.1mm in height. Polished stainless-steel case, sapphire crystal, screw-down crown with Tudor shield. Water resistant to 100 meters – though nobody really needs that in a dress watch.
Three dial options are available: black with gold accents, blue with silver details, and champagne with black elements. All feature sunray finishing and the characteristic applied indices of the 1926 collection.
The moonphase is positioned classically at 6 o’clock, with the date window at 3 o’clock.
The hands are sword-shaped, without lume. That makes sense – if you’re reading a moonphase at night, your priorities are probably elsewhere.
Sellita Instead of Kenissi
Here’s where it gets interesting. For almost ten years, Tudor has relied on Kenissi manufacture movements. The Luna breaks with that tradition. Inside ticks a Sellita SW280-1, modified to Tudor standards and adjusted to chronometer precision (−4/+6 seconds per day), though not COSC-certified.
26 jewels, 4 Hz frequency, 41-hour power reserve. Automatic. Solid, proven, reliable – but not an in-house caliber.
Why this step back? Most likely a matter of cost. Tudor wants to keep the Luna attractively priced, and a Sellita-based moonphase movement is cheaper to produce than developing a new Kenissi caliber from scratch.
Maintenance and Warranty
Interesting: despite using a Sellita movement, Tudor offers a 5-year warranty and 10-year service intervals. That’s confident. Tudor either fully trusts the movement – or has modified it enough to meet those standards.
The Seven-Row Bracelet
The bracelet is the same as on the standard 1926: seven rows with satin-brushed outer links and polished inner ones. Folding clasp with safety catch. 21 mm lug width – unusual, but it also works well on NATO straps.
Who Is This Watch For?
The Luna isn’t for Black Bay fans. It’s not for people looking for a sports watch. It’s for those who want a classic timepiece with a complication that’s not overly complex. A moonphase is emotional, romantic – but not as serious as a perpetual calendar.
The Asian market is clearly target number one – the timing with the Moon Festival and collaboration with Jay Chou make that clear. But there’s also demand in Europe for affordable moonphase watches.
The Price: €2,630
That’s fair. A TAG Heuer Carrera Moonphase costs twice as much. A Longines Master Collection Moonphase sits in a similar price range. Tudor positions itself cleverly here in the accessible segment.
Is it cheap? No. Is it reasonable for a Tudor with a moonphase and chronometer precision? Yes.
What’s Missing?
Lume on the hands would have been nice – though you could argue that no one needs to read a moonphase in the dark.
The white date disc on the blue model doesn’t match the dial perfectly – a small detail, but noticeable if you look closely.
And of course: it’s not an in-house movement. For some, that’s a deal-breaker. For others, it doesn’t matter.
My Conclusion
The Tudor 1926 Luna is a surprise. Not because it’s spectacular, but because it shows Tudor can succeed outside the Black Bay line. The brand’s first moonphase – in a classic, wearable size at a fair price. Is it for everyone? No. Is it for those who want a solid moonphase watch without a Rolex-sized price tag? Definitely. The Luna is Tudor’s offering for people who don’t dive – but still want to wear a Tudor on their wrist. That’s perfectly valid. Sometimes a moonphase is all you need. The Tudor 1926 Luna delivers exactly that.
