MIGRATING MOON
Master watchmaker PAUL GERBER
makes it simple to add a lunar
dimension to any watch.
WHETHER MECHANICAL OR ELECTRONIC, MODERN WATCHES CAN HOUSE MYRIAD COMPLICATIONS AND
DISPLAYS- BOTH TRADITIONAL AND TECH-DRIVEN. IN A LOT OF CASES THESE ADDED VALUES CREATE
AN AIR OF COMPLEXITY THAT GADGET-GEEKS LOVE TO SHOW OFF EVEN IF THESE FUNCTIONS ARE
RARELY (IF EVER) UTILIZED. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN ARE PURISTS WHO APPRECIATE A CLEAN
FAÇADE AND THE ELEGANCE OF A ‘LESS IS MORE’ DIAL.
If your own taste for watch-wear lies in the more sober
dials, but you still appreciate a bit of watchmaking
savvy on your wrist, master watchmaker Paul Gerber
has now made it simple to add a lunar dimension to
that simply exquisite Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic or
that purely elegant Zenith Elite.
Early in 2017 one of my long-time watch friends/cli-
ents insisted that I must put an evening aside to meet
with Paul Gerber. Already a fan of Herr Gerber’s watch-
es (double rotor, triple rotor, three-dimensional moon
phase) and trusting my man Moritz would not demand
my time without good cause, I was more than willing
to invest an evening in Zurich to discover what Gerber
was up to. It was here while we all enjoyed the fruits of
the Reinheitsgebot that Paul introduced me to his new
device; a small moon phase sans timekeeper.
STRAP-MOUNTED
Designed to be mounted directly into the strap rather
than the dial, this lunar display came as a complete sur-
prise. Expecting one or another complication, or possi-
bly some new super-accurate mechanical escapement,
I was taken completely aback. Not least of my surprise
was the fact that Gerber was fabricating a device with a
quartz controller. My initial impression was that of sur-
prise. Since my own pre-conceived notions had preju-
diced my expectations, it took a moment to adjust to
something completely out of left field, like that first sip
of a fine whiskey. I soon came to savor the flavor of the
concept and the EPR 52 mini-moon phase.
Too small for any kind of mechanical motivation,
Gerber’s new strap-mounted moon phase (EPR 52) may
be battery operated and quartz controlled, but within a
12mm x 5.35mm capsule Gerber has integrated no less
than 54 parts in the moon-phase movement (excluding
electronic parts) along with another seven machined
parts for the capsule enclosure to create a truly unique
watch collector’s accessory.
46 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | WINTER 2018
How many parts did you need to make the moonphase?
PG: I only counted the mechanical parts! The movement consists of 54 parts
and the enclosure out of 7 parts. The total of mechanical parts is 61, again –
not including any of the electronic parts.
When did you start working on this?
I first thought about the idea in December of 2016 and had the first
prototype finished in February 2017.
How long will the battery last - and is it a standard and easy
to replace style?
The battery will last three years and is a conventional micro cell, Renata 335,
SR512SW; diameter 5.80mm, height 1.25mm.
How many variations of the straps available?
At this time I have five leather and one natural rubber strap. In the future,
I’m sure I will be adding and offering additional leather straps. However, the
selection will be limited as the strap will have to be at least 20mm to 22mm
wide and 4.0mm to 4.5mm thick.