Watches & Wonders 2026: Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune

The Moon’s almost mystical allure has long served as a source of inspiration for Van Cleef & Arpels. At Watches & Wonders 2026, the Maison once again turns to this motif with the presentation of the Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune. The model expands the Jour Nuit collection, originally launched in 2008 and reintroduced in 2024. This mechanically complex timepiece impresses with its intricate depiction of the transition from day to night, complemented by an on-demand animation that reveals the current phase of the Moon. Let us, then, embark on a journey through the universe of craftsmanship by Van Cleef & Arpels.

A white gold Midnight case

A 42 mm Midnight case in white gold not only houses the animated display of celestial bodies but also echoes this theme on the case back. Here, an engraving recreates the Moon’s topography with such precision that it appears almost within reach. On the left-hand side, above the oscillating weight and beneath the sapphire crystal, an enamel depiction of the Earth can be seen. Surrounding it, planets in varying shades of red, blue and violet, along with finely painted stars, radiate against a guilloché background. In this way, the case back offers a shift in perspective compared to the dial, where the cosmos is viewed from Earth.

Sun and Moon on a single dial

The Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune captivates with its ever-changing dial. While the lower half is defined by a mother-of-pearl disc featuring a Clous de Paris pattern and a light gradient along its edges, the upper section in Murano aventurine glass evolves in accordance with the time of day. With its bronze-toned shimmer, the aventurine glass creates a richly atmospheric aesthetic. By day, a guilloché sun in yellow gold is visible, its rays and golden flecks lending additional warmth to the dial. As night falls, the sun gradually gives way to a Moon crafted from white mother-of-pearl, accompanied by delicate white stars in acrylic.

The progression of the day and the lunar phases is driven by two rotating discs. One indicates the passage from day to night in a 24-hour cycle, while the other precisely reproduces the phases of the 29.5-day lunar cycle. To achieve this, the second disc rotates every 24 hours, 16 minutes and 27 seconds. An animation mechanism also allows the current lunar phase to be revealed at the push of a button—even when the Moon is concealed below the horizon. Pressing the pusher on the right-hand side of the case causes the dial to rotate 360 degrees over approximately 10 seconds, unveiling the Earth’s satellite in full.

In addition, white gold hour markers are positioned along the lower edge of the dial to aid legibility, while white gold hour and minute hands glide elegantly across its surface.

The movement of the Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune

Developed over four years of in-house work, the mechanical self-winding movement integrates two superimposed complications: a Jour/Nuit display and a moon phase indication, a function that at Van Cleef & Arpels dates back to 1929. Both the time and the lunar phase can be conveniently adjusted via the crown.

The on-demand animation proved to be the greatest challenge, as Rainer Bernard, Director of Horology Research and Development, explains: ‘To avoid any inaccuracy in the moon phase, we had to account for the changes that occur during the animation, as the discs perform an additional full rotation.’

The development of this signature animation required several months. The fluid transition between sun and Moon on the dial is made possible by reducing the weight of the rotating discs, achieved through the precise thinning of each individual layer.

Strap, price, & availability

The Midnight case is paired with a black alligator leather strap, complementing the dial’s colour scheme. The price of this model has not yet been disclosed.

vancleefarpels.com