Selten M1 Moonphase

Two moons

I have two sides. I either enjoy weird and overdone watches with a lot going on and many complications, or I love a simple, elegant, minimal watch to the most extreme degree. I’ve seen more and more brands leap to create something new instead of following what’s popular within the enthusiast space, and I love to see the creative juices flow. When I had the chance to check out the Series 00 from Selten, specifically the 00.00 Meteorite and the 00.04 Aventurine, I was swept off my feet and couldn’t wait to see what was next. Well, the time has come. I’ve had the opportunity to check out their newest releases in the M1 Moonphase Musou Black and Mother of Pearl variants, and to say I was floored is an understatement.

Selten M1 Moonphase Watch Review — ^{Selten M1 Moonphase Mother of Pearl @horologyobsessed}

Key Features the Selten M1 Moonphase

The M1 Moonphase Musou Black and Mother of Pearl are phenomenal contrasts, giving me a feeling of Yin and Yang, light meeting dark, and I’m here for it. The beautiful CNC guilloche on the Mother of Pearl creates layer upon layer of depth and texture that changes depending on how light reflects. The variant I’ve received is the Mother of Pearl in Black, so, technically, it’s two black dials, but the Musou Black is the definitive black dial of the two.

Many have heard of Vantablack, the deepest and truest black paint that’s not commercially available due to it absorbing 99.9% of any light that makes contact with it, turning any object into a silhouette and hiding any features of an object. However, a commercially available “variant” of Vantablack is the water-based Musou Black, which absorbs 99.4% of light. When used on the M1 Moonphase, it’s stunning. The rich black dial looks the same in any lighting situation, like a wearable void on your wrist.

Looking at them, you can tell both watches are a treat to wear, and I can confirm they are. With a 39mm case diameter, 45.5mm lug-to-lug and a thickness of 10.7mm, the M1 Moonphase is in my ideal proportion range, and when it’s sitting on my wrist, it just feels right. If I describe the feeling in music nerd terms, the watch sits right in the pocket and gets my head nodding to the groove in the best way.

The large proponent of the wearing experience is always the strap or bracelet. The bracelet and the strap (strap created by Hasnobounds for Selten) create polar opposite wearing experiences, putting a smile on my face. I found the bracelet suits the Mother of Pearl, while the leather is perfect for the Musou Black. The bracelet creates a more sporty/casual feel on the wrist and adds luxury due to its fit and finish with the mix of brushed outer and polished inner links paired with the shiny dial. In contrast, the black leather paired with the infinite void of the dial gives more of a suit and tie, smokes cigars, and fine whiskey vibe, and I love both.

Specs

Case	316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 45.5mm Lug to Lug 10.7mm Thick 20mm Lug Width 50m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Domed Sapphire Crystal Musou Black/ Mother of Pearl in Black Leaf Handset Moonphase Aperture
Movement	Modified Miyota 9015 24 Jewels 28 800bph 41-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	Stainless Steel Bracelet or Leather Strap

Selten M1 Moonphase

Quibbles

The “quibbles” of the M1 Moonphase were a tough choice for me since I appreciate both watches for what they are. I personally look at them as wearable art pieces rather than something to tell the time, but at least with most variants, you can read the time thanks to indices on a chapter ring around the dial, except for the Musou Black. From my point of view, I think Selten removed it from the Musou Black not to draw the eye away from that beautiful dial, but for many, I have a feeling they’d appreciate the inner chapter ring to read the time instead of
taking a rough guess, but that’s just me.

Final Thoughts

It’s unique, beautiful, comfortable, and makes me smile. The M1 Moonphase is a gorgeous watch that would bring joy to the wrists of many looking for a daily or something with chutzpah and an astronomical level of simplistic elegance to dress up for your next date night/event/whatever you do in your spare time that’s “fancy.” For those interested, it’s also available in a Meteorite and Aventurine dial. The M1 Moonphase is available to view and back on Kickstarter and carries a retail price of $599.

About the author

Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.

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