Picasso was once asked why he was charging so much for a painting that took 30 seconds to make. Picasso replied, “you are wrong – it took me 40 years.” Dr. Ludwig Oeschlin, the inventor of Ochs und Junior’s designs is a practitioner of radical simplification in this vein. Time is invested in design and engineering, rather than the fabrication of parts, so that there are fewer potential sources of wear. The Selene Tinta’s moonphase function is implemented using only five supplemental parts beyond those included in the stock ETA 2824-2 movement at its core. Using gears, it delivers a moonphase complication that takes over 3,478 years to be off by a single day.

Although my Selene Tinta has a bright blue dial, every watch made is a bit different. Some other owners have chosen dial designs that are more austere, while others have opted to adorn their watches with accents of gold for a more whimsical appearance. The watch is designed for optimal legibility, with the moonphase featured prominently in the center, and a dot representing the date orbiting around the perimeter.

The lightweight titanium case and short lugs make this watch comfortable to wear, even for a person that dislikes wearing larger watches. The watch is sold in 36, 39, and 42mm case sizes, all featuring 22mm lugs. The lug width is the watch’s primary weakness, as all other aspects can be customized to the wearer’s taste. Lugs from 18mm-20mm are common on other watches. While the 39mm watch shown weighs 62 grams, a light version that has had more metal machined from the case, weighing only 40 grams, is also available.

I wear this watch whenever I am seeking something playful. Whenever she sees my watchbox, my toddler exclaims, “moon”, and demands that I wear this watch. The power of radical simplicity can be appreciated by anyone.