Epos 3439 Classic Moon Phase
Keeping track of the phases of the moon probably sounds silly to most, but for the most part of human existence, we have used the moon as a way to track time. This is why moon phase watches, first pocket watches and then in 1925, wristwatches, have always been a very popular complication. The Epos 3439 Classic Moon Phase is a beautiful piece from the almost 100-year-old Swiss brand and while they have a few moon phases pieces in their catalog, this Classic piece with the silver/white outer dial and starry blue sunburst gradient dial really caught my eye, and of course, at the lower part of the dial is that Moon Phase cutout, which I have to say, is a really great functional complication to a watch. Add to that the Month, Day, and Date, all working seamlessly together, powered by a modified Sellita SW300 movement, seen through the exhibition case back. It is a gorgeous piece, but not every facet of the watch is on par with the $3200 price tag.
Specifications:
41.7mm Stainless Steel Case
10.5mm Thick
20mm Lug Width
50mm Lug to Lug
Weight 104.6 Grams
5 ATM Water Resistant
Sapphire Crystal front and back
Modified SW300 Automatic Movement
Swiss Made
MSRP $3,221 USD
https://epos.ch/en/product/3439-322-20-18-25/
With a luxury watch like this, one knows what to expect. A highly polished case, usually one with some decoration to the case or the lugs, and this Epos 3439 Classic Moon Phase follows suit with a beautifully finished and detailed case that strikes just the right amount of ornate details without being too over the top. The lugs are long and slope down a lot, yet with a lug-to-lug of only 50mm, it is still very wearable. And yes, this is a larger piece with an almost 42mm case, which for this style of watch, some may feel this watch is too large, but looking around at some other moon phase watches, a good amount of them are on the larger side, at least these days anyway.
With the moon phase complication comes the month, day and date complications as well, and in a more classic or dress piece such as this, (this watch is also available with a metal bracelet and also available in a rose gold PVD), regular pushers would probably look out of place, so Epos went with the inset pushers, common with a piece such as this. Those sunken pushers keep the watch from looking too much like a chronograph, and they are used to quick adjust the day, month, date and even the moon phase register. The large pumpkin-style crown pulls out to move the traditionalhour and minute hand. One note on those pushers though, Epos does include a tool, but it is a very cheap steel tool, small and not coated in rubber or plastic, so you do risk scratching the polish of the case and or pushers when using it.
Of course, with a watch such as this, the main showpiece is going to be that dial, and with this Epos 3439 Classic Moon Phase, you do get one hell of a good-looking dial. The large outer silver dial uses a mix of applied and printed indices, though all the indices and numbers are very clear and easy to read, and the center blue gradient dial with the printed stars is very striking, and then you get to the main attraction, that cutout for the phases of the moon. For the most part, I find looking all over the dial to be a piece to just gaze at lovingly, and enjoy the intricate pieces that all come together for a cohesive look, though I will say, for as much as I love that moon, the cutout, well, I am not sure why I am seeing white in that cutout on the edges instead of blue. It may just be the way it has to be done, but I was hoping for a little more attention to detail in this area, seeing how most everyone’s eye is going to be directed right to that moon phase complication upon each gaze.
With that all said, I do love how this dial is laid out, and being 100% transparent, this is not my style of watch at all, meaning this is not something I would ever choose for myself, as it is just a little too much for what I prefer to wear. Still, I can appreciate how radiant it is, and yet with all that is going on, very easy to read. And even though most people these days don’t pay attention to watches at all, I did get two compliments on it, one asking for a little more detail about the dial, while at a dinner event recently, and both remarked how handsome of a watch it was. And while I prefer my watches, even my dressy pieces to be a little more subtle and dare I say, more on the rugged side, another nice feature about this Epos 3439 Classic Moon Phase is how well it lights up in the dark, something I wouldn’t have expected for a watch such as this.
The SW300 movement is nicely decorated with the Côtes de Genève finishing on the rotor, and the movement is decorated with an elaborate perlage pattern. It is stated, by Epos, that the modifications are done by Epos in-house, adding the moon phase function, along with the day and date. You can see the movement itself, visible through the sapphire crystal exhibition case back.
The Epos 3439 Classic Moon Phase is exquisitely crafted and finished around the case and dial, but I will say, one area I found lacking is the leather strap. As stated, this watch can also be had with a steel bracelet, but I chose the leather strap for this review model, and well, let’s just say I was underwhelmed. The black leather strap, which right off the bat I feel should be a dark navy blue, has an alligator pattern on the front and black stitching. This is not a real alligator strap, it is just a design and I am never a fan of that. Choose one or the other, and if you don’t want to do alligator, you can make a very nice and elegant leather strap without the pattern. The strap is lightly padded and does fit my 7 1/2 inch (19.05 cm wrist) with ease, but the backing is that tan suede cheap leather, and the buckle is extremely boring and average, especially for a watch that costs a little over $3,200.
Yes, the Epos 3439 Classic Moon Phase has a somewhat higher price tag, but all things considered, I think the price is fair, especially for the style of the watch and the movement and modifications for the moon phase. The strap could absolutely be better though, and I think the strap and buckle, were an afterthought, or pulled from their existing catalog, instead of making a truly fantastic strap that would be worthy of a piece like this. I did enjoy this watch though, as the dial can be memorizing, and I love looking at the different phases of the moon as it rotates around the disk, with the exception of that strap needing a break-in period to really conform to the wrist, this timepiece is very comfortable on the wrist. Classy pieces like this are not my thing, but if they are yours, or you are looking for a piece that stands out in your collection, the Epos Classic Moon Phase is worth the look, but if I were you, I would opt for the metal bracelet. 👊
Thank you for reading this review, and if you enjoyed it, please leave a comment below, and feel free to ask a question as well. And if you haven’t yet, check out our Youtube video of this as well, embedded at the top of this article.
