A Closer Look at the Le Rhone Hedonia Grand Moon Phase
There is a watch for artists, for those who like to look at detail. There’s also a watch for poets, the ones who like to look above. There’s also a watch for the modern classic man, the one who appreciates the past but looks to the future. This watch is all one and the same: the Le Rhone Hedonia Grand Moon Phase. Some might say that there’s absolutely no need to have a moon phase feature on any watch display, but that’s where we’d have to correct them. If there was a watch that can stand to be the most unique and different from the rest, the Hedonia Grand has a good chance.
Headquartered in Geneva, Le Rhone is a fairly new independent watchmaking brand. Two entrepreneurs created the company back in 2013 with the goal of making modern timepieces that has the audacity to be different. Loic Florentin and Timo Rajakoski are the two expert craftsmen that started Le Rhone and the story of their childhood friendship alone is something that’s reflected in the extraordinary designs of their timepieces, including the Hedonia Grand Moon Phase.
This watch is beyond cosmic; it’s a work of true ingenuity. In every single Hedonia Grand, watch owners will literally have the moon on their wrist. There’s an oversized and vastly detailed moon that hovers around the watch. This moon is 3D laser-engraved on a metal disc. The moon literally orbits the way it would in a black, starry sky background. This black background on the watch is made from sapphire. The endless array of stars are added onto this background plate, where carved recesses are filled with Super-LumiNova, a nontoxic photoluminescent material that’s typically used in adding illuminating pigments onto watch bezels, hands, and dials. In the dark, you’ll see these stars light up the way for the moon’s orbit, and you’ll also see the hands of the watch illuminate the star-filled sky just so you can tell the time.
While this is a forefront feature of the Hedonia Grand, there’s so much more than what meets the eye. The same exact attention to detail they have used on their stars and moon is the same throughout the entire timepiece. The tonneau-shaped case gives off a touch of modern allure with a sporty feel. The case comes in either 316L stainless steel or pink gold. It has a diameter of 41mm, something that will sit just right on most wrists. With around 35 components and none any fewer, the Hedonia Grand’s construction is nothing short of complex. It features an automatic Soprod M100 movement that has the proprietary moon phase module on top, which can be manually corrected by a user-friendly mechanism. The movement runs at 28,000 vibrations per hour. It can store up to 38 hours of power reserve, and the watch is water resistant up to 100 meters.
Going back to the watch’s exterior, you can trace the elegant curves of the flutes that are sculpted from the flanks to the lugs. You can keep tracing down to the tasteful alligator leather straps that complete the look. You’ll find Le Rhone’s propeller logo pattern on the lining of the strap. The straps are kept on the wrist through a folding buckle that takes the shape of the Le Rhone logo—another testament to the company’s attention to the slightest details.
The price of the Le Rhone Hedonia Grand Moon Phase is set at two prices: steel for CHF 14,900 and pink gold for CHF 28,500. That converts roughly to USD $15,062 for steel and USD $28,808 for pink gold.
Le Rhone also makes the same watch with the same features, style, colors, and design for a slightly smaller 37mm version. This smaller version will sit perfectly on smaller women’s wrists. The greatest thing about this design is its versatility. Once the watch sits on a female wrist, it immediately becomes a symbol of femininity. In fact, this watch can symbolize anything that’s poetic, artistic, and romantic in a person—male or female. It is utterly ageless in design. While the price may be steep for some, it’s surely an investment piece for anyone that can possibly afford it in their collection. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime piece that’s as unique as the moon above.
