The Code41 Moon Inception breaks tradition by going traditional
Buffy Acacia- Code 41 have unveiled their first watch to have a full dial.
- The Moon Inception blends futuristic style with traditional touches such as a domed crystal and leaf hands.
- The starry sky surrounding the large moonphase display depicts the constellation Sagittarius.
I’ve been following Code41 for years, and they’re one of the most consistently adventurous brands out there. With a focus on business transparency, community-sourced voting on designs, and affordable luxury, there really aren’t many companies which can compete with their value and experimental spirit. Their design philosophy has always aimed to break down the barriers between movement, dial and case, however, they’ve finally unveiled their first-ever full-dial watch. In an ode to Swiss traditionalism but of course retaining their signature sci-fi flair, the Code41 Moon Inception takes to the stars.
Code41 are one of those brands with such a distinct style you could recognise one at a glance, but only if you’re aware of them in the first place. With limited production capability and independent ownership, they’d fit right into the niche of microbrands which supply luxury timepieces. As such, it’s quite a risk to make a watch which breaks away from their established and well-supported tradition of skeletonised dials with high-tech industrial cases, however they’ve pulled it off phenomenally well. Firstly, the case is still recognisable as a Code41 creation. Its squared-off cushion shape feels firmly futuristic with its odd lugs, grasping onto the strap as though they’re docked at a space station. For the size, the community voted for a 41.5mm diameter which should still fit average wrists well thanks to those short lugs, but most importantly to give the dial as much breathing room as possible.
Beneath the domed sapphire crystal (another first for Code41 who have previously only used flat crystals) there is a poetic dedication to the moon itself, far beyond the simply inclusion of a large moonphase display. Firstly, the highly-textured surface of the dial’s background is based on the lunar surface with all its dust piles and rubble. The circular cutouts represent the vast craters which are scattered across its surface, visible with the naked eye. The night sky has been depicted surrounding the moonphase and date display as the home of the Moon with stark white contrasts for the stars and constellation lines. Code41 haven’t acknowledged which constellation they chose for the Moon Inception’s dial, however, I believe it to be Sagittarius. Three colour variants were chosen via community voting, settling on an all-blue reference, one with subtly-different hues of dark grey and black, and one with the moon dust grey backdrop and a navy blue night sky. The final touches lie with the hands, as the simple leaf style hour and minute hands stick to tradition and the seconds hand features a cheeky rocket ship at its tip.
Code41 chose the Sellita SW288 movement early in the process, mainly for its ability to display a large moonphase. Most watches which use this movement have the date positioned at 6 o’clock with the moon hovering above the centre pinion, however Code41 aren’t ones to follow the leader. They’ve set it at a jaunty angle with a photorealistic moon, ensuring just the right amount of quirk without becoming hard to read. They’ve labelled their version the calibre C41-MP, and according to the community votes, it should come COSC-certified for chronometer accuracy. The power reserve is a standard 41 hours with a smooth beat rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour.
Code41 Moon Inception pricing and availability
The Code41 Moon Inception will be available for pre-order from January 25th, 2024. Price: starting from CHF 3,295
| Brand | Code41 |
| Model | Moon Inception |
| Case Dimensions | 41.5mm (D) x 11.2mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Black, blue, or blue and grey |
| Strap | Leather strap and steel bracelet options |
| Movement | C41-MP, Sellita SW288 Elaboré, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 41 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, moonphase |
| Availability | Pre-order begins from January 25th, 2024 |
| Price | Starting from CHF 3,295 |