While most Van Cleef & Arpels creations are targeted at women, the Parisian luxury house has released several impressive men's watches over the years.
In 2026, Van Cleef & Arpels introduced a special men's model - the Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune. Translated from French, this means "Midnight Day/Night Moon Phase." However, the name does not reveal the main feature - the unique combination of mechanical innovations and exquisite, poetic decor available only from a house like Van Cleef & Arpels. The mechanism of the Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune is entirely developed and manufactured in-house. The 2026 model continues the tradition of celestial themes and timepieces, which, according to Van Cleef & Arpels, trace back to 1929.
Functionality and Features of Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune
Let's examine what exactly these watches can do. The dial displays hours and minutes (without a seconds hand), and on the back of the case, there is a rotating disc that makes a full revolution in 24 hours and serves as a day and night indicator. When the disc is in the night zone, a window with a moon phase indicator appears. This is an innovative feature - a hidden moon phase visible only at certain times of the day. This approach is radically different from traditional solutions for integrating moon phases into dial design.
Van Cleef & Arpels also implemented another, rather playful yet useful feature: by pressing a button on the side of the case, the day/night disc begins to rotate for about 10 seconds - a so-called "animation on demand." The energy for this movement is generated solely through the kinetic energy of pressing. The button, although not very aesthetically pleasing, adds interactivity and brings a smile to the owner's face when they accidentally press it, wondering, "What does this button do?"
Mechanism and Technical Specifications
Van Cleef & Arpels does not disclose many technical details of the mechanism, including the operating frequency (presumably 3 Hz). The power reserve is 36 hours - a relatively small figure but compensated by automatic winding. According to the brand, developing the movement took four years. Through the transparent window on the back cover, one can see the three-quarter automatic winding rotor, decorated with a disc featuring miniature planets, with Earth depicted at the center. The rest of the cover is adorned with engraving that imitates the lunar surface. The design concept is such that the cover resembles a view from the Moon to Earth and several other planets (though the exact identification of the latter is not specified). Thus, the back cover is a separate artistic masterpiece, although its main function is to showcase the automatic winding.
Case and Dial Design
The watch case is made of 18k white gold, with a diameter of 42 mm and water resistance of 30 meters. The model is not small but not excessively large either, making it suitable for everyday wear and easy to read. A special achievement is the dial, where Van Cleef & Arpels employed traditional decoration techniques: engine-turning and micro-painting. These techniques not only create an artistic image but also reproduce realistic elements - the horizon, the sun, the moon, and the stars. The dial mimics a view from Earth's horizon into space, where the sun and moon appear and disappear beyond the horizon. The decoration and natural materials, such as mother-of-pearl for the moon phase disc, create the impression of a real night sky. This is a complex artistic task that the brand solved through extensive testing and refinement.
Materials and Decorative Elements
The night sky surrounding the moon phase indicator is made from black aventurine - a stone with sparkling inclusions reminiscent of twinkling stars. Additionally, Van Cleef & Arpels manually added extra stars to the aventurine disc. The golden sun is depicted using engine-turning and lines radiating from the center, creating a glowing halo effect. Together, these elements form an almost realistic celestial landscape, not just observed from Earth but from space near the planet. These watches can be called a true astronomer's choice.
Conclusion and Price
The Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune model (reference VCARPESA00) is released in a limited series with individual numbers. The price is $153,000.
Key Features of Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune:
- Unique day/night indicator with integrated hidden moon phase
- In-house developed automatic winding mechanism
- 18k white gold case with a 42 mm diameter, 30 m water resistance
- Decorative dial using engine-turning, micro-painting, and natural materials
- Back cover engraved with a lunar surface design and miniature planets
- Interactive "animation on demand" button for rotating the day/night disc
Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune is an example of a high-tech and artistic approach to creating celestial-themed watches, combining innovation and tradition.
