German watchmaker Glashütte Original is one of those brands that seemingly can do no wrong; offering a lot of the Teutonic design charm and of its “big brother” A. Lange & Sohne, but with greater emphasis on chronometric accuracy thanks to the thoroughly modern Calibre 36 movement (covered in detail here) that is progressively filtering into each of their collections. For Baselworld 2018 the brand are expanding their Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase collection to provide a variety of additional dial colors, as well as an increased case size of 42mm and a number of small-but-significant aesthetic changes. Cumulatively these changes bring a fresher, more contemporary look to these timepieces and make them suitable for everyday wear.
Specifications
Brand: Glashütte Original
Model: Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase. Silver dial variations include REF. 1-36-04-03-02-02 (stainless steel buckle, 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-03-02-31 (stainless steel fold fastener std., 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-03-02-51 (stainless steel short fold fastener, 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-03-02-70 (stainless steel bracelet). Blue dial variations include REF. 1-36-04-04-02-01 (stainless steel buckle, 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-04-02-30 (stainless steel fold fastener std., 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-04-02-50 (stainless steel short fold fastener, 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-04-02-70 (stainless steel bracelet). White dial variations include REF. 1-36-04-05-02-02 (stainless steel buckle, 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-05-02-31 (stainless steel fold fastener std., 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-05-02-51 (stainless steel short fold fastener, 18 mm), REF. 1-36-04-05-02-70 (stainless steel bracelet).
Dimensions: 42mm wide x 12.2mm tall
Lug Width: 21/18mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Crystal/Lens: Sapphire crystal, both sides anti-reflective
Movement: In-house Calibre 36-04, automatic winding with Panorama date and Moon Phase
Frequency: 28,800 vph, equivalent to 4Hz
Power Reserve: 100 hours
Strap/Bracelet: Louisiana Alligator nubuck leather strap brown, Louisiana Alligator leather strap black, or stainless steel bracelet, depending on model
Price & Availability: $11,400–$12,900 depending on strap/bracelet options
Analysis
We went hands-on with the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase when it first debuted back in 2016, and at the time this was primarily a dress watch with an exciting new calibre inside. The 2018 models do away with a lot of the flamboyance of their predecessors, trading in roman numerals at 12 and 6 o’clock and a railroad minute track for pointed indexes with luminous dots, a design element that strongly reminds me of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin (hands-on here). The brand’s signature leaf-shaped minute hand and spade-shaped hour hand have been replaced with simpler Dauphine hands, which offer a cleaner and less-ornate look without compromising on elegance. New dial colors are also available, including a galvanized silver grey with vertically brushed finishing, galvanized blue with sunray decoration, and a varnish matte white for the most traditional look.
Summary
The new-for-2018 Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase seems poised to capture a lot of attention from modern consumers who may have felt the previous versions were too small or too dressy. With an asking price between $11,400–$12,900 these watches offer a combination of classic German styling and the promise of excellent timekeeping ability, thanks to their individually-examined and certified Chronometer movements. glashuette-original.com
