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With the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon, the German premium manufacturer releases a new model just in time for the 20th anniversary of the collection. After three years, the BlueMoon is already the second watch in whose design a moon phase has been integrated. I was allowed to test and photograph the new flagship from Glashütte.
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Teutonia – a successful story
By far the most successful watches from Nautische Instrumente Mühle Glashütte/SA. come, according to their own statements, from the Teutonia collection. This is almost somewhat ironic, since the traditional Saxon brand from Glashütte is known primarily for its professional operational watches. Well, very few of us are professional soldiers and/or Navy divers.
In 2002, about 20 years ago, the first model was released – the beginning of a success story. According to managing director Thilo Mühle, the company wanted to create “a sporty, elegant watch that is also a little German or is characterized by good functionality and straightforwardness.” So the name Teutonia is no coincidence. In the High and Late Middle Ages, the term stood for nothing other than the Latin translation for the Germans.
I have already had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of the Teutonia II Kleine Sekunde and the Teutonia II Weltzeit in 2020 and 2021. Now it’s time to test a newcomer from the fourth Teutonia generation. The Teutonia IV BlueMoon is to become the new highlight, a guarantor of success, and at the same time better than its predecessor.
In 2019, the company ventured for the first time on a three-hand watch complete with moon phase display. The watch, simply called Teutonia IV Moonphase, is still available for purchase today. Nevertheless, Mühle promises innovations. Compared to the first timepiece, the ‘moon’ could be enlarged by a better placement. The BlueMoon was also given a different dial color. The somewhat sterile white has given way to a rich, dark blue tone, in which the novelty is now wrapped. I would like to talk to you about this and many other details in this watch review…
Finally an unboxing again
In the delivered box is a well secured blue packaging with the lettering of the watch manufacturer, which, however, is not yet the watch box. That is inside and has a valuable, rough surface. The blue packaging, on the other hand, stands out due to a double bottom. Inside, you’ll find the warranty card as well as other “package inserts” that clearly explain the watch’s functions. In the watch box itself, the new watch with the reference number M1-44-62-LB is well secured. One has to peel off a seal-like sticker before freeing the model from protective foils. Then you may enjoy the Teutonia IV BlueMoon experience in all its glory.
The Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon on the Wrist
It’s hard to suppress the solemn look that sets in as soon as you put on this elegant yet functional watch for the first time. The noble and distinguished design of the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon even evokes a more upright posture in me when I wear it on my wrist. I directly associate the moon phase watch with seriousness, dignified luxury and quality. It almost sounds a bit austere or staid. But the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon is by no means that. The clear lines and playful details like little stars or the quite detailed moon on the dial make sure of that.
Therefore, I would wear the watch primarily on upscale, special occasions and in everyday business at meetings and on business trips. This broad spectrum gives the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon Daily Rocker qualities.
This also confirms its suitability as a unisex watch. The diameter of the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon is only 39 millimeters. This makes it ideally suited as a ladies’ watch. Thankfully, you won’t find any compulsively masculine attributes here either. The intelligently selected diameter perfectly matches the unagitated design.
Mühle relies on proven quality
While we’re on the subject of case size, we also have to talk about its sporty height of just 11.80 millimeters. That’s incredibly flat. After all, you have to keep in mind that Mühle had to accommodate a modified automatic movement, which can be easily seen through the glass caseback.
The shape of the case is not exactly what catches the eye when you first see the Mühle Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon. The impression is deceiving, because the seemingly simple shape conceals many good ideas that make the case very functional. For example, the slightly curved horns that gently hug the wrist when you put on the BlueMoon. The bezel has also been designed with an uncompromising bevel at the top of the case. Many Teutonia models feature a stepped, classic B bezel. This design element has been dropped in favor of functional lines. Less is more.
However, the classic design has not been completely abandoned. Primarily the upper sides of the case are polished and alternate with matte sides. The quality is on a premium level, as you would expect from the Saxon manufacturer. You don’t have to expect any surprises when it comes to the choice of materials. Stainless steel is still used here.
The dial is protected by sapphire crystal, whose existence is hardly noticed at first. Apparently, great importance was attached to the anti-reflective coating, because Mühle really succeeded in doing a first-class job. The optical illusion, that you can touch the dial with your hands, thrills me even after days!
Its water resistance is 10 bar. The BlueMoon forgives water splashes, but of course, the model is not designed for diving.
The woodpecker neck regulation explained
Mühle wouldn’t be Mühle without the patented woodpecker neck regulation, which the movements receive during production in Glashütte. A Swiss automatic movement from Sellita is used. In addition to a stop-seconds function and the date, the SW 288-1 also features the moon phase. Moon phase and date can be adjusted via the screw-down crown by quick correction. Fully wound, the SW 288-1 is equipped with a power reserve of 41 hours.
The highlight, however, is once again the woodpecker neck regulator. For those who have so far only associated the term with the body part of a bird, here’s a brief explanation. Developed and patented in 2003, the spring protects the sensitive inner workings from external influences such as impacts or shocks. In addition, the movement is finely regulated. Ultimately, it was the characteristic shape that gave the spring its name. The woodpecker neck regulator is also installed in the above-mentioned insert watches, as these are exposed to the toughest stresses.
The super moon
Not only the case, but also the dial has been designed differently compared to older watches of the Teutonia collection, whereby one can speak of an evolution here. The most noticeable change compared to the first moon phase watch is the new positioning of the astronomical display. Instead of 5 to 7 o’clock, it now extends from 5 to 10 o’clock and takes up significantly more space on the dial. Mühle itself also explains the new name by the moon, which has grown to 6 millimeters. “BlueMoon” stands for the second full moon of a month. The supermoon itself was designed with loving details like impact craters and looks almost photo-realistic from a distance. Small stars successfully round off the look.
Opposite, you’ll find a date window. As usual, the indices were applied and are shiny nickel-plated, just like the hands. In order to keep the overall appearance functional and unagitated, common design patterns such as a sunray dial have been omitted. Instead, the surface is slightly grained. The readability of time, date and moon phase are good.
Finally, we want to take a look at the wristband. Here, the motto is: no experiments. The leather strap is black on the outside, softly lined on the inside and dark blue, matching the dial. I liked the wearing comfort very much. Secure hold is provided by a folding clasp. The width of the leather strap is 20 millimeters.
My conclusion about the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon
Often, you don’t need novel materials, high-performance movements or even breathtaking functions. The Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon shows, that it is possible without superlatives. Surely, the moon phase display is a small special feature, but in my opinion, it is not the main criterion to buy this watch. In my eyes, it’s more the sum of the parts. The Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia IV BlueMoon is convincing across the board and doesn’t make any mistakes in any discipline. Maybe it’s not the bird of paradise of the collection that you tell others about first. But it is reliable and of premium quality. Ultimately, this means that you simply have to like the BlueMoon. You can’t help it.
With these qualities, the watch is emblematic of Mühle-Glashütte’s entire Teutonia collection, the brand’s most popular. If there is a recipe for success, then I think this summary aptly describes it.
The model with the reference number M1-44-62-LB costs 2,600 euros in the Mühle store. As of September 2022, you have to expect longer waiting times of 10 to 12 weeks. As always, all important links can be found below!
More about Mühle-Glashütte and the Teutonia IV BlueMoon
Here you can find the watch in the store
The entire collection at a glance
Mühle watch reviews in my blog
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