From their distinctive lower-case name to their cohesive brand aesthetics, echo/neutra has upheld a reputation of stylized simplicity since their founding in 2019. With the Averau 39 Moon Phase, released in 2022 as a follow-up to the original Averau field watch, the young Italian brand proved that they could introduce complications without sacrificing the clean design ethos they’ve since become known for. A “Big Moon” version with both black and white dial options would follow in 2024 and become arguably the brand’s most recognizable watch, due to its strikingly photo-realistic moon disc.
For the new Averau 39 Moon Phase Noctilum, however, echo/neutra has plucked the traditional double-moon phase indication from the first Moon Phase model and given it a new minimalist look. A limited edition project joint-helmed by echo/neutra and Ace Jewelers of Amsterdam, the Noctilum emphasizes bold legibility—while the subdial at the 6 o’clock position remains, the realistically-textured moons have been replaced by contrasting black and luminous white alternatives. Continuing with the paring-down of design elements, the hands and 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock indices are the same matte black as the dial, but feature luminous white borders, creating an impressively emotive and legible “inverted lume” effect in dark conditions.
Further deviating from the original, the Noctilum deletes the Arabic hour numerals and the “2649 MSLM” script between 7 and 8 o’clock. The red “AUTOMATIC” lettering to the right of the 9 o’clock indice is also gone, and the seconds hand has been converted to a luminous white, with two black sections towards the end of the hand replacing the red stripes of old.
My first impression when viewing images of the Noctilum next to the original Moon Phase was that these changes and omissions have allowed for a much more balanced dial—the swaths of matte black around the centered echo/neutra logo no longer feel intruded upon, giving the details some room to breathe. Thankfully, though, the delightful round date window carries over as a design anchor between the new and old iterations.
At 39mm in diameter, the Noctilum’s brushed and polished stainless steel case should wear well on most wrists. A screw-down crown and caseback allow for a respectable 100m of water resistance, and the included 20mm black technical nylon strap is simple, but thematically appropriate (it’s also available on a leather strap or stainless steel bracelet, as an option). A Sellita SW280-1 automatic movement keeps the Noctilum ticking, promising a 41-hour power reserve. All of the above is capped off by a domed sapphire crystal.
If you’ve gotten this far and are wondering how Ace Jewelers factors into the Averau equation, a quick dive into Ace’s history as a luxury retailer reveals a long-term culture of collaboration with independent watchmakers. The boutique has teamed up with brands and creators like Christopher Ward, Frederique Constant, Nomos, and Bamford on limited edition releases in the past—it makes sense, then, that they would find a lot to like in echo/neutra’s industrial-modernist flavor of Italian design.
Overall, echo/neutra and Ace Jewelers have produced a new Averau 39 that takes the best design details of the original and pares them down to their stylistic strengths. The simplified dial, inverted lume, and solid internals make the Noctilum both an effective successor to previous Averau models, and a bold new standard bearer for echo/neutra’s burgeoning brand ethos of timeless design and reliability.
The Ace Jewelers x echo/neutra 39 Moon Phase Noctilum is limited to 100 pieces and available now through both the Ace Jewelers and echo/neutra websites. The retail price is $840.
