Behrens’ Atypical Apolar Watch Gets The Dark Touch Thanks to Label Noir

Gazing up at the sky, and the endless abyss that is space, can both be daunting and inspirational at the same time. Astronomers have relied on this very principle for centuries, to map out where we are exactly, and figure out how to navigate our planet. And not to mention, how to determine the passage of time and divide it into regulated segments we can use as a standard measurement on a daily basis. It’s no surprise then that astrological complications are a recurring theme in the field of watchmaking, with the latest to bring this celestial inspiration to the wrist being the Behrens x Label Noir Apolar Black Moon.

While we have featured Behrens only once before, Label Noir is a returning guest here at MONOCHROME Watches. The design studio is responsible for several, unsurprisingly, fully blacked out limited editions as well as bespoke one-offs based on existing watches. We’ve seen the Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force x Label Noir, the Maurice Lacroix Aikon x Label Noir and the first-ever Rolex Tourbillon (yes, that exists).

Teaming up with Behrens, a young and upcoming brand with a thing for unconventional displays, has resulted in the Apolar Black Moon. This watch has an intriguing display and has been given the same “Label Noir” treatment as previous collaborations. The 42mm wide steel and titanium case is entirely black DLC coated and has a mix of brushed and polished surfaces. The highly domed sapphire crystal covers what is best described as an orbital spectacle.

The base dial, in black obviously, has a moon-like texture and acts as the background for the timing display. The most noticeable elements of the dial are the 3D spherical earth, rotating once every 24 hours and adorned with a red marker, the inclined 3D spherical moon rotating in a 28-day cycle, and the two rotating discs in the bottom. The left one indicates the hours, and the right one is for the minutes. Combined, time is read digitally. The final indication is the double-handed seconds hand following a semi-circular track in the centre of it all.

Behrens relies on an ETA 2824 for the base movement and adds an in-house developed and constructed module on top. This gives the watch its unique display, something you would expect from brands like Urwerk, or maybe MB&F. Running at a frequency of 28,800vph, it provides 42 hours of power reserve when fully wound. The movement can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback.

The Behrens x Label Noir Apolar Black Moon is limited to just 50 pieces, all worn on a black fabric strap with contrasting white stitching and a black steel pin buckle. The price is set at CHF 4,900, and it is exclusively available through Behrens Watches and Label Noir as of now.