Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Finnish Indie Watchmaker Juha Eskola Presents the N2 Moonphase
The Finnish indie watchmaker's latest watch is a combination of his previous work, with elevated finishing and a vintage Longines 30L calibre.
It’s just days ago when we first introduced you to the work of Finnish independent watchmaker Juha Eskola, and we’re already back for more. Building upon his N2, a gorgeous dress watch in a rather lovely size, Juha has now unveiled the next step in his collection. Leaving little to the imagination as to what it’s about, the N2 Moonphase is not only a logical next step for Juha, but also shows the development of his watchmaking and finishing skills.
After studying at the Finnish School of Watchmaking, an institute that birthed plenty of talented watchmakers, Juha Eskola had no real Plan B. It was independent watchmaking, or nothing, as he explained to us. He made his debut in 2021 with the N1 (below, left), which was followed by the N2 in 2024 (below, right). Where his debut watch used an ETA 6498 and thus commanded a pretty sizeable case, the N2 dropped down in size significantly thanks to the vintage Longines 30L movement that powered it. This movement now makes a return, yet with quite a bit of in-house work done to it.
As mentioned, the N2 Moonphase is a natural evolution of the N2 that Juha released in 2024, but it uses the same case. Made of stainless steel or 14k yellow gold, it comes in at 37mm in diameter and a slim 8.90mm in height. The most striking features are the concave scallops in the caseband, given a hand-hammered finish, something we usually see on the inside of a watch. On the right, there’s an onion-style crown to wind and set the movement, and there’s a sapphire crystal on either side of the case.
The dial is a balanced mix of styles, with a so-called Tuxedo dial on two levels. The black centre sits a touch lower than the silvery-white outer ring for the hour numerals, and the whole dial is finished with a grained texture. The Breguet-style numerals can either be applied in gold or engraved and wax-filled in black. The hands have a very elegant shape and are made in-house in 14k gold. The main attraction, regardless of how elegant everything else looks, is the double moon phase at six. Replacing the small seconds indication of Juha’s N2, it shows two gold moons set on a hand-hammered disc. The whole display is framed by a railroad-style minute track in black, subtly interrupted with black dots for every five-minute increment.
As was the case with the N2, the new N2 Moonphase uses the same Longines 30L movement. This is refurbished and finished by Juha himself, and comes with hand-engraved bridges, black-polished screws, anglage, snailing and frosting. If the decoration is a little too much, it’s also available without engraving. It runs at a rate of 18,000 and has a power reserve of approximately 36 hours in total. The modification from a small seconds display to the moon phase indication is done in-house as well.
Production for the N2 Moonphase is limited to this year only, and there’s the option to order a bespoke version. Regardless, you have the choice of Ostrich, alligator or suede leather straps, fitted with a pin buckle, and the price is set at EUR 13,000 in stainless steel or EUR 15,000 in 14k yellow gold. Both prices are before taxes, by the way.
For more information, please visit JuhaEskola.com.
