A Week on the Wrist with the Ciga Design Moon Walker – high horology, low price tag

If you're a fan of the best watches out there, chances are you're aware of some of the bigger brands on the scene. Those names – full of heritage and history – have earned their stripes over the course of generations.

Still, don't think that there are no modern brands worthy of your attention. I first got hands on with the Ciga Design Z Series Hunter earlier this year, and was wowed by the value for money on offer.

Now, I've been testing another model from the brand. The Ciga Design Moon Walker forms the next generation of the brand's GPHG award winning Blue Planet model. That saw six different iterations, before the Black Star model came along – and now there's something for space lovers to get excited by.

Ciga Design Moon Walker: key specs

Let's start with the specs. The case sits 46mm across, and is crafted from titanium. That is given a mirror-like high-gloss finish, and is rounded to a pebble-like design.

Sat atop that is a domed synthetic sapphire crystal. That peaks at a thickness of 17.05mm, which is much taller than you'd find on other watches. Still, the drop off around the edges lends a much sleeker measurement at the edges.

The dial consists of a 3D moon, which is flanked by two layers of timing tracks. The innermost reads the minutes, and turns clockwise, while the outermost reads the hours and remains static.

To read the time, you'll find a small figurine of a moon walking astronaut, which turns throughout the day. That's crafted from copper, before being sandblasted, coated in vintage silver and hand polished.

Inside, things are powered by a Swiss-made CD-09 movement, which is called an asynchronous-follow movement. That allows the hour gear to turn through 30° while the minute ring turns 390°.

What is the Ciga Design Moon Walker like on the wrist?

In what is becoming a familiar sentence in my watch reviews, the spec sheet really did instill some fear in me. A 46mm case coupled with a peak thickness of 17.05mm sounds like a seriously monstrous thing, and something that would dwarf my little wrists.

Fortunately, that isn't really the case. The heft of the 46mm case is reduced as the strap attaches underneath, leaving you with something that wears considerably smaller.

Similarly, the peak thickness may well be on the hefty side, but everything about the crystal and case being domed and rounded means that you don't feel a bit of it in use. It's a seriously impressive design, and one which deserves its own moment in the sun.

So, case design over, let's get into the crux of this thing – the dial. Simply put, it's magnificent. The moon is jam-packed with detail, while the moon walker is a small work of art all on its own.

Actually telling the time is a little tougher than you might think, but after a few days I got the hang of doing so quickly. The key is to learn the hour hand position by heart – that allows you to gleam half of the story without thinking – and then pick out the numbers on the minute marker either side of the hand.

It's not exactly the most precise method of telling the time, but it's also not really meant for that. You'll get 50m of water resistance on offer here, which should ensure it's fine for most everyday use cases. It's no dive watch, but anyone thinking of using this for that purpose might need help anyway.

If I had to change one thing about the model, I think I'd change the strap. There's nothing wrong with it – the fluororubber is soft and supple, ensuring a really comfortable fit over the course of a day – and the inclusion of a butterfly clasp is really neat.

For me, though, it just doesn't feel like the right choice. A sleek black leather option would do some added justice to this piece, and is what I'd personally add to make this feel a little dressier.

Is the Ciga Design Moon Walker worth the money?

Priced at US$1,699 (approx. £1,250 / €1,500 / AU$2,600), this watch presents an interesting case. On the face of it, the answer seems obvious – yes, it's an absolute bargain!

The sheer level of complication featured here has no business on a watch of this price point, and it's a testament to the work of the team at Ciga Design that it can be produced for this price. If you're a fan of high horology but have a tighter budget, this could be a seriously great way to scratch the itch.

Whether or not that will make it worthwhile for most people is another matter entirely. It is hard to read, and that might just be off-putting enough for people who don't have an endless wad of cash to blow through on pretty watches.

If it isn't, though, I'd recommend snagging one. You won't regret it.