How to set a Moon Dial on a Mechanical Clock

A moon dial is a very interesting feature of some clocks. It allows you to track the phases of the moon in addition to the time of day. What happens if you forget to wind the clock, and the moon dial gets out of sync? In this article, we will show you how to adjust your moon dial properly. The moon dial corresponds to the lunar month which is 29 and ½ days, not the calendar month. Each day between 9pm and 3am, the dial will go through a moon change. During the moon change, you cannot move the dial. If you need to adjust things, do it either before or after this span of time.Before touching the dial itself, we highly recommend you get a pair of gloves or even a soft rag. This will avoid fingerprints and scratches. If possible, it is best to access the back of the moon dial via the side or rear panel of the clock. If you can’t access the moon dial this way, you can turn it from the front.Carefully move the dial clockwise so the moon is beneath the 15. This represents a full moon. Don’t try turning the dial counterclockwise. This could damage your clock. Check your calendar for the last full moon and adjust the dial accordingly.As you move the dial, you will hear a click. Each click represents a full day. If you are three days past the full moon, move the dial three clicks forward.The moon dial can drift slowly over time, which means you may have to run through this process again in a handful of months. This article will be here to help again if you need it.