The Christiaan van der Klaauw Planetarium Dunes of Mars is a limited-edition mechanical watch whose red aventurine-glass dial frames a miniature, moving model of six planets orbiting the Sun. Monochrome Watches introduced it in 2022 in stainless steel, rose gold and white gold, with six watches reported in each material. Its launch prices are historical; the available sources do not establish current inventory or market value.
What is the Planetarium Dunes of Mars?
Introduced by Monochrome Watches on 30 November 2022, the Dunes of Mars is a 40 mm wristwatch in Christiaan van der Klaauw’s Planetarium line. Its distinctive red aventurine-glass dial evokes the sandy surface of Mars, while a mechanical planetarium display at six o’clock gives the watch its astronomical function. Hours, minutes, date and month are also indicated.
This is a mechanical complication, not an electronic screen: a miniature orrery represents Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn orbiting the Sun. The manufacturer describes its Planetarium collection as showing those six planets around the Sun in real time. On the Dunes of Mars, Monochrome says the Sun, Earth and Mars are picked out in colour. The company calls the collection’s complication “the smallest mechanical Planetarium in the world”; that is the manufacturer’s claim, not an independently established comparison.
The manufacturer’s pressroom lists a dedicated “CVDK PLANETARIUM DUNES OF MARS” press download. Its general Planetarium collection page explains the complication, but is not a Dunes-specific technical sheet.
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How the display and movement are described
The planetarium sits at six o’clock beneath the red dial’s hour and minute display. In addition to the six-planet indication, the watch provides date and month indications. Monochrome reports white or rhodium-plated indexes and a transparent sapphire caseback.
Both Monochrome’s launch article and a Christie’s essay describe an automatic, twin-barrel movement with a maximum power reserve of 96 hours. They disagree on the caliber number: Monochrome gives CVDK7836, while Christie’s gives CVDK7386 for a circa-2024 white-gold example. Without manufacturer confirmation, neither number should be treated here as definitive.
Materials, references and edition size
Monochrome’s 2022 launch coverage reports three versions, each limited to six examples:
| Case material | Reference | Reported edition size | Original launch price | Reported buckle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | CKPM3305 | Six pieces, per Monochrome Watches (2022) | €49,500, per Monochrome Watches (2022) | Folding clasp, per Monochrome Watches (2022) |
| Rose gold | CKPM1105 | Six pieces, per Monochrome Watches (2022) | €70,000, per Monochrome Watches (2022) | Pin buckle, per Monochrome Watches (2022) |
| White gold | CKPM7705 | Six pieces, per Monochrome Watches (2022) | €75,300, per Monochrome Watches (2022) | Pin buckle, per Monochrome Watches (2022) |
Monochrome calls the gold variant rose gold; Christie’s describes its white-gold auction example and refers to the other gold version as pink gold. The sources establish differences in material, reference, launch price and reported buckle arrangement, but do not establish functional or quality differences between the versions. Monochrome also reports a brown leather strap.
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What the launch prices do—and do not—tell you
The figures in the table are the original prices reported in Monochrome’s 30 November 2022 launch coverage. They are not current retail quotations, secondary-market valuations or proof of what any example later sold for. No current stock, dealer listing or price is established by the available sources.
Christie’s Hong Kong records a circa-2024 example in 18k white gold. The auction record documents one watch and its accompanying items; it does not demonstrate that a Dunes of Mars is currently available to buy. The lot-specific condition report said the movement was operating but needed service. It also noted that the presentation-box winding mechanism was not operating. Those observations apply to that watch and box, not to the model generally.
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What to check when assessing an example
With an edition reported at six per material, identifying the precise version and assessing its individual condition and documentation matter more than assuming all examples have the same present-day value. The sources do not provide a current listing against which to compare prices.
- Confirm the variant: Match the case material and reference—CKPM3305 for steel, CKPM1105 for rose gold, or CKPM7705 for white gold—to the watch and its paperwork.
- Inspect the planetarium: Ask for a clear demonstration of the six-planet display and its operation. The general collection description explains what it represents, but does not substitute for checking the individual watch.
- Establish condition and service history: Request a recent, watch-specific assessment, particularly of the movement and astronomical display. The service note in Christie’s record concerns its circa-2024 lot only.
- Check provenance and included items: Compare the serial or reference information, warranty documentation, box and other accessories with the seller’s description. Christie’s records a warranty certificate, presentation box and outer packaging with its particular example; that does not establish what accompanies another watch.
- Verify the strap and clasp: Monochrome reports a brown leather strap, folding clasp for steel and pin buckles for the gold versions. Confirm what is actually present on the individual watch rather than assuming it remains in original configuration.
Sources and evidence limits
Monochrome Watches’ 30 November 2022 introduction is the source for the reported launch configuration, references, edition sizes, original prices and strap-and-buckle details. Christie’s provides a separate record and essay for one circa-2024 white-gold auction example, including its lot-specific condition observations. The manufacturer’s pressroom lists a Dunes of Mars press download, while its Planetarium collection page describes the complication generally. These sources document the model and its launch, but do not establish current buying options or resolve the caliber-number discrepancy.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
