BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The invention described herein relates to improvements made in quartz analog watches for the display of moon phase. The mechanism to indicate moon phase provided normally in watches are very simple & inaccurate due to the use of mechanical components. This type of mechanism needs periodical setting with respect to a preprinted catalogue provided for the purpose because it is very difficult to remember the dates during which full moon or new moon occurs.
PRIOR ART
Traditionally, different phases of the moon are displayed in a watch by mechanical means with a combination of disc/s and a gear train to drive the disc/s in relation to the hour wheel or date discs. The phase of the moon is displayed through openings in the dial. This type of a mechanism is described in the patent ref US6928032 (2005), US2004/0223413, US2006/0221771, WO2005/054962 and FR2862143 (2005). In such mechanical designs, customers find it difficult to adjust the moon phase since it involves turning the button manually to synchronize the moon phase with respect to a calendar.
The invention described herein does not require resetting since a digital display shows the phases of the moon in a digital format and the IC has been programmed to show phases of the moon for 99 years. In case the battery fails and need to be replaced, the setting of the calendar will automatically reset the moon phase.
The patent ref WO 01/71433 describes a multi function watch that provides a liquid crystal display (digital format) of the phases of the moon. However, in this invention, since the moon phase display is provided below the hour and minute hand, a portion of the display gets obscured when the hour and minute hands come above it (for e.g.: at 6.30).
The present invention describes the concept of digital moon phase on top of the dial and hands thus enabling display of the moon phase without obscuring it at any time. The present invention also indicates to a wearer the no of days elapsed or countdown to the next new moon or full moon on the press of a button. Further, this invention also provides with the additional information on which way the display is progressing by the presence of a dot next to the moon.
OBJECTIVES OF INVENTION
The main objective of the invention is to provide a quartz analog wrist watch with digital display of the moon phase where the display does not get obscured at any point in time because of the hour and minute hands coming over it.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a quartz analog wrist watch with a moon phase display that also tells a wearer the no of days elapsed or countdown to the next new moon or full moon.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, the display of moon phase in a digital format is provided above the hour hand and minute hand in such a manner that it does not get obscured by the hands. This type of a display also provides the wearer with the information regarding no of days elapsed or left out for the next new moon or full moon day. The display also provides for showing the direction of progression of the moon phase by a dot positioned next to the moon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 shows the image of the watch with the digital display
FIG.2 shows the segmented display of the digital second hand & moon phase
FIG. 3 shows the cross section of the movement
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 shows the image of the watch with digital moon phase indication and the dot (3) showing direction of progression of the moon.
FIG. 2 shows a first 60 segmented display (1) of the digital second hand and in a second 14 segmented display (2) the phases of the moon.
FIG. 3 shows the cross section of the complete watch showing the position of the liquid crystal display (4) on the top with the hands (5) and dial (6) below it. This type of a display provides accurate graphic representation of the moon phase up to 99 years.
WE CLAIM
1) The analog-digital combination wrist watch movement explained above has a moon phase display in the digital format that is located above the dial and above the hour and minute hands.
2) The quartz analog wristwatch as claimed in claim 1 has a segmented display segmented into 14 segments to accurately indicate phases of the moon.
3) The quartz analog wristwatch as claimed in claim 1 to 2 has the unique characteristic to display no of days elapsed or countdown for the next new moon or full moon at the press of a button provided on the side of the case.

04) The quartz analog wristwatch as claimed in claim 1 to 3 has the feature to display the
direction of progression of the moon by a dot placed next to the moon.
05) The quartz analog wristwatch as claimed in claim 1 to 4 has an IC which has been
programmed as per southern hemisphere moon phase calendar to show the phases of the
moon for 99 years.
06) The quartz analog wristwatch as claimed in claim 1 to 5 automatically sets the moon
phase upon adjustment of the calendar and no separate adjustment is required to set the
moon phase.
07) The quartz analog wristwatch as claimed in claim 1 to 6 has a second hand displayed in
the digital format which is aesthetically synchronized to the hour and minute hands due
to the reduced gap between the display panel and minute hand.
08) The quartz analog wristwatch as claimed in claim 1 to 7 allows the features on the dial
to be seen through the transparent display on the top.
09) The quartz analog wristwatch as claimed in claim 1 to 8 has the entire mechanism
housed in a plastic casing to make a complete module unit which is independent from
the case body.