Perpetual Calendar Watches · Page 14

This May Be the Best Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Yet

Frederique Constant Refines the Worldtimer Manufacture

Known for its value-oriented timepieces, Frederique Constant partnered Swiss crowdfunding specialist Watch Angels to reimagine the Worldtimer Manufacture. Now in a 40 mm format with a cleaner aesthetic, the limited-edition of 718 pieces will only be available for purchase through Watch Angels’ online shop via a pre-order. Initial thoughts Frederique Constant has some interesting and accessible models, ranging from perpetual calendars to tourbillons and even a flexural pivot monolithic oscillator. The Geneva-based brand is mostly a player in the under-CHF5,000 segment, with a focus on in-house engineering. This latest iteration of the Worldtimer Manufacture is a good example of Frederique Constant’s approach to blending appealing designs with in-house mechanics, while keeping the price accessible. This new release builds on the successful Classic Worldtimer Manufacture collection, but with a streamlined design and reduced case size. It looks like Watch Angels took the lead with the design, opting for a clean layout, strong blue hues and sharp case lines. In contrast to the original that has a fussy design with a world map dial, the new version is functional but still elegantly detailed. The reduced case size, cleaner dial, and sharp finishing make this a compelling worldtime complication timepiece. Furthermore, the limited edition costs virtually the same as the regular production model, making this collaboration very appealing. More broadly, the partnership between Fr...

Rare Finds - The Never-Produced Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar

James Dowling shares with a special watch from his personal collection: The never-produced Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar with the calibre 5355.

Buying Guide - Six Captivatingly Cool Perpetual Calendar Watches

Often capturing the minds and hearts of collectors with their complex mechanism, perpetual calendars are amongst the most laureled complications around. In many cases, the array of calendar indications is displayed in a rather classical style. But not with these ones, as we take a look at some of the coolest QP watches in recent […]

Introducing - A Stylish Green Dial for the Accessible Steel Frederique Constant Classic Tourbillon Manufacture

Frederique Constant has gone a long way in proving that its “accessible luxury” slogan is not an empty catchphrase. Offering high-end complications in its Manufacture collection, Frederique Constant shook up the market with the release of a perpetual calendar for under EUR 8,000 and a tourbillon and perpetual calendar combo in steel for under EUR […]

Introducing: The Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin Perpetual And 'Mark III' L.U.C Lunar One

Chopard retools its premium QP options, tipping a new aesthetic that L.U.C models will carry going forward.

First Look - The Forest Green Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin Perpetual is a Dress Watch to Kill For

A Chopard L.U.C watch offering a perpetual calendar complication with a tourbillon regulator is not new to the series. In 2013, Chopard presented its L.U.C Perpetual T model, which was then followed by two extraordinary unique pieces in 2018, the “La Santa Muerte” decorated with the Mexican motifs and “Spirit of the Chinese Zodiac” in […]

First Look - The Beautifully Refreshed Aesthetics of the Chopard L.U.C Lunar One

The L.U.C Lunar One was Chopard’s first calendar and astronomy complication. Unveiled in 2005, the model combines a perpetual calendar and a precision orbital moon phase display in a rotating aperture. Twenty years later, Chopard revisits its L.U.C Lunar One with a more compact basin-style case, a trimmer, more legible dial decorated with hand-guilloché in […]

There Is Nothing Left To Reintroduce, Or Is There? What About The IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar IW3750 From 1985?

The IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar IW3750 from 1985 is an important watch for IWC and the entire Haute Horlogerie universe post-Quartz Crisis. Master watchmaker Kurt Klaus built a perpetual calendar mechanism on top of an automatic chronograph, which reignited interest in complicated horology and made people look at IWC differently. The innovative watch brought […] Visit There Is Nothing Left To Reintroduce, Or Is There? What About The IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar IW3750 From 1985? to read the full article.

De Bethune DB17 Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar Unique Piece Reviewed by Tim Mosso

The De Bethune DB17 Piece Unique is a technical tour-de-force by two of the greatest minds in modern watchmaking, and it embodies a thrilling combination of beauty and ambition.

Count Down to the New Year with These 6 Exceptional Perpetual Calendar Watches

As the clock ticks down to midnight, marking the beginning of 2025, we celebrate with six exceptional perpetual calendar watches.

New: Bovet Récital 21 Perpetual Calendar

Bovet released a new interpretation of their perpetual calendar, in the Récital 21 collection with three new sapphire dials in green, blue, and brown.

Year in Review: Our Best Stories of 2024

As we look back on the year, we take pride in the stories we’ve shared and extend our sincere appreciation to all our readers for their support. As 2024 draws to a close, we revisit some of our standout features, spanning in-depth explorations of complex movements, historical perspectives on timekeeping, and comprehensive reviews of the latest watch releases. Our founder SJX looked at some of the most significant watches to emerge in 2024, including the record-setting F.P. Journe Tourbillon à Remontoir d’Égalité “15/93” prototype, and the fascinating Patek Philippe ref. 767 grand complication with double split-chronographs (which means triple elapsed time measurement) that was acquired by none other than the Patek Philippe Museum. Together with David Ichim, he also co-authored a series of stories explaining notable Rolex innovations, including the brand’s most complicated watch, the Sky-Dweller; the instantaneous Day-Date; and the Deepsea with its unparalleled pressure resistance. Based in Seattle, Brandon Moore nonetheless travelled to Geneva, where he visited the Vacheron Constantin manufacture in Geneva suburb Plan-les-Ouates and the Akrivia workshops in the city’s historic Old Town. Brandon also managed to visit the Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts exhibition at the brand’s Geneva Salon, resulting in his photoessay. And in between all that, he pondered the last two decades of the perpetual calendar’s evolution, a span that has arguably given birth to s...

Best of 2024: Surprises and Unexpected Developments

There were relatively fewer surprises in 2024, perhaps because of the overall slowdown in demand for luxury watches. There were a few big surprises though, including the biggest one of all, the Patek Philippe Cubitus, leaving aside the leak thanks to a premature publication of Fortune magazine. Perhaps even more surprising and even bigger, both figuratively and literally, was the Bugatti Tourbillon, a hypercar inspired by a watch. Also notable was the fact that there was little unexpected from independent watchmakers, which perhaps underlines the still-robust demand for watches by the indies, which stick to safe bets that are easy to sell. Here’s a look at our team’s take on the unexpected launches of the year. Biver Automatique – SJX The first Biver watch was a carillon minute repeater with tourbillon that was finely finished, inside and out, but it was big, thick, and expensive. The follow-up, in contrast, was almost the opposite. The Automatique is compact and elegantly wearable, with a clean design that has just the right amount of vintage flavour. The only aspect where the Automatique stays true to its predecessor is in the finishing, which is outstanding, inside and out. The surprising bit about the Automatique is the movement. For one, it was developed by Dubois Depraz, better known as a maker of chronograph- and perpetual calendar modules mounted on ETA movements. Second, it arguably exceeds the movement of the Carillon Tourbillon in terms of design and decor...

Buying Guide - A Selection of the Very Best Artistic Dials We’ve Seen this Year

They say the face of a watch can be regarded as a canvas. A canvas to display time first and foremost, but in some watches, it is also a backdrop for a discerning and mesmerising complication like a tourbillon or a perpetual calendar indication. But what if you would take the dial as a canvas […]

Bovet Introduces Retrograde Perpetual with Sapphire Dial

Bovet’s latest creation, the Récital 21, is a perpetual calendar with retrograde date presented in a modern style. The large, 44.4 mm titanium case contains tinted sapphire dial that reveals the calendar mechanism with twist: the retrograde date hand is damped so it gradually returns to the origin rather than jumping instantaneously. Initial thoughts Bovet is best known for its large complications, some of which are elaborately and intricately styled. The Récital 21 is classic Bovet, but in a slightly more approachable format. It’s a complicated watch but in a more contemporary package, especially with the sapphire dial and luminous markings. The case is (slightly) more wearable, though it has the signature sloped “writing desk” case, which is not for everyone but distinctive nonetheless. As is typical for Bovet, the movement is in-house and impressively spec’ed. Notably, it incorporates the patented co-axial double seconds (that’s visible on the front and back), and a five-day power reserve. Sapphire dial The polished titanium case is 44.4 mm in diameter. In the usual Bovet style, the case slopes downwards from 12 to six o’clock, hence the “writing desk” nickname. Though large, it has short lugs for wearability. Offered in green, blue, or brown tint, the sapphire crystal dial reveals the calendar module that’s enhanced by a damping mechanism that deliberately slows the date hand during its return. All of the calendar indications can be adjusted via ...

Blancpain Introduces Villeret Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”

To mark the Chinese New Year that begins on January 29, 2025, Blancpain has unveiled the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”. For the first time, the brand combines a platinum case with a green grand feu enamel dial on its wristwatch that has the unusual complication of a Chinese lunisolar calendar. As with previous editions, the Villeret Chinese Calendar displays the symbol of the Chinese Zodiac in a small aperture located at noon, in addition to featuring a snake motif engraved on its frosted white gold rotor. Initial thoughts The ability of a perpetual calendar to accurately track months, dates, and days for decades, mechanically and without any manual adjustments, remains impressive even as the complication has become common. Watches with a traditional Chinese calendar, however, remain rare and arguably more impressive. Only a handful of brands have incorporated the traditional Chinese calendar into a wristwatch, with Blancpain being one of the earliest to do so, way back in 2012 ( and more recently H. Moser & Cie. has done the same). Admittedly, the latest edition of the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar introduces little new beyond the platinum case paired with a green enamel dial. Both the design and movement remain the same. While not intrinsically novel, the new version of the Traditional Chinese Calendar remains an interesting complication, with the new livery being appealing in itself. Year of the serpent The snake zodiac edition is...

First Look - The Bovet Récital 21 Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Becomes Sleeker with Sapphire Dials

Bovet’s watchmaking universe is characterised by incredibly complex timepieces staged with dramatic flair and decorated to unparalleled standards. Founded in 1822, Pascal Raffy breathed new life into Bovet to create a highly niche connoisseur brand. While classical complications and centuries-old decorative techniques abound, Bovet is no stranger to the potential of sapphire crystals and luminescence […]

The Evergreens - A Comprehensive Overview of Patek Philippe’s Annual Calendar, and How the Complication Came to Life

Calendar indications are a classic of watchmaking. But not all calendar watches are born equal. As our own Xavier Markl explained in this Technical Perspective article, calendar watches range from basic date displays to the ultra-rare and highly complex secular calendar mechanism and everything in between. Next to the highly praised perpetual calendar, there is […]

Second Opinions: I Guess I Was Wrong About IWC’s Portugieser ‘Eternal Calendar’

The GPHG picked the hyper-accurate secular perpetual calendar (one of the world's rarest complications) as the best watch of the year, while I was originally less than glowing. With an open mind, I take a second look.

Louis Erard Introduces Le Régulateur Inspired by Vianney Halter’s Antiqua

Having unveiled its first Vianney Halter collaboration in 2020, Louis Erard now follows up with the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter II that’s notably superior in style and details. Modelled on the Antiqua perpetual calendar, the Le Régulateur Vianney Halter II retains the usual Louis Erard regulator format, but smartly tweaked to replicate key elements of the Antiqua, including the rivets on the bezel, case profile, and multi-part dial. The new regulator is offered in two limited editions of 178 pieces each: the one with a silvered dial and gilt chapter rings is available only on Louis Erard’s online store, while the second edition with an inverted dial finish will only be sold at the brand’s retailers around the world. The Louis Erard e-commerce exclusive (left), and the retailer edition Initial thoughts Louis Erard has rolled out numerous collaborations with independent watchmakers. Most of them are convincing tributes to the original, but of varying levels of customisation. A good number of them employ the stock regulator case but with an edition-specific dial, which was the case for the first Vianney Halter collab. The new Vianney Halter regulator, on the other hand, features components unique to this model, giving it a distinctive look. The dial, case, bezel, and case back are all made for this edition, with only the movement being stock. As result, this captures the look and feel of the original watch that inspired it much better than past collabo...

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Greater China

Audemars Piguet (AP) debuts an entirely new look for its thinnest-ever perpetual with the  Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Greater China. Crafted entirely in yellow gold in a first for the model, the limited edition even sports a gilded dial with matching yellow gold moon disc. Initial thoughts The Royal Oak is inarguably the face of AP. And amongst Royal Oak models, the ultra-thin perpetual calendar stands out for its technical sophistication. Derived from the Royal Oak RD#2 concept watch, the Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin has a cleverly engineered movement that spreads out the calendar mechanism to minimise its height. That results in a slim case that enhances the proportions of the Royal Oak design. The signature starry moon phase features yellow gold-toned moons The Greater China edition is a major departure from the grey and blue tones of the prior two versions. It’s loud and definitely not for everyone, but it does look good. At the same time, it also references vintage Royal Oak perpetual calendar models that featured similar all-gold livery. Though the price is only on request, the Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin mode in general is pricey, arguably more expensive than it should be in fact, but it looks and feels great on the wrist. Yellow moons Crafted from 18k yellow gold, the ultra-thin yellow gold case is 41 mm in diameter and 6.2 mm in thickness. Water resistant to only 20 m due to its thinness, the case is finished in traditional Royal Oak style, wit...

Introducing - The Full-Gold AP Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

We’ve talked about the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin on multiple occasions already, and for obvious reasons. When first presented as a prototype watch named RD#2, it was the world’s thinnest perpetual calendar wristwatch, with an impressive 6.2mm thickness. Despite Bulgari re-gaining the title a year later, this Audemars Piguet remains truly impressive and is […]

From Prototype To Perpetual Calendar: The Panerai Radiomir Perpetual Calendar GMT Goldtech PAM01453

Panerai’s first-ever watch prototype was released on October 24th, 1935, and it was called Radiomir. The watch will turn 90 next year, but the excitement must be too big to control at the brand’s headquarters because the Panerai Radiomir Perpetual Calendar GMT Goldtech PAM01453 you see here is a celebratory model. It is a complicated […] Visit From Prototype To Perpetual Calendar: The Panerai Radiomir Perpetual Calendar GMT Goldtech PAM01453 to read the full article.