Perpetual Calendar Watches · Page 4

Revolution Awards 2025: Best Calendar Watch - Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar

Hands On: Breguet Equation of Time Pocket Watch No. 2492

A rare Breguet pocket watch with retrograde perpetual calendar and equation of time illustrates the evolution of the house from its founder’s era to the early 20th century, blending historical motifs with modern concessions. Made in 1932, Breguet No. 2492 is one of just four known examples from a series of equation of time movements produced over nearly five decades by the legendary workshops of Victorin Piguet. In short, it’s a watch with one foot in the 19th century and one in the early 20th. The transitional nature of the watch evidently resonated with collectors, as the watch recently sold for CHF241,300 at Phillips’ Geneva auction in November, some 20% above its high estimate. Context It might be surprising, but Abraham-Louis Breguet’s unexpected death in 1823 had no immediate effect on the firm’s output. The firm produced well over a hundred watches each year, which required a staff of skilled workers, as well as A.-L. Breguet’s family, who understood what a Breguet watch was, and could build one without being managed by the man himself. However, with the old guard’s retirement, and general decline of Parisian watchmaking, things slowly changed. After the Breguet family sold the firm in the late 19th century, turning instead to the more lucrative business of aviation, the firm’s output strayed from A.-L. Breguet’s vision, abandoning Breguet’s signature design language for a medley of styles catering to specific markets. During this time, the brand...

Hands-on – Experiencing the Moritz Grossmann Perpetual Calendar

Forgive the lyrical tone, but to encounter a Moritz Grossmann watch is to feel time transformed into form and substance. These are timepieces that are great to look at and study in detail with a loupe, but also wonderful to experience through touch, balance, and inner rhythm. Since Christine Hutter revived the storied name in […]

Hands-On: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin – The Vintage-Inspired Release That No One Expected

If you're a vintage lover who thought the days of modern 36mm ultra-thin perpetual calendars were behind us, Vacheron has your back. But how does it stack up?

Complicated Collectors: Seth Atwood

In the late 1970s, anyone serious about horology would eventually find themselves in Rockford, Illinois, about 90 miles west of Chicago. Visitors stayed in a hotel near a motorway that happened to be home to many of the world’s greatest clocks and watches. The collection of Seth Atwood sat below the everyday hum: Roman sundials beside Islamic astrolabes; marine chronometers alongside French regulators; English pocket watches paired with American factory movements; and, at the far end, atomic clocks. Rockford was a town that built machine tools and industrial equipment, so the hotel naturally served business travellers and convention attendees. But among them were watchmakers who flew in from Europe and Asia to see mechanisms they couldn’t examine anywhere else. For nearly three decades, one man’s vision put Rockford on the horological map. The 1972 secular true perpetual calendar Patek Philippe ref. 871, made for Seth G. Atwood. Image – Christies/collage Rockford native Seth Glanville Atwood was born in 1917, into a world of industrial logic. His father had started the Atwood Vacuum Machine Company a year earlier, its first product a simple spring-loaded bumper that kept car doors from rattling. Detroit needed millions of them, and the company grew from there, supplying window regulators, door hardware, and other practical parts in volume. Seth grew up around engineers and production managers who solved problems with their hands. After Stanford, Harvard Business Sc...

Recap – The Best Calendar Watches of 2025

Perpetual calendar watches are extraordinary mechanisms capable of compressing the idiosyncrasies of our Gregorian calendar, tricky leap years included, into a remarkably small area. Luckily, calendar watches of all denominations have been well represented this year, and we’ve put together a list of six watches that made an impression. Ranging from an unusual yet super-legible […]

Hands On: Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar PAM01575

The Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar GMT Platinumtech PAM01575 is one of the most unconventional perpetual calendars on the market, combining the brand’s military-inspired emphasis on legibility and robustness with a high-spec, crown-operated perpetual calendar movement designed for daily wear. Housed in a hard-wearing 44 mm Platinumtech case and powered by the P.4100 calibre, the PAM01575 challenges expectations for what a Panerai can be, applying the brand’s utilitarian DNA to one of watchmaking’s most respected complications. A user-friendly perpetual calendar Panerai is a brand rooted in its identity as a supplier of watches and dive instruments to the Italian navy. The brand’s utilitarian aesthetic, with bold dial markings and a distinctive crown guard, earned it a cult following in the early 2000s, and while some of the enthusiasm of that era has waned, the designs remain as recognisable as ever. Military watches are usually designed to be legible and robust, user-friendly traits that make them appealing to civilians. User-friendliness is something of a complication in its own right, and in some ways is one of the final frontiers of movement design. This includes both legibility, and the priority of information on the dial, and functionality, ensuring that the movement is easy to operate and resilient against mishandling. These issues are especially present when it comes to perpetual calendars, which must present a lot of information; George Daniels famousl...

In-Depth: The Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie

Eight years in the making and rocking a dual melody four-tone sonnerie, a QP, and a flying tourbillon, it's the most complicated watch Blancpain has ever produced.

SJX Podcast: Best of 2025 – Complications

Episode 22 of the SJX Podcast looks back at the complicated watches that emerged in 2025, a banner year that saw major brands deliver ambitious and record-setting complications. Several anniversaries, including Vacheron Constantin’s 270th and Audemars Piguet’s 150th, resulted in inspired releases. Big brands delivered big hits, from Lange’s black enamel minute repeater perpetual calendar to Blancpain’s Grande Double Sonnerie, which feature a four-note melody composed by Kiss drummer Eric Singer. For its part, Chopard finally gave its sapphire gongs the platform they always deserved with the Grand Strike, the brand’s first-ever grande sonnerie. And while Audemars Piguet’s big anniversary was headlined by the RD#5, the brand’s crown-operated perpetual calendar was another important addition to the field of complications this year. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.  

Introducing: Two Simply Irresistible 36.5mm Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Watches

The big trend is “small.” And “thin.” Well, those two words perfectly describe the new 36.5mm Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin. Not only is the diameter a size “S,” but it also has an 8.43mm case thickness, making it worthy of the “Ultra-Thin” moniker. The pink gold version is the most modern of the […] Visit Introducing: Two Simply Irresistible 36.5mm Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Watches to read the full article.

Exhibition Dedicated to Miniaturisation at AP House Singapore

AP House Singapore is staging its first exhibition, making full use of the expansive space inside Singapore’s iconic colonial-era Raffles Hotel. 150 Years of Refined Elegance is a showcase of miniaturisation, covering Audemars Piguet’s smallest and thinnest movements, including an 18 mm-wide minute repeating calibre from the late 19th century. Taking place in the basement of the “house”, the exhibition starts with watches from the 1920s and ends in the current day that includes the Royal Oak Mini and the recently launched 38 mm perpetual calendar models. The Royal Oak Mini in “Frosted” gold Although not described as such, the exhibition naturally focuses a great deal on ladies’ watches, one of the recent themes of AP’s marketing. Unsurprisingly, one of the prominent figures in the exhibition is Jacqueline Dimier, chief designer at AP from 1975 to 1999 who conceived of the 29 mm Royal Oak for ladies shortly after the launch of the original “Jumbo” ref. 5402ST in 1972. Exhibition details The exhibition is open daily from 11 am to 8 pm and takes place at AP House Singapore located in the Raffles Hotel Singapore. Entry is free but registration is required; visits can be scheduled at Audemarspiguet.com.

First Look – Time+Tide x Frederique Constant Highlife Moonphase Manufacture Onyx Moon

frederiqueconstant.timeandtidewatches.comFounded in 1988, Frederique Constant has gone from strength to strength with its policy of high-quality watches at affordable prices. Far from an empty catchphrase, the brand’s “accessible luxury” slogan materialised with the release of a perpetual calendar, followed by a tourbillon and a QP in steel, all with unbelievably restrained price tags. In 2020, […]

Complicated Collectors: James Ward Packard

On 27 April 1927 a nurse walked into a room at the Cleveland Clinic carrying a leather case. The patient was sixty-four, a section of skull removed, the ache of radiation still working behind his eyes. On the charts he appeared as James Ward Packard, co-founder of Packard Electric and Packard Motor Car Company. To the nurse he was a difficult case. To Geneva he remained the client for whom Patek Philippe had just completed movement number 198’023, an astronomical watch that had absorbed three years of calculation and bench work. James Ward Packard. Image – Lehigh University Photograph Collection Inside the case lay a carillon minute repeater on three gongs, coupled to a full perpetual calendar with moon phase, equation of time, and sunrise and sunset indications calculated for Warren, Ohio. On the reverse, a deep blue sky disk carried five hundred and twelve gold stars, turning at sidereal speed around a small Polaris. The sky above his birthplace had been compressed into a circle of lapis and gold, moving in his hands as it moved above the town where he had been born, built factories, endowed an engineering laboratory, and which he now understood lay beyond any realistic hope of return. Consolation held little appeal for him. Packard placed his trust in precision, in the ability to describe a situation so exactly that it became bearable. The watch answered a question he had circled since childhood: if the world always exceeds your grasp, can you still know, to the min...

Compact Proportions for the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual

Vacheron Constantin caps a banner year with the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, finally positioning its compact perpetual as a unisex proposition rather than a gem-set ladies’ exclusive. Building on the vintage-friendly 36.5 mm case size first seen in 2022, the latest references arrive in either white or pink gold, with the clean, unadorned versions taking centre stage as they broaden the landscape for classic perpetual calendars in genuinely compact sizes. Initial thoughts Some watches are good not because they are revolutionary, but simply because they combine several appealing traits in a single watch; the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar is a good example. The cal. 1120 QP movement has been around for decades, and since 2022 it has even had a home in this 36.5 mm Traditionnelle case, albeit only in gem-set models positioned as ladies watches. For the first time, this compact perpetual calendar is positioned as a unisex watch thanks to an unadorned case in either 18k white or pink gold. An additional gem-set reference joins the collection as well, but the standard model is the newsworthy article as it adds a meaningful option to the landscape of vintage-leaning perpetual calendars. Production has already commenced, and the pieces that the brand manages to make before year-end will be marked with the 270th anniversary emblem that has marked all of this year’s releases. This small detail denoting a subset of the production may prove to be a fun collecto...

Buying Guide – Chasing Perpetuity, with some of this Year’s Finest Perpetual Calendar Watches

Regarded as one of the grails in watchmaking, and an extremely challenging one to master as well, the Perpetual Calendar is a complication that always grabs headlines, it seems. This year, we’ve seen an abundance of them, from seasoned Maisons to high-end indies, and everything in between. With so much to choose from, pinpointing the […]

In-Depth: The Mysterious Double-Movement Patek Philippe Pocket Watches

Sotheby’s upcoming auction in New York brings to light a pair of remarkable Patek Philippe pocket watches with double movements once owned by John Motley Morehead III (1870-1965), an American patron of the brand with exotic taste. Unknown even to Patek Philippe until now, the two watches each include a primary minute repeating base movement with a secondary movement under charismatic doré dials. Beyond their intrinsic rarity, the golden duo are significant from a historical perspective in offering a portal into early 20th-century American watch collecting, when interest began to shift from decorative to technical. The who A chemist who helped form Union Carbide, Morehead seems to have had a penchant for unusual, highly complicated watches. He also owned a triple complication with upside down “American” perpetual calendar, carillon minute repeater, and a double chronograph (as in, two separate chronographs) as well as a rattrapante but with only two seconds hands. The excellent research by Sotheby’s uncovered record of another of Morehead’s watches that was a carillon repeater with two sets of hands, like these watches, but powered by only one movement. Both double-movement watches going on the block at Sotheby’s have a primary movement with minute repeating on the back and a secondary simple movement on the front. The smaller of the two makes do with just a minute repeating base movement, while the larger watch also has a split-seconds chronograph with a minut...

In-Depth: The Patek Philippe Reference 1526 Perpetual Calendar

An *exhaustive* exploration of the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar wristwatch, an often overlooked but historically significant reference from Patek Philippe.

Introducing – The Slim d’Hermès Quantième Perpétuel, now in Rose Gold and Brown

Hermès unveiled its Slim d’Hermès 10 years ago, a collection that showcases the brand’s keen appreciation for refined contemporary design with a distinctive twist. The perpetual calendar that was part of the original Slim d’Hermès range returns today in a luxurious rose gold case paired with a delectable chocolate-brown dial and the signature design elements […]

First Look – The Ultra-Technical Bühlmann Decompression 02 Dive Watch

There’s more to the dive watch category than your classic, 300m steel model with a rotating bezel. Some brands have decided to pack dive watches with features that actually make sense underwater (and I’m not talking about a perpetual calendar here), as is the watch we’ll be looking at today. As its name suggests, the […]

New: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

Vacheron Constantin continues its 250 year celebrations with three new references of the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin in three expressions.

Vacheron Constantin rounds off its 270th anniversary year with some seriously classy Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thins

Vacheron treats one of the smallest and thinnest perpetual calendars on the market to a more unisex, restrained makeover to cap off 2025.The post Vacheron Constantin rounds off its 270th anniversary year with some seriously classy Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thins appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vacheron Constantin’s New Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin

Vacheron Constantin has had, by all accounts, a banner year defined by what I think most would categorize as “heavy hitters,” a watch media term of art that implies a certain combination of hype and watchmaking maximalism. January, of course, saw the release of the long awaited and much discussed 222 in steel, and they followed that up in April at Watches & Wonders with the Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, which holds the belt, at the moment, for the most complicated wristwatch in the world. There was also a 550 pound clock with an automaton at its center (and 23 complications in total) as well as one of the sportier minute repeaters we’ve seen in a bit. Like I said, lots of big swings this year.  But Vacheron is closing 2025 in a far more understated way, and this latest release is perhaps my favorite thing I’ve seen from the brand this year. It’s certainly among the most approachable watches they’ve debuted, although that’s a relative term and the new Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin is very expensive by any metric (they start at an even $100,000). But in terms of what this watch actually represents, it feels like the most classic distillation of what Vacheron is really about.  This is, very simply, a modest, medium sized perpetual calendar is a surprisingly thin and wearable case. Measuring at 36.5mm in diameter and 8.43mm tall, the Traditionelle Perpetual seen here represents the first time this case size has been used for non gem set watche...

The Revolutionary List: 30 Pioneering Watches – the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak RD#2 Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Announces Three New Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Models In 36.5mm

To round off a monumental 270th anniversary, did VC have save the best for last?