Perpetual calendars have long been a fixture in the world of haute horology. In fact, their very longevity has led to many of the more jaded collectors eschewing them in favour of something a little more ostentatious or outré. This is only to be regretted. As any true lover of precision time pieces will tell you, the perpetual calendar is among the finest distillations of the watchmaker’s art.
Unlike annual calendar complications, the perpetual’s claim to fame is that, as well as expertly keeping track of the day, date and month, it also factors in leap years as well. In the case of some of the very finest models, they may not need to be adjusted for centuries.
Given its key role in the mechanism’s evolution – the brand was the first to miniaturise the movement to fit a wristwatch – it is only fitting that Patek Philippe maintains an admirable range of perpetual calendar timepieces. Foremost among these is the 5270P Perpetual Calendar Chronograph with Salmon Dial, an all-new platinum-crafted iteration of its benchmark 5270 design.
While the watch’s salmon pink hue evokes a certain sepia-toned nostalgia, its case conceals a complication of cutting-edge complexity. As well as the perpetual calendar, it comes with an additional six patented chronograph innovations, including a tachymeter scale and a 30-minute counter.
Again giving its own heritage a knowing nod, IWC’s new Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Edition ‘150 Years’ is a classic Portugieser watch crafted in the spirit of the brand’s Jubilee collection. Outfitted with an in-house calibre 52615 movement, boasting a seven-day power reserve, this particular perpetual calendar is said to require no adjustment until 2010. Clearly one to bequeath.
Not to be outdone, Chopard’s offering is the L.U.C All-in-One, a watch with truly grand complications that features 14 mesmerising function, including a perpetual calendar sub-dial set in the upper right corner of its stylish guilloché dial. With the option of rose gold with a nickel face or platinum with a grey-blue face, the watch comes in a strictly limited edition of 10.
Another hand guilloché design that just cannot be overlooked is Breguet’s Marine Équation Marchante 5887. Its integral perpetual calendar mechanism is here complemented by a running equation of time and a 60-second tourbillon, all powered by a self-winding calibre 581DPE movement. Staying true to the collection’s overall maritime motif, the date hand features an anchored tip, while its hour marker sits atop a ‘ship wheel’ setting.
For those hankering for something a little more blue, A. Lange & Söhne recently unveiled the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Handwerkskunst, complete with a blue-enamelled white gold dial. The face comprises four recessed sub dials – a perpetual calendar (accurate until 2100), a day-date, a moon phase indicator and a split-second chronograph – all set against a series which also of painstakingly0engraved star accents.
For those looking for a more unusual take on the classic perpetual, Glashütte Original’s Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar Limited Edition certainly merits a degree of perusal. Featuring a skeletonised metal face encircled by matte grey edging, it’s a near-genius blend of the complex and the minimalist and only available in a 100-piece limited edition.
Containing with the more contemporary takes on this venerable innovation, MB&F’s Legacy Machine Perpetual Ti has, as you might expect from such a notoriously avantgarde marque, opted for an ultra-modern approach. The resulting limited-edition model sports a shimmering blue-green dial in a titanium case, beautifully counterpointed by a remarkable open-face design. The perpetual calendar and host of other complications come judiciously set above a Legacy Machine signature floating balance, hovering tantalisingly below a domed glass case.
The floating balance design represents a beguiling evolution of the perpetual calendar, with an extended lever running across the complication, via the central axis, functioning as a central control. By default, the calendar assumes each month has 31 days, leaving it to the lever-activated mechanism to automatically skip ahead when only 30 or 28 are actually on offer.
Although there are clearly a number of brands keen to celebrate the past stylings of the perpetual calendar, it could be that the LM Perpetual Ti offers the best glimpse of its likely future. With haute horology never one to hasten evolution, it could be that any true transformation could take another 250 years. Those lacking a perpetual calendar function should perhaps set their watches accordingly.
Text: Tenzing Thondup