With February 29 just around the corner, these perpetual calendars are a must have
Considered one of the most sophisticated and enchanting of all high complications by watch enthusiasts, the perpetual calendar mechanism in a timepiece automatically corrects itself to adjust long and short months, including February 29 in leap years. These watches show the date, day, month, year, leap-year cycle and much more. Depending on the kind of watch or clock, it can be designed such that the date indication is digital, shown by a rotating hand, or even a retrograde hand.
To whom do we credit this genius invention? Well, to Breguet! It is believed that no true perpetual calendars that pre-date two watches by Breguet have been found. Not only that, the search for watches other than his first two perpetuals that use the mechanism he invented has been futile. According to Breguet, the first two perpetual calendars—Breguets no. 92, the 'Duc Praslin' and no. 160, the 'Marie Antoinette'—are also the two most complicated timepieces the watch brand ever made. Production of both watches appears to have started around the same time—around 1783 (though some sources say that production of the Marie Antoinette began in 1782).
A. Lange & Söhne
The Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon pairs three complications with five supplementary functions. Cased in platinum with a sapphire-crystal caseback that exposes the watch's tourbillon mechanism, this timepiece is available in a limited-edition of 100 pieces. Powered by a manually wound movement, this timepiece features a tourbillon; flyback chronograph with precisely jumping minute counter; tachymeter scale and a perpetual calendar. All indications of the perpetual calendar—outsize date, day-of-week, month and leap-year displays in subsidiary dials—switch instantaneously and thus provide unambiguous readings at all times. Equipped by a 50-hour power reserve, the watch has a black solid-silver dial and is available in a hand-stitched black alligator-leather strap.
Audemars Piguet
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar is cased in 18-carat yellow gold with a glareproof sapphire crystal caseback. Powered by a self-winding movement, the traditional displays of a perpetual calendar timepiece are given pride of place: day, month and date are displayed at nine, noon and three o’clock. The essential leap year indication takes centre stage at noon. An astronomical moon finds it place at six o’clock, and the week of the year is displayed on the dial’s outer chapter ring. This perpetual calendar timepiece has a blue dial with 'Grande Tapisserie' pattern. Equipped with a power reserve of 40 hours, this watch is available in an 18-carat yellow gold bracelet.
Breguet
Cased in 18-carat rose gold with a sapphire-crystal caseback, the Classique Grande Complication Minute-repeater and Perpetual Calendar is powered by a hand-wound movement. The watch houses a minute-repeater mechanism and a hand-engraved movement driving a retrograde jumping-month mechanism, located at 10:30, and features a perpetual calendar. It's silvered 18-carat gold dial is hand-engraved on a rose-engine and displays the age and phase of the moon at 01:30, the day at 4 o’clock, date at 6 o’clock (in a sun-patterned sub dial), and the leap year at 8 o’clock. The watch is equipped with a 40-hour power reserve.
IWC
The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun comes in a ceramic case and is powered by an automatic movement. This perpetual calendar watch features a four-digit year display until the year 2499, as well as displays for the date, day and month, and takes into account all the leap years in the Gregorian calendar until 2100. Two discreet aircraft silhouettes on the moon phase display at 12 o’clock indicate the state of the moon as seen from the northern and southern hemispheres. In each lunar month—about 29.5 days—the watch’s imitation of the moon’s orbit deviates by a mere 12 seconds or so. The watch has a black dial and is equipped with a seven-day power reserve. It comes in an embossed black calfskin strap.
Jaeger-LeCoultre
The 336-piece limited edition Master Ultra Thin Perpetual watch comes in a stainless-steel case and has a sapphire crystal caseback through which one can view the movement. Powered by an automatic winding movement, this perpetual calendar watch has a black dial, which displays three counters dedicated to the perpetual calendar indications: the first at 9 o’clock for the day of the week, the second at 3 o’clock for the date, and the third at 6 o’clock for the month. A four-digit display indicating the year appears through a small aperture at 7 o’clock. Equipped with a 38-hour power reserve, this watch is available in a black alligator leather strap.
Piaget
Cased in 18-carat white gold with diamonds, the Gouverneur Perpetual Calendar is powered by an self-winding mechanical movement. This perpetual calendar features a retrograde day and date display, day/night indicator and dual time zone display and the month and leap year display at 12. Conceived by two generations of in-house designers: a father and a son duo, this watch has a silver guilloché dial and is equipped with a power reserve of approximately 80 hours. It is available in a black alligator-leather strap.
Seiko
The Premier Kinetic Perpetual Special Edition is cased in Stainless steel with rose-gold hued coating. Designed for Novak Djokovic, each watch carries Novak’s initials on the case back.. Powered by the movement of your body, this watch features a perpetual calendar to the year 2100; if the watch is unworn, it puts itself into sleep mode and remembers the exact time and date for up to four years. As soon as it is picked up again, it automatically restarts to the correct time and date including leap years until February 2100. It has 24-hour, month and leap year indicators as well as a power save function. The watch is available with a calf-leather strap.
Vacheron Constantin
The Maître Cabinotier Perpetual Calendar Regulator comes in an 18-carat pink gold case and has a transparent sapphire crystal caseback engraved with the words 'Pièce Unique'. The watch is distinguished by its regulator-type time display (minutes on the central axis and the hours in a separated subsidiary dial), inspired by the precision clocks used to adjust watches from the 17th century onwards. Powered by a mechanical, self-winding movement, this watch features a perpetual calendar and a moonphase at 6 o'clock. It has an 18-carat gold dial adorned with an opaline brown finish and a hand-guilloché motif. The watch is equipped with a powere reserve of 40 hours. This timepiece is available in a brown Mississippiensis alligator leather strap and is delivered with a corrector pen and a magnifying glass.
Victorinox
The Chrono Classic 1/100 comes in a stainless-steel case and is powered by a quartz movement. This perpetual calendar watch features hours, minutes, seconds, tachometer (on the bezel), a chronograph and a large date display. This timepiece has a silver dial and is available in both a stainless-steel bracelet or a black leather strap.
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