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 perfect one for you can be quite challenging. Don’t worry, though, as we’re here to help you out. We’ve lined up seven of the finest QP watches of the year, all with a certain “edge” to make them stand out from the masses.

Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide

Revisiting its roots, Roger Dubuis delights us with the rather handsome Hommage La Placide. It takes us back to the days when Roger Dubuis was making more classically styled watches, rather than the current focus on hyper horology. However, there’s a little twist: it features a bi-retrograde display for the days of the week on the left and the date on the right. Up top, there’s the display for the month and leap year, and the moon phase sits at 6′. The movement uses both original and remanufactured components. The sad part is that only 28 will be made, for a price of EUR 138,000 (incl. VAT). It looks absolutely fantastic, though!

For more information, please visit RogerDubuis.com.

Quick Facts – 38mm x 11mm – 18k pink gold case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – bi-retrograde dial with blue lacquered base – mother-of-pearl scales – gold hands & indices – calibre RD1472, in-house – automatic winding – 28,800vph – 48h power reserve – 307 components – Poinçon de Genève – blue calfskin leather strap with rose gold folding buckle – limited to 28 pieces – EUR 138,000 (incl. VAT)

Vacheron Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

The new Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin is a very delectable watch for multiple reasons. First and foremost, the superb classical QP layout, but secondly, the very compact dimensions of 36.5mm in width and 8.43mm in height. While it was previously available in this size with gem-set bezels and mother-of-pearl dials, toning it down like this works absolute wonders! It is the epitome of elegance and refinement, backed up by VC’s beautifully crafted in-house calibre 1120 QP. The Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin is worn on a brown or blue alligator leather strap with a pin buckle, and retails for CHF 86,500.

For more information, please visit Vacheron-Constantin.com.

Quick Facts – 36.5mm x 8.43mm – white or pink gold case, polished – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistance – silver-toned opaline dial – snailed QP subdials – gold applied indices & hands – calibre 1120 QP, in-house automatic – perpetual calendar with day, date, month, leap year, age and phases of the moon – 276 parts – 19,800vph – 40h power reserve – Hallmark of Geneva – cognac or blue alligator leather strap with pin buckle – CHF 86,500

Frederique Constant Classic Perpetual Calendar Manufacture

On the more affordable but no less elegant end of the spectrum, Frederique Constant introduced a true winner this year, with the new Classic Perpetual Calendar Manufacture. Available in stainless steel with silver, blue and salmon dials, or in yellow gold with black onyx, it simply looks great! The metal you choose obviously affects the price, as the steel model costs EUR 9,995, versus EUR 29,995 for the gold model. Regardless, it’s pretty darn impressive that FC manages to keep a fully in-house perpetual calendar watch under 10k! All come on an alligator leather strap with a folding clasp, and are part of the permanent collection when in steel or limited to 37 pieces in gold.

For more information, please visit Frederique-Constant.com.

Quick Facts – 40mm x 12.1mm – stainless steel or yellow gold case, polished – onion-style crown – 50m water-resistant (30m in gold) – blue, silver, salmon or black onyx dial (yellow gold only) – Dauphine hands – snailed subdials (steel case only) – Manufacture calibre FC-776, automatic – 28,800vph – 72h power reserve – hours, minutes, day, date, month, leap year, moon phase – alligator leather strap with folding clasp – limited to 37 pieces in gold – EUR 9,995 or EUR 29,995 (gold)

H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Smoked Salmon

H.Moser & Cie is known for doing things a little differently, so when the brand plays around with the classical perpetual calendar complication, it comes up with stuff like this Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Smoked Salmon. The hyper-minimalist display is typical Moser, with a salmon-coloured fumé dial, power reserve and big date indication, plus a tiny central hand for the months (read off the applied hour markers). Around the back, there’s a disc for the leap year, and that’s all you get, and need, really! The finishing is just stunning, and all is set in a white gold case of 42mm in width and 13.1mm in height. It retails for CHF 54,000 and comes on a brown alligator leather strap.

For more information, please visit H-Moser.com.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 13.1mm – white gold case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – smoked salmon fumé griffé dial – gold-plated leaf-shaped hands & indices – HMC 800, in-house automatic – 18,000vph – 7-day power reserve (168 hours) – hours, minutes, small seconds (hacking), power reserve, QP with big date, month, leap year (on the back) – interchangeable Moser escapement – brown alligator leather strap with pin buckle – CHF 54,000

Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar

This year, Audemars Piguet introduced its next-gen perpetual calendar movement, which also found its way into the Code 11.59. Matured into a mighty impressive range of watches, the complex and modern white gold case is fitted with a uniquely textured smoked denim blue dial. But more importantly, the new calibre 7138 that moves away from the JLC base used in the outgoing one, puts all adjustments for the time and QP display in the crown! All indications are spread evenly across the dial and even include a 24-hour indicator. Worn on a textured denim blue rubber strap and white gold folding clasp, it has a price of CHF 109,300.

For more information, please visit AudemarsPiguet.com.

Quick Facts – 41mm x 10.3mm – white gold case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – no correctors in caseband – 30m water-resistant – smoked blue embossed dial – snailed subdials – white gold markers & hands – calibre 7138, full in-house automatic – 422 components – 28,800vph – 55h power reserve – hours, minutes, QP with week, day, date, astronomical moon, month & leap year – blue textured rubber strap with white gold folding clasp – CHF 109,300

De Bethune DB 25 Perpetual Sky

Any De Bethune is a sight to behold, but we’ve never hidden the fact that we absolutely love the brand’s Starry iterations. Whether it’s the time-only Starry Varius editions or this fresh-off-the-mill DB 25 Perpetual Sky, there’s just something magical about them. With a smaller case than previous editions, it represents De Bethune’s technical and visual ethos through and through. The 40mm wide case is polished grade 5 titanium, with a blued and polished titanium main dial, hand-set Starry Sky, and laser micro-milled Milky Way. The QP indications include a spherical moon, which only adds to the spectacle. Production is limited annually, and it retails for CHF 125,000 (excl. VAT).

For more information, please visit DeBethune.com.

Quick Facts – 40mm 11.3mm – grade 5 titanium case, polished – hollowed lugs – sapphire crystal – open caseback – 30m water-resistant – blued polished titanium dial with hand-set starry sky – laser micro-milled Milky Way – yellow gold hands – calibre DB2005, in-house – manual winding – 339 parts – 28,800vph – 5-day power reserve – hours, minutes, QP with day, date, month, leap year & spherical moon phase – blue alligator leather strap with pin buckle – limited annual production – CHF 125,000 (excl. VAT)

Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Perpetual Calendar

Last but certainly not least, we turn to Parmigiani Fleurier’s brilliantly clean and sophisticated Toric Perpetual Calendar. Available in platinum with a Morning Blue dial or rose gold with a Golden Hour dial, it stands out thanks to the coaxially arranged registers for the QP, almost making you think it’s a chronograph instead. The left subdial houses both the day of the week and the date, while the right one is reserved for the month and leap year. The movement uses solid gold bridges, and it’s worn on an elegant grey nubuck alligator leather strap with a case-matching pin buckle. The price is CHF 85,000 in gold or CHF 92,000 in platinum.

For more information, please visit Parmigiani.com.

Quick Facts – 40.6mm x 10.9mm – platinum or rose gold case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – grained Morning Blue or Golden Hour dial – gold hands & markers – calibre PF733, in-house – manual winding – 265 components – 28,800vph – 60h power reserve – hours, minutes, coaxially-arranged QP displyay with day and date at 8′ & month and leap year at 4′ – grey nubuck alligator leather strap with pin buckle – limited to 50 pieces each – CHF 85,000 (gold) or CHF 92,000 (platinum)