Round-UpThe Forever Complication: 10 Exemplary Perpetual Calendar Watches

‘Perpetual’ implies forever, and that’s how long a perpetual calendar watch is supposed to tell the correct date without adjustment. However, the revolution of planet Earth around the sun and the Gregorian calendar make things a little too complicated for this complication to handle. So instead of forever, we have to settle for seeing the correct date on our perpetual calendar watches only until March 1, 2100 comes along. That’s not too bad though, is it? The reason for this is the unrounded number of days that the planet takes to go around the sun. It takes 365.2421897 days, but we round that off to 365.25, allowing four quarters of a day to come together and give us a 29th day in February, once every four years, making it a leap year. So a leap year is, in theory, any year that’s perfectly divisible by four. There is still a difference though, and if we were to only have leap years, and no other correction in the calendar (which is how it was before the year 1582), there would be an 11-minute shift in the calendar every year. To tackle that, the centurial years that are not divisible by 400 are exempted from being leap years. The math behind it defined the current Gregorian calendar in 1582, and we’ve been following these leap year rules ever since. Given these rules, the next exceptional non-leap year will be 2100.

Watchmakers have mastered the art of the perpetual calendar to the extent that the watches automatically consider the differing number of days in a month, including the Februaries with 29 days. So far though, it hasn’t been possible to consider the exceptional non-leap years as well. Perpetual calendar watches typically indicate all important calendar details—the date, the day, the month and the year. All these displays aren’t necessary for a watch to qualify as a perpetual calendar watch.  In fact, some only indicate the date, while several other complex perpetual calendar watches also include leap year indicators, day-and-night indicators, moon phase displays, and so on. Take a look at both ends of the perpetual calendar spectrum across this selection of watches.

The Bovet Dimier Récital 21

The Dimier collection from Bovet presents some of the more complicated pieces from the maison. Dediated to the Dimier 1738, Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Artisanale of the brand, the watches from this series have an inclined construction, featuring a ‘writing slope’ structure, tapering towards six o’clock. The Récital watches within this collection showcase several complications, which include the perpetual calendar of the Récital 21. The main timekeeping remains at the centre of the display, but is minimised, with the running seconds seen at nine o’clock with an open-worked section. One can see that the day is at 12 o’clock, the month at six, and leap year indicated at three o’clock. Surrounding the main timekeeping is a retrograde date display, whose mechanism slows down the indicator when the retrograde jump takes place from the end of the month back to the position of the 1st for the following month. While it is a dramatic little touch that’s interesting to see, this mechanism also helps improve the longevity of its moving parts. And then, in addition to that, the calibre also features a unique corrector, which allows you to adjust all the other displays simply by correcting the date when you use the watch after an extended period. Yet, you wouldn’t need to worry about leaving the watch running on its own for a few days, since the fully synchronised, manual-winding calibre 113DM05-QPR can run autonomously for a huge five days. And the balance power reserve is even indicated on the reverse of the calibre, displayed through the exhibition caseback. The 44.4mm case comes in 18-karat red gold.

Bovet Dimier

₹1,02,00,000

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The Frederique Constant Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture

Frederique Constant first launched their in-house automatic perpetual calendar calibre FC-775 in 2016, with the aim of presenting visual harmony on the face of the watch, despite the multiple displays of the complication. In 2021, with the launch of their Highlife collection, this in-house perpetual calendar movement was brought into their modern, archetypal steel sport watch, giving it new life. The Highlife collection presents the evergreen look of an integrated strap, with a very balanced and agreeable design. And with the easy strap interchangeability, you can switch between the default and the complimentary straps that come with the watch. Of course, the perpetual calendar display translates well into Highlife design, with the day and date at nine and three o’clock, the month and leap year at 12 and the moon phases at six o’clock. The dial comes in either white, blue or a sublime blue-grey. All this high-functioning goodness comes in 41mm steel, with one white-dial option offering a combination of steel with gold-plated elements.

With the easy strap interchangeability, you can switch between the default and the complimentary straps that come with the Highlife Perpetual Calendar

₹8,65,600

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In 2021, with the launch of their Highlife collection, the brand's in-house perpetual calendar movement was brought into their modern, archetypal steel sport watch, giving it new life

₹8,65,600

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The Highlife collection presents the evergreen look of an integrated strap, with a very balanced and agreeable design, with the perpetual calendar feeling right at home in this watch

₹8,84,500

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With the day and date at nine and three o’clock, the month and leap year at 12 and the moon phases at six o’clock

₹8,69,300

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The dial comes in either white, blue or a sublime blue-grey (seen here)

₹8,69,300

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The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar

A 2006 Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix winner in the complications category, this ingenious interpretation of the perpetual calendar complication is Moser minimalism at its best. It cuts out all the frills of a conventional perpetual calendar display and showcases only the date at three, which can be adjusted in a flash, and also has an extremely clever month indication. The stunted hand at the centre, with an arrow-head, points to the hour markers that double as month markers. Another perpetual calendar feature is the leap year indicator, which is actually behind the watch, seen through a transparent caseback that also reveals the manual-winding calibre HMC 341. The movement guarantees a whopping seven-day power reserve, indicated at nine o’clock and is completely minimal in appearance, which really helps the gorgeous fumé dial stand out. Available in several hues, the dial seen here is in grey fumé—H. Moser’s signature smoky dial—set in an 18-karat, rose gold case, 40.8mm in diameter, and water-resistant to 30m. The brown alligator leather strap complements the gold.

A 2006 Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix winner, this ingenious interpretation of the perpetual calendar complication is Moser minimalism at its best. The month is indicated by a stunted hand at the centre, which points at the 12 hour positions that also correspond to the 12 months of the year

The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Calendar

Another rendition of H. Moser’s award-winning perpetual calendar, this one here is in a Streamliner timepiece, from the brand’s collection of sport watches with integrated bracelets. The Streamliner series has actually carved a very distinctive niche for itself. The watches appeal to a more modern sensibility, but with distinctive links to the art deco era, having drawn inspiration from American Streamliner trains of that period. With elements such as Globolight—a ceramic-based material infused with Super-LumiNova—readability is enhanced in the dark. Unlike the more classical perpetual calendars from Moser, the date aperture is at four o’clock, because that’s the position of the crown in this series. Diametrically opposite, at 10 o’clock, the power reserve indicator is very subtle. Likewise, the stunted month hand at the centre is also rather minimalistic. Even this one has a leap year indicator on the reverse, seen on the manual-winding HMC 812 calibre, through the exhibition caseback. The 42.3mm case of this watch is water-resistant to 120m.

Another rendition of H. Moser’s award-winning perpetual calendar, this one here is in a Streamliner timepiece, from the brand’s collection of sport watches with integrated bracelets

₹55,00,000

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The Streamliner series has actually carved a very distinctive niche for itself. The watches appeal to a more modern sensibility, but with distinctive links to the art deco era

₹55,00,000

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With elements such as Globolight—a ceramic-based material infused with Super-LumiNova—readability is enhanced in the dark

₹55,00,000

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This one also has a leap year indicator on the reverse, seen on the manual-winding HMC 812 calibre, through the exhibition caseback

₹55,00,000

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The date aperture is at four o’clock. Diametrically opposite, at 10 o’clock, the power reserve indicator is very subtle. Likewise, the stunted month hand at the centre is also rather minimalistic

₹55,00,000

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The IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar

IWC state that ‘no other complication expresses IWC’s values quite as eloquently as the perpetual calendar developed by legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus in the 1980s’. They refer to Klaus’ innovation of fully synchronising all the perpetual calendar displays, so as to allow one to adjust everything using just the one time-setting crown. The Schaffausen-based brand’s perpetual calendar makes an appearance in practically all their collections, and especially in the Portugieser—one of the brand’s more popular lines. These Portugieser Perpetual Calendar watches here include a gold with a white dial and a white gold with a grey dial featuring a gorgeous sunray finish to add a mesmerising glint and gloss to the face. The nuanced detailing on the dials also includes snailed finishing on the sub-dials and applied 18-karat gold markers to match the 42.4mm case—seen paired with the white dial—and signature leaf-shaped hands. The display itself is very neat and compact. At nine is the day of the week and the small seconds, at three is an analogue date display with the power reserve indicator, at six is the month, while the year is between seven and eight and the moon phase at 12 o’clock. All this runs on the automatic IWC calibre 52610, which offers a staggering power reserve of 168 hours or seven days and can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. Completing both watches are their alligator leather straps—made by Italian leather goods manufacturer Santoni.

IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar SHOP THE COLLECTION

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin perpetual Calendar has been seen in both of Marvel’s Doctor Strange movies starring the brand’s ambassador Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character. Regarding its presence in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Jaeger-LeCoultre have expressed: ‘the timeless classicism provides [an] emotional anchor in a world of constant change [in the film]’. It presents the dress watch classicism of the Master collection with perfection. And despite the high functionality of the perpetual calendar complication, it remains understated and sophisticated in appearance, especially given its very favourable size of 39mm. The clean, silvery dial presents the moon phase indicator at 12 o’clock, while the date, day and month displays can be seen at three, nine and six o’clock respectively. Also presented is the year, seen between seven and eight. The simplistic dial with a clean layout is actually quite nuanced with its depth—owing to the recessed sub-dials and the faceted indexes and hands. It all creates a very pleasant and luxurious visual. This timepiece is powered by the Jaeger-LeCoultre automatic calibre 868—visible through the caseback, with all its decoration, including Geneva stripes, circular graining, as well as satin polishing and bevelling.

The Longines Conquest VHP Chronograph Perpetual Calendar

Certainly an unconventional perpetual calendar watch, the Longines Conquest VHP is equipped with a ‘very high precision’ (VHP) quartz movement, the calibre L289, which includes a chronograph. While the calendar feature itself is just the date, there is a certain thrill about what seems like a regular chronograph watch whose date doesn’t have to be corrected until the year 2100. The 44mm case in steel is available with or without black PVD treatment. The case hue corresponds to the sub-dial rings—seen here with a grey pattern or in blue—with red accents. Fitted with a blue rubber strap or steel bracelet, this watch is water-resistant to 50m

Certainly an unconventional perpetual calendar watch, the Longines Conquest VHP is equipped with a ‘very high precision’ quartz movement

₹1,83,000

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The 44mm case in steel is available with (left) or without black PVD treatment, while the case hue corresponds to the sub-dial rings of the blue dial with red accents

₹1,50,000

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Longines Conquest VHP EXPLORE THE COLLECTION

The Omega Speedmaster Skywalker

A fine example of a high-performing analogue-digital timepiece is Omega’s Skywalker—a name quite apt for this futuristic-looking watch with imposing proportions, and sized at 45mm. The titanium case retains elements of the iconic Speedmaster case, such as the ‘twisted’ lugs. The Skywalker is equipped with a thermo-compensated multifunction quartz movement, calibre 5619, which runs a host of functions, including the date. The LCD display can present the time in up to three different time zones, along with the chronograph function, the alarm, and the perpetual calendar displays. The functions also include indications of mission elapsed time (MET)—a time reading used by NASA to time events during their space missions—and phase elapsed time, which is a countdown-timing system for specific events taking place within the MET. These are completely in line with the Omega Speedmaster’s association with space exploration and NASA. All these advanced digital functions can be adjusted and controlled using the four push-pieces around the case, while the analogue timekeeping can be adjusted via the time-setting crown at three o’clock. An add-on is the handy bidirectional-rotating bezel, which serves as a timer to be used in tandem with the analogue central hands. Equipped with a sapphire crystal glass, the case is water-resistant to 30m, and comes affixed with a NATO strap in blue and green, complementing elements of the dial and bezel.

A fine example of a high-performing analogue-digital timepiece is Omega’s Skywalker. The titanium case retains elements of the iconic Speedmaster case, such as the ‘twisted’ lugs

₹5,68,100

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The Skywalker is equipped with a thermo-compensated multifunction quartz movement, calibre 5619, which runs a host of functions, including the date

₹5,68,100

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The LCD display can present the time in up to three different time zones, along with the chronograph function, the alarm, and the perpetual calendar displays

₹5,68,100

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An add-on is the handy bidirectional-rotating bezel, which serves as a timer. The watch comes with a NATO strap in blue and green, complementing elements of the dial and bezel

₹5,68,100

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The Seiko Astron SSE170J1 

Perhaps the most respected watch manufacturer from outside of Switzerland (more respected than a lot of Swiss makers even), Seiko have been pioneers in various ways, most famously, for having created the first ever quartz wristwatch—the Astron. A descendant of that achievement is this high-functioning timekeeper that is endowed with so many functions, it could make anyone’s head spin. The calibre 8X53 is a GPS solar movement, which means it is synced with satellite time. With a maximum accuracy deviation of up to 15 seconds a month, the calibre’s features include a day/date display, daylight saving time, and dual time. Its flight mode prevents the reception of a GPS signal, and the world timer can show you the time in up to 40 time zones. The solar watch is powered by solar or light energy—fully charging it means that it has stored a reserve of up to six months, and about two years if you’re on power-save (like low-power) mode. The reserve is indicated on the dial as well. And of course, the perpetual calendar feature ensures that the date will not require correction before February 2100. This astounding timepiece comes in a 46.7mm titanium case with gold-coloured treatment and a ceramic unidirectional-rotating time zone bezel. Seiko’s proprietary luminous substance, LumiBrite, helps make things legible on the dial even in the dark. The strap is in silicone with a triple-folding clasp.

The perpetual calendar feature of this Seiko ensures that the date will not require correction before February 2100. In a 46.7mm titanium case, this one seen here comes with gold-coloured treatment

The Tissot T-Classic Tradition Perpetual Calendar

One of the most accessible analogue perpetual calendar watches you could find, this T-Classic watch is among the dressier timepieces of the Swiss manufacturer. What enhances the watch are the finer details such as the texture on the white dial, and applied faceted indexes. The raised, semi-circular date scale from nine to three, and the recessed month, day and small seconds indicators at 10, two and six o’clock respectively, add nuanced appeal. The 42mm steel case is water-resistant to 30m, and houses an accurate Swiss-made quartz movement. Fitted with a brown leather strap, with an embossed alligator skin pattern, the watch also comes in a gold PVD-treated version, with hands and indices to complement the gold. Alternatively, there is another plain steel version that comes with a black dial and black strap.

One of the most accessible analogue perpetual calendar watches you could find, this T-Classic watch is among the dressier timepieces of the Swiss manufacturer

₹44,000

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What enhances the watch are the finer details such as the texture on the dial, and applied faceted indexes

₹44,000

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The raised, semi-circular date scale from nine to three, and the recessed month, day and small seconds indicators at 10, two and six o’clock respectively, add nuanced appeal

₹48,000

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The 42mm steel case is water-resistant to 30m, houses an accurate Swiss-made quartz movement, and is fitted with a leather strap, with an embossed alligator skin pattern

₹44,000

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