The Most Noteworthy Perpetual Calendars Of 2022
5 min read
One of the most highly anticipated events at Watches & Wonders 2022 was the release of new perpetual calendars. For those who are not familiar, a perpetual calendar is a type of watch that tracks and displays the date, day, month, and year, including leap years, automatically. Many even feature moon phases, in a bid to celebrate the history of timekeeping. Perpetual calendars are prized for their accuracy and complexity, as they take into account leap years and different month lengths.
While there are many different perpetual calendars on the market, there are a few that stand out from the rest. Here is our round-up of the top perpetual calendars of 2022:
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
This classic Vacheron timepiece has been reimagined for a salmon-hued dial encased in platinum for the first time. Three small apertures on the upper part of the dial feature the day, month and leap-year cycle. The watch also features a moonphase at 6 o’ clock while its satin-brushed ring—with a finely snailed center—boasts the date display, pointed at by the blue-steeled hands. The other two sub-dials feature the seconds at 9 o’ clock and the 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’ clock. Through the see-through caseback, the wearer can admire the movement powered by in-house calibre 1142 QP. Given that the case is 43 mm wide, you can rest assured of enhanced readability of the dial. That’s not all. When it comes to perpetual calendars, Vacheron Constantin has given due attention to its female admirers, too, with the Traditionnelle perpetual calendar ultra-thin watch for women. The maison has also launched a skeletonised perpetual calendar timepiece, dubbed the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Perpetual Calendar
For the first time in the watchmaker’s sporty Polaris collection, there’s a perpetual calendar! It is powered by a new caliber 868AA, which is an upgrade of its 2013 iteration, offering a greater power reserve of 70 hours and a moon phase display at 6 o’ clock which factors in the retrograde for the Southern Hemisphere. The gradient-blue dial—a nod to the transition from day to night—features three somewhat recessed sub-dials. These encapsulate the calendar, with each displaying date at 9 o’ clock, month and year at 12 o’ clock and day at 3 o’ clock. The skeletonised hands and differently textured elements make for easy readability. Enhancing its aesthetic appeal further, there are two crowns, characteristic to a Polaris watch. While one rotates the inner bezel, the other is used to wind and set the watch.
Panerai Luminor GoldtechTM Calendario Perpetuo
A perpetual calendar and a trip to Florence for its buyers (to witness the watchmaker’s prowess first hand) accompany the striking Luminor GoldtechTM Calendario Perpetuo timepiece. The watch offers intuitive adjusting for the perpetual calendar, allowing the wearer to change the settings by simply rotating the crown. It requires no corrector or tools, so it’s up to you how you want the watch to display the calendar. Bolstered by the GMT function, the watch features a day-night indicator and small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’ clock. At 3 o’ clock, you can find the day and date indicator. Through the see-through caseback, the wearer can see the months, leap year and power reserve. A smoked sapphire crystal dial boosts the overall legibility of the timepiece. Crafted in trademark polished Goldtech, the watch underscores Panerai’s commitment to stylistic innovation.
Patek Philippe Ref. 5270P-014
The Patek Philippe Grand Complication Ref 5270P-014 oozes elegance, with its green lacquered dial and gold hour markers, stunning platinum case, and most of all, its perpetual calendar display. On the upper half of the dial, you can view the day and month display in two small apertures. On the lower half, there are three sub-dials. At 6 o’ clock, there is a moonphase display along with a hand indicating the date. Two extremely small, round apertures on either side of the moonphase sub-dial indicate the leap year and day-night display. Along with the calendar, there is a sub-dial for seconds and for a 30-minute chronograph counter.
Seen at this year’s Watches & Wonders 2022 are watches featuring this highly challenging complication accentuated by awe-inspiring design. Needless to say, perpetual calendar watches are an excellent way to keep track of time, while also making a bold style statement.
