25 Best Perpetual Calendar Watches
Perpetual calendars are one of the most complex complications when it comes to watch movements. This is due to their incredible extended accuracy in tracking the passage of time, day, date, and months. Perpetual calendars are able to trace these measures of time by accounting for all the variations in days throughout the different months as well as leap years. Almost all perpetual calendar complications are set to last until 2100 where they would then have to be manually readjusted.
So, we’ve got plenty of time! There aren’t a large number of watch brands that venture into the perpetual calendar movement due to all of the moving parts and mechanisms that goes into creating one, but the ones that do, put the utmost care and detail into their craftsmanship. It’s always fun to see how a brand will design the dial displaying all of these features. Many have come of up with innovative techniques when creating the movement as to provide slimmer cases or fun dial layouts. We’ve sorted through our favorite perpetual calendar watches from sporty to dressy, classic to modern, expensive to affordable and curated this list for you.
A Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar
Price: Upon Request; Case Size: 41.9mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar collection brings together all of the best parts of the Lange 1 and Lange 1 Moon Phase. The movement has been reworked so that the collection could use the same Lange 1 dial layout but feature more complications of the Perpetual Calendar in one piece. This was done using a month ring that sits around the edges of the dial. In addition to the month the dial also displays the classic large date windows of the Lange 1, retrograde day of the week, leap year indicator, a moon phase with a day-night indicator, and of course a large subdial displaying the time in Roman Numerals. The Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar is available in 18k pink gold case and grey dial and a 150 limited edition 18k white gold case and pink gold dial. Both prices are available upon request with A Lange & Sohne.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Price: $106,000 USD; Case Size: 41mm; Water Resistance: 20m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
As a collection which creates a wide variety of variations, it only makes sense that the Royal Oak delivers a perpetual calendar model. Especially since Audemars Piguet was the first brand to add the leap year indicator to the perpetual calendar in 1955. For so long the perpetual calendar complication was widely made as dress watches, but the Royal Oak added a luxury sport watch to the mix, expanding the style of the movement. The traditional Grande Tapisserie pattern is still visible on the dial behind the four subdials.
The dial is a contrast of blue hues, the subdials and inner bezel are the iconic Night Blue, Cloud 50 color of the original Royal Oak. Exhibiting the perpetual calendar complication are the sub-dials with day, date, week, month, year, leap year, and moon phase. It is available in three colorways including a blue ceramic, and a flashy 18k frosted white gold. The stainless steel model retails for $106,000 USD.
IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar
Price: $43,400 USD Case Size: 44.2mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Leading watch brands started creating perpetual calendar movements for wristwatches in the 1930s. Each bringing something new to the table to advance the complication. In the 80s IWC followed this lead. The venture for IWC into the perpetual calendar was brought on by Günter Blümlein, an engineer, who understood the potential of this complication. He fortified head watchmaker of IWC, Kurt Klaus to develop a mechanical perpetual calendar and the Da Vinci was born.
In 1985, they introduced the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar at Basel. The significance of this piece was that for the first time, the crown controlled all indicators of the complication rather than the usual separate pushers and parts. Since then IWC has further developed the movement as seen in the IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar, which can be found in their past collections of 2015. You can still find them on the brand's site for $43,400 USD.
H. Moser Streamliner Perpetual
Price: $56,443 USD; Case Size: 42.3mm; Water Resistance: 120m; Movement: Manual; Crystal: Sapphire.
Perpetual calendars are complicated in construction, and they might even at times be overwhelming to understand on the face of a watch. They could be intimidating to use for those who are new to the watch world. We love when brands make their pieces fun to interact with and H. Moser & Cie have really homed in on the perpetual calendar complication. They create quirky and minimal pieces using the movement and aren’t afraid to try new techniques. One of their coolest pieces is their perpetual calendar piece that writes out the functions right on the dial!
However, for this list we are featuring the H. Moser Streamliner Perpetual; a minimal retro take on the perpetual calendar. H Moser & Cie wanted to do away with all of the subdials and windows that are usually displayed when using the perpetual calendar. This piece displays a black fumé dial with five hands, 12 indices, and markings around the outer dial and a date window. It tells time, month, date, power reserve and leap year. A much more minimal setup for a perpetual calendar. The open caseback features the beautifully structured in-house movement as it is laid out on display. The piece is available for $56,443 USD.
Patek Philippe 5270P Perpetual
Price: $218,820 USD; Case Size: 41mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Manual; Crystal: Sapphire.
Patek was not the first watchmaker to develop the perpetual calendar complication in watches, but they were one of the earliest ones in the late 1800s when they patented the movement in their pocket watches. About 40 years later in the 1920s they developed the movement in a wristwatch. As other luxury brands produced their own perpetual calendars, Patek continued to make strides as they released the first serialized perpetual calendar pieces, such as the ref. 1526 and their perpetual chrono ref. 1518. Many brands began following suit.
A perpetual calendar chronograph combines two complex complications in one, taking great detail and expertise. Patek has mastered this compilation with many generations of models including the 5270P Perpetual chronograph, which launched in 2011. Patek harmoniously displays the functions of a chronograph and perpetual calendar in this clean vibrant green dial. The piece displays a 30-minute counter, seconds subdial, day, date, month, leap year and day/night display in apertures, and moon phase. Today, Patek produces a balanced assortment of both dress and sport perpetual calendar watches. The 5270P is priced at $218,820 USD.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual
Price: $111,000 USD; Case Size: 41.5mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Another great sport option for the perpetual calendar is the Vacheron Constantin Overseas. Vacheron has developed an ultra-thin perpetual calendar movement so that the watch is only 8.10 mm thick making this a very sleek piece. The watch closely hugs the wrist as the integrated bracelet (or straps options) delicately fold around the arm. The grooved bezel adds a modern and sporty look to the already charming piece. The automatic movement displays time, day, date, month, leap year indicator, and moon phase. Vacheron Constantin is another leading luxury brand that has been working on perpetual calendar movements since the late 1800s, like Patek working them into pocket watches. Over the years with newer technology and reliable workmanship Vacheron Constantin have further developed the complication and offer different variations of them today. The Overseas Perpetual is available for $111,000 USD.
Slim d’ Hermes Perpetual
Price: $42,075 USD; Case Size: 39.5mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Slim d’ Hermes Perpetual is a stunning modern creation of a perpetual calendar watch. The dial is clean and open even with its four subdials. The thin but large typography on the Arabic numerals which display time and days adds to its contemporary look. Hermes includes other details to this piece which resonate with their fashionable style. Like the detail of the mother of pearl moon and the aventurine glass sky in the moon phase subdial. The left subdial displays the months with a leap year indicator at the center. The subdial at the top of the piece displays the days and the lower subdial has a GMT function for dual time zones as well as a day/night indicator. The rose-gold piece with silver dial is available for $42,075 USD.
Baume & Mercier Clifton Perpetual
Price: $27,350 USD; Case Size: 42mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Baume & Mercier Clifton is a sophisticated timepiece constructed from 18k pink gold. The lugs flow into the case adding dimension. The gradient blue lacquered dial is welcoming and compliments the pink gold beautifully. The four subdials are seamlessly part of the main dial separated by their texts. They display day, date, month, leap year, and a moon phase. The black lacquered details of the moon phase and leap year are another great compliment in the colorways of this piece. The piece is priced at $27,350 USD.
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar
Price: Upon Request Case Size: 40mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Octo Finissmo is a watch that makes it on many of our lists because of its fun geometrical shape, how ultra-slim and sleek it is, and it’s a Bulgari. The Octo Finissmo Perpetual Calendar is no exception to this construction. Bulgari once more delivers on its ultra-slim style even with the more complex movement. It’s the thinnest watch with a perpetual calendar movement at 5.8mm thickness. Bulgari has mastered creating a movement with so many moving parts in such a limited space. The piece itself boasts a monochromatic and modern design. The piece, including the dial are entirely sandblasted. The dial displays time, retrograde date, day, month, and retrograde leap year. Price upon request.
Frederique Constant Highlife Perpetual Calendar
Price: $9,895 USD; Case Size: 41mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Frederique Constant Highlife Perpetual Calendar is a sleek sport watch that hugs the wrist nicely due to Frederique Constant’s iconic lugs that are as close to the case as possible giving it the ultimate comfort and use. The blue dial displays an etching of a globe and four subdials sit above it. They display day, date, month, leap year, and the moon phase. Even with the closely integrated bracelet and very minimal lug construction the brand has come up with an effortless mechanism to easily switch out the bracelet for rubber or leather straps. The piece is available for $9,895 USD.
De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar
Price: $142,700 USD; Case Size: 43.4mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Manual; Crystal: Sapphire.
De Bethune emerged in 2002. They might be younger than many of the brands on this list, but their co-founder and master watchmaker, Denis Flageollet comes from a long line of watchmakers. Since their inception De Bethune has won countless national and international awards for their innovation and designs. In 2004 they released their first perpetual calendar movement featuring a spherical moon phase for the first time ever on any watch. The caliber was produced in house and displays time, date, month and day in two separate windows, spherical rotating moon phase, and leap year indicator.
The modern-day piece encompasses a very vintage look with its unique cone shaped lugs, Roman numerals, and overall classic style. Recently, WatchBox invested heavily into the brand, so we're starting to see some more modern pieces come out of the brand - We're very interested in seeing how much the brand evolves over the years, as they've produced a variety of other perpetual calendar watches. We just find this one has a special charm. The piece can be found for $142,700 USD.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Perpetual Calendar
Price: $36,100 USD; Case Size: 42mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the pioneering watch companies in the perpetual calendar market. They introduced their first perpetual calendar wristwatch in the 1930s. Making them well versed in the complication. Their Polaris Perpetual Calendar is inspired through their 1968 Memovox Polaris collection which was first created for divers. Since then, the brand has used the collection to reinterpret the construction to fit a modern-day perpetual calendar watch, which they released in 2022. The sport watch celebrates the theme of “The Stellar Odyssey,” and we can see why through its gradated blue and black dial and astronomical complication.
The watch displays time, day, date, month, year, moon phases, and a rotating rehaut. JLC takes it a step further by featuring both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere’s moon phases. The Northern is indicated through a classic moon phase, while the Southern is displayed as a retrograde below that. There's even a red safety zone feature at the very center of the dial, which indicates in red during the hours of 20:00 and 4:00 not to adjust the time or calendar. Touches of orange on the dial emphasize the sporty design of this piece. It is available for $36,100 USD.
Glashutte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar
Price: $19,800 USD; Case Size: 42mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Glashutte is great at presenting artful and minimal dial designs in their exquisite timepieces. The Glashutte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar fits perfectly in this category. It is both modern and minimal with its smaller subdials and windows artfully placed against a clean open white dial. The windows display day, date, and month with the date window being the largest. The subdial at 12 o’clock is a leap year indicator while the subdial between 7 and 8 o’clock is a moon phase. The thin blue hands complement the moon phase and stand out against the white of the dial. The piece starts at $19,800 USD.
Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech
Price: $70,500 USD; Case Size: 44mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
At first look the Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech embodies the iconic Panerai aesthetic and appears as a simple day/date with GMT function. The bold green dial sits in the classic cushion case, is open, and uncluttered. It also features the familiar large 6 and 12 numerals and indices. Yet, it is a watch with a perpetual calendar complication with most of its displays hidden in the caseback. The open caseback allows the wearer to see the month, leap year indicator, and the year almost as minimally as the dial layout.
Panerai utilizes their large cases very well and delivers on big displays in uncluttered ways. Panerai released this piece in 2021. Perpetual calendars is a complication that the brand has not ventured into much, and looking back into their history some of their only known perpetual calendar pieces were made in collaboration with Ferrari. Therefore, the Panerai name isn't displayed on the dials of those pieces, just the Ferrari logo. The Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech is available for $70,500 USD.
MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual
Price: $199,762 USD; Case Size: 44mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Manual; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Perpetual Calendar complication is already a complex movement and MB&F go a step further by creating a watch so technical in design it complements the intricate mechanisms of the perpetual calendar. These mechanics are all on display in their wide-open crystal dial and caseback. The dial is not like most traditional dials, rather a floating mechanism of the subdials which display the functions of the watch. This flows to the caseback where more of the gears and mechanics are visible. MB&F is able to create the illusion of the floating subdials through a technique they developed specifically for the Legacy Machine Perpetual where the dials sit on hidden studs.
This is an incredible feature given the already complicated construction of a perpetual movement. The placement of studs doesn’t block the movement of the grand levier of traditional perpetual calendar mechanisms. Graceful arches reach upwards from the center of the dial and surround the subdial at 12 o’clock which displays hours and minutes. The other three main subdials display day, date, and month with two smaller retrogrades of a leap year and power reserve indicator. The Legacy Machine Perpetual starts at $199,762 USD.
Montblanc Heritage Perpetual Calendar
Price: $17,100 USD; Case Size: 40mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Montblanc Heritage Perpetual Calendar displays all the best features of a perpetual calendar movement and even includes a 24-hour clock with dual time. All of this sits in a simple approachable dial. The complicated movement does not clutter this piece. The three subdials harmoniously sit near each other towards the lower half of the dial. They display day, date, month, leap year, and moon phase. The silver dial shines through the variation of textures across it adding subtle dimension and contrasts. This is a beautiful heritage piece with perpetual calendar movement for those who want to embody vintage designs with modern technology. As well as those who are always on the go. The piece retails for $17,100 USD but is currently sold out online.
Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar
Price: $58,500 USD; Case Size: 42mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Piaget isn’t new to perpetual calendar pieces and the Polo collection is just one more collection that they’ve expanded this caliber into. The Piaget Polo Perpetual is an ultra-thin modern sport watch with many elegant details that stand out. The first feature that captivates is the cushion dial which sits in the rounded case. The construction plays with your eyes as the shapes blend with this unique structure. The emerald green dial with a meticulous gadroon pattern follows through. The subdials have been given great attention as each one has a varying texture giving depth to the overall look. The subdials display day, date, month, leap year, and moon phase. The piece has multiple strap options so you could dress it up with the bracelet or embody the full sport look with matching green rubber strap. The piece retails for $58,500 USD.
Greubel Forsey QP a’Equation
Price: Not Available; Case Size: 43.5mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Manual; Crystal: Sapphire.
Greubel Forsey have given this age-old movement a high-tech upgrade through the construction of their Mechanical Computer in their perpetual calendar complication. It’s not just the mechanics which have been advanced, but the dial which might be the most futuristic one on this list. The piece comes packed with features each one beautifully laid out on the dial. The day, date, and month sit in a nontraditional subdial at 4 o’clock. The subdial looks more like an engraved coin. A 72-hour power reserve sits above it. There are smaller subdials which display leap year and seconds. A very small window between 7 and 8 o’clock for day/night and red safety indicator. One of the coolest features of the dial is the large tourbillon between 9 and 10 o’clock. Greubel Forsey goes beyond the perpetual calendar movement by also displaying Equation of time with month, season, solstice and equinox, and the year. All of this is visible through the open caseback on a colorful wheel. With all of these complications and features it might feel like an intimidating piece to use, but Forsey have ensured the smooth and easy use of the piece. Due to the complexities of the piece only 2-3 pieces are produced in a year.
Omega Speedmaster Perpetual
Price: $32,999 USD; Case Size: 37mm; Water Resistance: Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Many of the brands and watches we feature on our lists almost all derive their pieces from heritage models working to recapture their vintage predecessors in modern ways. For the Omega Speedmaster Perpetual we are highlighting a true vintage heirloom from the 1990s. The 18k gold piece is every collector’s dream and is one of only 50 produced. It was made solely for the Japanese market in 1991.
It’s worn in all the right places truly encapsulating the history of Omega’s journey throughout the years. The perpetual calendar complication features four subdials against the minimal yellow gold dial. The fixed bezel displays a tachymeter and has some normal wear around the case and bezel for a watch of this age. You can purchase this used vintage piece for $32,999 USD.
Citizen Eco-Drive Weekender Perpetual Calendar
Price: $317 USD; Case Size: 44mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Eco-Drive; Crystal: Mineral.
If you’re looking to add a perpetual calendar timepiece to your collection but don’t have a big budget to work with, the Citizen Eco-Drive Weekender is a great option. The watch is powered through eco-drive technology making it rechargeable by any light, so you never have to worry about batteries. A great feature of this piece is that it’s not just a perpetual calendar movement but a chronograph as well! The dial displays 12-hour and 24-hour time, dual time, date, alarm, chronograph minutes and 1/20 second. The texturized blue dial and black insert bezel really dress the piece up. The Eco-Driver Weekender is the perfectly affordable perpetual calendar piece to dress up your weekend (or any day of the week). It’s available for 420 USD on Amazon.
Seiko Solar Perpetual Calendar
Price: $371 USD; Case Size: 44mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Solar; Crystal: Sapphire.
Another wonderful affordable perpetual calendar watch on our list is the Seiko Solar Perpetual. It is also a chronograph, so you’re definitely getting your money’s worth in this piece. The two-tone piece has a bold and unique style. The design is modern and somewhat space-age like. The dial displays three subdials that showcase the functions of the chronograph and perpetual calendar such as day, date, leap year, and month. Another beneficial feature of this piece is the solar powered movement therefore no need for battery changes, and the piece has a six-month power reserve when fully charged. The watch is available for $371 USD on Amazon.
Chopard L.U.C. Perpetual Twin
Price: $53,200 USD; Case Size: 43mm; Water Resistance: Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Twin is an elegant dress Perpetual Calendar timepiece. The dial layout is clean and cool with three subdials and very small fourth one with leap indicator that overlaps the subdial at 3 o’clock. The watch displays day, date, month, and a small seconds. The grey dial sits in a contrasting 18k rose gold case. This is a great everyday piece for the office or something to add some further sophistication to a night out. Chopard always delivers elegance in their jewelry and watches so this carefully constructed perpetual is no exception. Add it to your collection for $53,200 USD.
Chronoswiss Sirius Perpetual Calendar
Price: $15,005 USD; Case Size: 40mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Chronoswiss was founded in 1983 by, Gerd-Rüdiger in Munich. They started off strong from the very beginning as their first watch was also the first of its kind—first mechanical chronograph with moon phase and open caseback. It wasn’t until 2005 when the company introduced their first perpetual calendar watch at Baselworld. Today, they make a lot of really cool fun watches that incorporate modern technology and design. The Chronoswiss we have on our list is the Sirius Perpetual Calendar.
It stands out against a lot of their latest collections because it embodies a much more vintage and classic style. The clean white dial displays time in large Roman numerals and has four subdials that blend right into the dial. The subdials display a moon phase, day, date, month (features 48 months), and leap year indicator. It has an onion crown which is found on many of the Chronoswiss models. The piece is available secondhand for $15,005 USD. [NOTE: $14,990 USD from Chronoswiss’s website]
https://chronoswiss.com/en/EU/product/sirius-perpetual-calendar-ch-1723-bk
Christiaan Van Der Klaauw Titan Perpetual
Price: $37,735 USD; Case Size: 44mm; Water Resistance: Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
This perpetual calendar watch was made to honor Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens who discovered the rings and the largest moon of Saturn named ‘Titan’ in 1655. There is even a light engraving of the Dutch astronomer on the open caseback of the piece. The dial has a cool texture across it giving it depth. The top half of the dial is decorated with Roman numerals and three small subeyes, while the bottom half of the dial is taken up by a large subdial displaying the moon phase. The moon phase is made from mother of pearl and an aventurine sky. The three top subdials display day, date, month, and leap year. The piece is available for $37,735 USD.
Blancpain Villeret Quantum Perpetual
Price: $63,900 USD; Case Size: 42mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Blancpain Villeret Quantum Perpetual is another piece that blends vintage and modern details seamlessly. The overall construction of the piece has a contemporary feel. The dial adds the heritage like elements. The clean white dial stands out boldly with its modernized Roman numerals displaying time. The four white subdials fade into the dial and display the perpetual calendar functions like day, date, month, leap year, and moon phase. This piece is the perfect look for those who want something simple yet classy. It’s great for everyday wear or to add some elegant touches to an outfit. The price is $63,900 USD for this limited-edition piece.
