This was extremely fitting because in the annals of modern horology, there is no brand more synergistically associated with the perpetual calendar wristwatch. Franck Muller Replica was the very first to create a perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1925, the first to create a retrograde perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1937, and the very first to produce a perpetual calendar wristwatch in series in 1941 with the legendary reference 1526. It was the first to create a sweep seconds perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1944 with the reference 1591 and the first to serially produce this complication in 1951 with the reference 2497. It was also the first to create a self-winding perpetual calendar beginning in 1962 with the iconic reference 3448; it would take a full 16 years before another Swiss watchmaker could match this achievement. In addition, Patek was also the first to create a perpetual calendar chronograph in 1941.
Today, Franck Muller Replica continues to be the unrivalled master of this complication with no less than three different systems for displaying the calendar information. The first is using the classic combination of two in-line apertures for day and date, combined with subdials for the remaining information.franck muller replica The second is using a full array of subdials. And the third is using a total of three in-line apertures for day, date and month, and featuring an instantaneous changeover of information. At the moment, this third format is only combined with complications such as a chronograph minute repeater as in reference 5208. As such, no other Swiss maison can claim greater legitimacy in the creation of perpetual calendar wristwatches, or possesses a more beautiful history with this extraordinary complication. The focus of this article is to detail Patek's journey with the perpetual calendar, from its first watch to feature this mechanism to its most recent.
Patek's very first perpetual calendar wristwatch dates back to 1925. But in reality, the movement for this watch goes even further back to 1898, when the maison made the movement to be housed in a women's pendant watch. It is intriguing to imagine their thinking at the time. That this extraordinary complication capable of keeping time, date, day, month, year and even moon phase would appeal to a very specific female client. The watch went unsold and a quarter century later, this exceptional movement was re-cased in a beautiful yellow-gold wristwatch replete with hunter back and a large fluted crown. The 34.4mm-diameter case also featured stunning hand-engraved lugs, a tradition still associated with Patek to this day.Panerai Luminor Base Replica The grand feu enamel dial of the watch was most likely turned 45 degrees from the original orientation of the movement -- the pendant watch was probably intended to be worn crown up at 12 o'clock. As such, small seconds now appeared at nine o'clock and moon phase at three o'clock, while you could easily imagine them to be in the more traditional six and 12 o'clock positions. Date was told using a large centrally mounted hand off a red scale at the dial's perimeter. The day-of-the-week subdial is located at 12 o'clock while the month subdial is at six o'clock. It is interesting to note that Patek would never repeat this design again. The watch designated number 97975 and which featured Patek's 12-ligne movement was sold in 1927 to an American collector named Thomas Emery and today constitutes a historical treasure that is simply priceless.
