Usually it takes a while for a watch to become an icon but Blancpain knew they were onto a winner with the Fifty Fathoms very quickly. In fact, it only took them three years after the launch of the original in 1953 to create a more streamlined edition for daily wear as opposed to a professional dive watch. This more contemporary edition, released in 1956, is the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe. Now, almost 70 years later, the Bathyscaphe is getting a ceramic update with the new Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet Phases de Lune in black ceramic, which we have been able to review in the metal… or rather, in the ceramic.

This is the first time that the complete calendar with moonphase has been presented in a ceramic case (discover what makes it a complete calendar here). It measures 43.6mm in diameter with a thickness of 14.1mm, which means it does wear very large on the wrist. Being so large is something of a double edge sword because it reduces the wearability of the piece while also making the calendar display nice and big, which helps with readability. Plus, it’s in keeping with the watch’s diving heritage, as is the 300m water resistance rating and unidirectional diving bezel.

Also in the watch’s favour is the fact it’s made from high tech ceramic. This means that the case is very durable and scratch resistant with a colour that will not fade. That colour is specifically black with a brushed finish that makes it appear to shimmer with a silver sheen in certain lighting. One thing to note though is that it is quite a hefty watch and the ceramic does little to alleviate the weight.

In addition to the new ceramic case, the Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet Phases de Lune Ceramic is presented on a new ceramic bracelet. In fact, this is the first ceramic bracelet Blancpain have ever produced, offering a new sporty and durable strap option for their ceramic collections (namely the Flyback Chronographe and Automatique).

Each link of the bracelet is precisely measured and held using a patented mounting system using cam-shaped pins. Basically, it makes the whole construction incredibly solid and there is no twisting of the links here. Although the cost of that is each link is quite chunky. The black colour matches that of the case giving the piece a cohesive appearance, once again with that silver shimmer depending how the light hits it. It’s also available on canvas or NATO style straps if the bracelet doesn’t appeal.

Looking to the dial, it features blue sunray brushed finishing with black hands and hour markers. The moonphase complication at 6 o’clock has a dark blue background adorned with a silver moon featuring a face depiction. In a similar style to the ceramic of the case, the moon appears to shift and change depending on the lighting (it can be quite tricky to see at times) which adds to the mystical allure. Elsewhere on the dial, there’s days and months windows below 12 o’clock and a pointer date function running around the inside of the hour scale.

Powering all the Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet Phases de Lune in ceramic’s complications is the calibre 6654.P4. It’s an automatic movement with a double barrel system providing a power reserve of 72 hours. Plus, the silicon balance spring provides good magnetic field resistance.

The watch is priced at £24,200, which puts it roughly halfway between the titanium and rose gold editions of the existing collection. At that price it certainly feels expensive, but it’s also in the unique watchmaking niche of being an haute horology dive watch, which helps to justify it. Ultimately, it’s a weird beast full of interesting concepts and design choices that all feel like they’re pulling in different directions. But that just means there’s more to fall in love with if you do like it.

More details at Blancpain.

In 2024 Jaeger-LeCoultre are operating at Mach 1, speeding through a huge number of releases across every range in their collection. So we’ve seen a Master Ultra Thin, multiple haute horology Duometres, a Master Grande Tradition and a Polaris. Now it’s the turn of the Master Control, which has received a new Chronograph Calendar model in blue. Here’s hoping Santa leaves a Reverso under the tree by the end of the year…

Focussing in on the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Calendar blue, it’s a really interesting watch in terms of the niche it fills within JLC’s broader collections. It’s not as sporty as the Polaris, it’s not as prestigious as a Duometre, not as refined as a Master Ultra Thin and it’s not… rectangular. It is conceptually the middle ground of all these things, a 40mm steel timepiece with a smooth bezel and lugs, broad pushers a thickness of 12.05mm. It’s a watch suitable for anyone, anywhere at any occasion.

All this is true of course of the existing collection; what sets the new edition apart is the blue dial. It’s a really lovely shade, which is no surprise as JLC does colour incredibly well. I almost don’t have words to describe the exact shade, it feels to me like the blue equivalent of sage green – still a strong colour but with a certain paleness to it that is pleasantly calming. This is further emphasised by the sky blue minute track that separates the central sunray brushed disc and the peripheral pulsometer.

Yes, instead of the typical chronograph tachymeter, the Jaeger‑LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Calendar blue has a pulsometer. It’s a much rarer scale to find on watches but still a practical one as it allows you to calculate your pulse rate very easily. It was originally designed to assist doctors looking after patients. Elsewhere on the dial you have the day and month at 12 o’clock, a 30-minute timer at 3, the date and moonphase at 6 and lastly the small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock. It’s a well-balanced display and manages to be clear and legible despite the amount of information shown.

Powering the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Calendar blue is the Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 759, an automatic number with a rose gold rotor and 65-hour power reserve. It’s visible through the exhibition caseback, which allows you to admire the Côtes de Genève finishing and the intricate skeletonization of that gold rotor. The quality of this movement, as well as the functions it’s equipped with, does result in a very high price tag for a steel watch at £16,100 on strap or £17,500 on bracelet. But I think that’s understandable considering it’s effectively an entry-level grand complication.

More details at Jaeger‑LeCoultre.

When reflecting on the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar, I find it strange that a few years ago if you’d have told me that Zenith would be one of the most consistently impressive brands of 2023 and 2024, I’d have wondered who dropped a Hublot on your head. As late as 2019, they didn’t seem like a watchmaker with a direction. And yet, in the wake of the Chronomaster Sport’s success, they seem to be going from strength to strength, almost frustratingly so.

Their latest hit’s been the re-launched Pilots’ collection, a solid range tapping into Zenith’s heritage of being the only brand that can actually put the word ‘pilot’ on their dial. It’s true; look it up. But for my money, the 2024 release that caught my eye the most has been the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. Sure, it doesn’t have the sporty cache of the also new titanium Chronomaster Sport, but as a throwback to early El Primero references, it’s a beauty.

A triple calendar, in case you didn’t catch our own breakdown of the various calendar functions, is also known as a complete calendar and shows day, date, month and, often but not necessarily, moon phase. Just to clear something up, no calendar needs a moon phase indicator, it’s just synonymous thanks to Patek Philippe. A complete calendar doesn’t adjust for months or leap years, so it’s the simplest and therefore most accessible calendar function.

Simplest of course doesn’t mean simple; it’s still a lot of indicators, enough that combining it with a chronograph is a design task I’d not relish taking on. And yet, the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar manages it with more confidence than an adult movie star in a sauna. In fact, it’s impressive just how true to the classic Chronomaster layout the watch has kept, maintaining the three subdials and that signature four (ish) o’clock date window.

Here, it’s just a case of nestling the day above the running seconds subdial at nine o’clock and the month above the 60-second chronograph counter at three o’clock. The white backdrops against the white main dial makes for a very subtle pair of indications, as is the moon phase integrated into the 60-minute counter at six o’clock – although I’m not a huge fan of the mix of blue and black there. You can still have a starry black sky and get the lunar message across.

The only downside to the whole triple calendar layout is that the watch no longer has the El Primero’s famous overlapping subdials. They’re kept completely separate which for me loses some of the charm of the original – and the Original collection, at that. Perhaps the placement of the day and month discs meant that the subdials had to be downsized, which would make sense, but it’s still a shame.

Everything else about the watch is the throwback El Primero 1/10th chronograph we know and love, here in a classic high-contrast panda colourway, shorthand for a certain era of racing watches. The recessed outer track, running through all 100 1/10th seconds in one chronograph rotation is a fantastic touch, adding some multi-layer architecture to the dial and amping up that black-and-white colour scheme. The stripped back tachymeter on the outer edge on the other hand is subtle enough to be missed at a glance.

As for the chronograph itself, seeing one rotating every ten seconds never gets old. It’s an incredibly speedy hand built for split-second accuracy. Let’s be honest though, most of us will just have fun hitting go and watching it run. If the pushers didn’t feel so solid, I’d be worried about wearing it out. As it is, the Triple Calendar joins the Chronomaster Sport Titanium on the podium of exceptionally satisfying to use chronographs.

On the wrist, its vintage feel is self-evident. The combination of bezel-less case and domed crystal is retro perfection and makes sure you can see everything clearly and cleanly, while the gently curving lugs and mushroom pushers have been retained from the early days of the El Primero. I mean, it’s not like you need to change much. Those vintage Zenith racing watches are grail pieces for many a collector for good reason. The 38mm diameter is pitch perfect and while it might mean some of the indicators will need reading glasses, it ensures a much better feel on the wrist – for those of us who prefer smaller sizes, at least.

Along with the high contrast panda version we have here, there are also two other versions of the new Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. Five if you include strap options, which I do not. You have an almost reverse panda with a slate grey dial instead of black, which is incredibly handsome, and the boutique edition is much the same, but in green. I’m not sure when green became the de facto colour for boutique only releases, but I’d like to see something a little more original. It’s not bad of course, it’s a lovely shade, just less not interesting enough to drive me to seek out my nearest Zenith branded store.

Part tribute to a legendary reference, part showcase for the latest generation of El Primero movements – with its 60-hour power reserve, in case you were wondering (though likely not long with that chronograph running) – the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar is yet another foot put right in an apparently unending march of solid modern Zenith watches. I love it.

More details at Zenith.

On my personal wish list for watch releases in 2024 that I made at the start of the year was a new Rolex Triple Calendar. However, Zenith have beaten them to the punch with the launch of the new Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. It’s not the first time that Zenith have been ahead of Rolex either as it was their El Primero movement that helped to make the Daytona the star it is today, which just goes to show that Zenith is far more switched on than many give them credit for.

The reason I wanted a new Triple Calendar from Rolex is that during our coverage of the top watch auctions of 2023, there were three of them in the top 10 most expensive watches sold last year. Seeing so many of them perform so well made me re-examine the model and to be honest, I really like it. Naturally Zenith’s take on the Triple Calendar is different because it’s attached to the Chronomaster, making it a chronograph in addition to its calendar complications.

Aesthetically, there are three versions being produced, a panda variant, a slate grey one and an olive green boutique edition (which in my opinion is much more emerald or forest than olive). All of them have rose gold plated hands and hour markers. My personal preference is actually the slate grey edition, although the panda is sure to prove the most popular. I’m actually a little surprised there isn’t a blue version considering it’s Zenith’s signature colour.

Structurally it features the same case design as the standard Chronomaster Original, measuring 38mm in diameter in stainless steel. It’s a great choice for the Triple Calendar as it feels more vintage, appropriate given the new watch is a modern reimagining of the first Chronomaster Triple Calendar from 1969. It makes for a slimmer, more wearable profile than the Chronomaster Sport.

Powering the piece is the El Primero 3610 SC automatic calibre, which operates at 5 Hz with a power reserve of 60-hours. It features an updated rotor with an openworked depiction of Zenith’s five-pointed star logo, which is visible through the sapphire exhibition caseback. It’s one of the most comprehensive and versatile movements in Zenith’s entire range and is on the cusp of being described as a grand complication in the vein of a Patek Philippe – if only it were a perpetual or annual calendar instead.  If you’re a bit lost on what the difference is, you can learn about the various calendar types here.

They’re priced at CHF 12,900 (approx. £11,700), which does make them the most expensive steel Chronomasters in the range, with only the gold and partially skeletonised versions costing more. However, I think that’s justifiable given the additional complications, vintage-inspired design and just the overall fact that this is a pretty cool interpretation of the Chronomaster balancing utility and sportiness.

More details at Zenith.

Knowing the time is only one thing a watch can do. Sure, it’s the one we use more than any other, but more complicated calendar watches can tell us the date, too. Some can even factor in the day of the week. There are some however that go even further, loading the dial with the information you’d normally only find on your calendar – not only the day and date, but month and in some cases, years.

These calendar watches are among the most impressive complications in the watch world. However, not all are built the same, with varying layers of complexity, usefulness and, of course, price. So, read on if you want a guide to knowing the differences between the various types of calendar watches, the levels of complexity that makes them so extraordinary and why perpetual doesn’t always mean perpetual. Don’t forget to check out our favourite calendar watches from last year while you’re at it.

Complete Calendar

IWC Portofino Complete Calendar

The simplest of the calendar complications – if anything showing this much information could be described as ‘simple’ – the complete calendar (sometimes called the triple calendar) is the first offering the almost full suite of day, date and month. They’re considered the entry level in that it’s relatively straightforward in conception: it marks off 31 24-hour periods, before restarting for the next month.

Unfortunately, our calendar is weird and not every month has 31 days. In fact, if you learned your rhymes at school, you’ll know that five of them don’t: February, April, June, September and November. This means that your complete calendar watch needs to be adjusted five times a year. Oh the inconvenience.

Vacheron Constantin Complete Calendar

This fact is actually what really separates all three of the main calendar complications. It’s relatively straightforward to add more wheels onto the date; it’s a whole other matter to take into account shorter months and the absolute weirdo that is a leap year. For those of us less concerned with that level of accuracy however, or obsessively keeping the watch wound, the complete calendar offers plenty of useful information – sometimes also including a moon phase – at a far more accessible price point.

Annual Calendar

A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Annual Calendar

While it’s easy for us to remember which months have 31 days and which oddities have 30, it’s a lot more difficult for a mechanical watch that really, really wants to keep things nice and regular. So, in order to account for the variation, the movement has to be ‘programmed’. Obviously, that doesn’t involve linking a Lange to an app on your phone; instead, it’s done with a weirdly shaped month wheel.

This wheel has specific notches denoting the shorter months so that, when one of those months appears, the movement understands to skip day 31 and move straight onto the next month.

Patek Philippe 5035

Surprisingly, this is actually more recent a complication than its bigger brother, invented as it was in 1996 by Patek Philippe in the Ref. 5035, and only needs to be adjusted for February. That particular version’s not the be-all and end-all however, as there is a version of the annual calendar that also takes a 28-day February into account (Audemars Piguet calls it the Quadriennium) but the concept’s the same. Neither factors in the four-year leap year cycle.

The end result is that most annual calendars need to be adjusted once a year and the February-programmed version once every four years. Those four years however are the difference between the annual calendar and true high complication status.

Perpetual Calendar

Thomas Mudge invented the perpetual calendar pocket watch in 1764

It’s a point of pride that no matter what anyone tells you, the perpetual calendar mechanism was developed by British watchmaker Thomas Mudge. Others might say Abraham Louis Breguet (if you ever get asked who invented a complication, he should be the default answer) and he definitely popularised it in the courts of France, but it’s Mudge that got there back in 1762 and it was put in a wristwatch in 1925 by, of course, Patek Philippe in the 97975.

Patek Philippe 97975 (the first perpetual calendar wristwatch) introduced in 1925

So, as you’ve already surmised, the difference between a perpetual calendar and the rest of its less sophisticated ilk is the fact that it takes into account a leap year. So, it’s worth briefly going over what a leap year actually is.

Basically, it comes from forcing our calendar to fit nature. A year might seem 365 days long, but the Earth actually takes 365.25 (ish) days to orbit the sun. This means that if left to its own devices, the Gregorian calendar would gradually shift out of sync with the seasons as our place in the solar system makes a nuisance of itself. So, we came up with the little cheat of adding an extra day to February every four years. It’s a simple trick for most of us to grasp; a watch, less so.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar

There are actually a number of ways to make the concept work. They can have a 48-month cam instead of the usual 12-month, with an extra level of notch for the anomalous 29-day February. You can have a 12-month wheel a la the annual calendar, but with a separate cam for the leap year that makes one revolution every four years. Or you can integrate a Maltese Cross satellite to manage February. This last option is particularly cool. It’s basically a square integrated into the 12-month wheel with a protrusion on one side. Every year, it’s forced to make a 90 degree turn so that, on a leap year, the protrusion makes the movement count 29 instead of 28.

No matter how they’re done, perpetual calendars are a work of sheer mechanical ingenuity – with a price tag to match. They’re the pinnacle of what most brands offer, with grand maisons like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet offering gorgeous versions, while independent watchmakers get ever more outlandish with the concept.

Secular Perpetual Calendar

Andersen Geneve Secular Perpetual

The problem with most perpetual calendars is that they’re not actually perpetual. You see, another quirk with our not-at-all-confusing calendar is that centurial years – years ending in 00 – are only leap years if they themselves are divisible by 400.

In the obsolete Julian calendar, this wasn’t the case, and every four years was a leap year, regardless. This however gave us too many leap years, shifting us forwards in seasons rather than compensating. This is why we now use the Gregorian calendar (introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII), which adds the ‘divisible by 400’ rule. So this means that the year 2000, 2400 and 2800 are leap years; the centurial years between are not. perpetual calendars therefore need to be adjusted to compensate. A secular perpetual calendar however, does not.

Furlan Marri Secular Perpetual Calendar, Only Watch 2023

The most recent example of a Secular perpetual calendar is the Furlan Marri Piece Unique, created for Only Watch 2023 (soon to be Only Watch 2024, pending their finances). They achieved the concept using the integrated Maltese Cross method on a wheel that counts 100 years. It’s an inspired take, and one that only needed five new parts added onto the ‘base’ perpetual calendar.

Given Furlan Marri’s usual place as an uber- accessible watch brand and the resurgence of calendar watches in general, this likely won’t be the last time we see Secular perpetual calendars in the near future.

Now that we’ve established what various calendar watches actually are (unless of course you’ve skipped all the text to get to the pictures of pretty watches), it’s time to look at some recent examples of how complete, annual and perpetual calendars have been executed.  It’s worth noting that, thanks to the sheer complicated nature of most calendars, it’s generally only the big brands that can really tackle them, be they established giants of the watch world or esoteric high-end independents.

That in turn means that there are some seriously beautiful watches involved. And a couple of disclaimers. Firstly, I won’t be including one-offs, so no Furlan Marri Secular Perpetual Calendar; that was for Only Watch. Hopefully they release it to the mainstream, but only time will tell. Secondly, it has to have day, date and month at the very least. Moon phase not necessary, but appreciated. Now, with that all out the way, let’s get on with looking at the best calendar watches of 2023.

Japan is a country rich in culture and traditions, providing watchmakers plenty of inspiration that they can draw upon. For their latest project, Seiko have been inspired by the ancient art of Kabuki theatre, a highly stylised form of drama involving singing, dancing and elaborate costumes. The resulting timepieces are the Seiko Presage Sharp Edged “Kabuki” limited editions.

In the west, we best know the concept of Kabuki through its adaptation to film from directors like Akira Kurosawa, who used traditional forms of costume and design. Traditional costumes are also what’s at the heart of Seiko’s “Kabuki” limited editions, of which there are two – one time and date ref. SPB331J1 and one calendar ref. SPB329J1.

The dials of both versions feature a rich red-brown colouration that was commonly used in Kabuki costumes. Specifically, it’s a colour called ‘kakiiro’, a word that reminds me of another Japanese colour ‘toki-iro’ used on Kurono’s Anniversary Toki. It’s an appropriate comparison because both are variations on tan, with the Seiko Presage Sharp Edged “Kabuki” a richer and redder colour and the Toki a paler tone of peach.

In addition to the ‘kakiiro’ colour, the dial bears a textural pattern that is designed to bring growth and success. Interestingly, the pattern itself dates back to the Heian period (794-1185) meaning it pre-dates kabuki by a substantial margin, kabuki being founded in the early 1600s. On the calendar version the pattern is interrupted by the day, date and power reserve indicator functions, however there’s no such interruption on the time and date model.

As for the cases, while the design of both limited editions is broadly the same with a stainless steel construction and black, hard coating, they have different dimensions. The calendar edition is the larger of the two at 40.2mm with the date edition at 39.3mm. By no means a huge difference but a noticeable one on the wrist.

The reason they have different sizes is because they each house a different movement due to their different complications. The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged “Kabuki” calendar contains the 6R21 automatic with 45-hour power reserve, which can be monitored through the power reserve indicator, and the date model houses a Seiko staple, the 6R35 with 70-hour power reserve. Both movements are visible through exhibition casebacks that also show each watch’s limited edition number between 1 and 2000.

Personally, I’m a Prospex man rather than a Presage one, so while these aren’t my favourite Seikos of 2022 (that would be the Prospex Speedtimer Re-Creation), I can appreciate the amount of thought behind them. In terms of price they’re at the higher end of the Presage range at £900 and £1,030 – not unexpected as the Sharp Edged series generally has higher prices and these are limited editions.

Kurono has rapidly become one of the hottest tickets in ultra-hype watchmaking with watches like the Chronograph II and Anniversary Toki selling out within hours. Honestly, it’s a hype I can get behind as Kurono is the brainchild of legendary Japanese horologist Hajime Asaoka with the aim to make his designs more accessible. Meaning, expect the Kurono Calendrier “Type 1” to sell out in seconds, so have your mouse at the ready.

Calendrier “Type 1” is the first Kurono to feature a complete calendar, a complication that includes days, date and months. It’s not quite as prestigious as an annual calendar or haute horological perpetual calendar, but it’s still a solid complication. It’s presented here in a bi-compax subdial layout with the months at 3 o’clock, a traditional date window at 6 and the days of the week at 9. It’s a very clean design with a single block colour dominating, unlike the complex displays of Kurono’s chronos. The specific colour of the dial and guilloché subdials is somewhere between khaki and olive.

However, while the layout of the watch’s face is simple that’s not to say there aren’t any daring design elements to draw the eye. The typeface for the Arabic numerals of the hour scale is in a gothic print, angular and geometric. It’s a nod to Hajime Asaoka’s love of Art Deco style, which can also be seen in the signature shape of the Kurono hands.

The case of the Calendrier “Type 1” is based on that of the previous chronographs. It has the same 38mm diameter in stainless steel with a mirror finish. However, it has been updated to now feature a coin edge bezel that adds a lot more shape and definition to the overall design. The concept behind the case is to make it the perfect watch to wear every day, with each blemish and scratch proof of the owner’s journey through life.

Housed inside is the Miyota 9122 automatic movement. It’s one of Miyota’s premium calibres with a power reserve of 40-hours and accuracy of +30/-10 seconds per day. As for functions, it has the aforementioned complete calendar in addition to central hours, minutes and seconds. While it doesn’t compare to Asaoka’s own work, it means the Calendrier “Type 1” has an accessible price.

Speaking of which, the watch is priced at ¥243,000 (approx. £1,525). Considering that some Kurono watches were close to double that price and still sold quickly, the Calendrier is going to be just as popular if not more so. The limited number of watches will go on sale on August 11 at 3pm BST. There’s also a strict one watch per customer and no resale policy in an endeavour to prevent grey market scalping. A breakdown of international times and conditions of sale is available on the Kurono website.

The Traditionnelle is, as its name suggests, a pretty classic timepiece, even by the old school standards of Vacheron Constantin. Most pieces offer a pared-back, dress watch sensibility, with plenty of gold, clean dials and, occasionally, a calendar or two. There’s nothing too aesthetically groundbreaking in there, safe and elegant as they are. Which makes the new Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface a bit of a surprise.

Visible mechanics aren’t entirely new to the collection; the Traditionnelle Self-Winding Ultra-Thin Skeleton is £64,000 of intensely showy craftsmanship and the occasional tourbillon cage does the job, too. But this is one step removed from skeletonization, simply lifting up chunks of the dial to show what’s underneath. The result it a completely different look and feel to the Traditionnelle.

Based off Vacheron’s Complete Calendar, the new look shows off the discs for day, month and the moon phase in their entirety, as well as – thanks to the discs now being sapphire – the wheels powering them. It makes for a slightly chaotic first glance, with all the days and months visible at once, but with simple highlighting it’s easy enough to get to grips with.

The peripheral date is just the same as ever, though I do find the hand gets a touch lost in the mix. It’s not a problem for the function, seeing as the date doesn’t move so quickly you lose track of it (at least, outside of a lockdown), but an extra bit of colour to highlight rather than the black wouldn’t have gone amiss.

While the majority of the dial is sapphire crystal, the upper segment still uses a lovely slate grey guilloche, a counterpoint to the overtly technical look of the rest of the watch that I really appreciate – that and the anthracite coating of to the visible movement that blends it into the overall face of the watch.

At the centre of the Traditionnelle Openface is the Calibre 2460 QCL/2, basically a calendar version of the 2450, which historically was the first automatic movement Vacheron designed completely in-house. It has a 40-hour power reserve which is fine, but I’d like to see higher for a calendar. The less chance that I’ll need to re-set the entire thing, the better. It’s definitely a looker though, with a stunning gold Maltese cross rotor, all visible through the caseback.

The big question then is whether or not it actually works – and I’d say so. Personally, I still prefer the more classical Traditionnelle pieces, but as a more modern face to the collection, a sapphire dial is pretty spot-on, much more so than full skeletonization would be (and has been). I’m not a fan of the latter anyway – I wear a watch to hide my wrist, not read the time on it – and openworking shows off the deceptive simplicity of Vacheron’s signature calendar to a tee. If it didn’t have that guilloche segment, I’m not sure I could get on board but as it is, the look’s balanced on the knife-edge between elegant and technical.

The Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface is available in two versions, of which we very obviously have the rose gold. The other is white gold, but other than case-matched hands and indexes, they look the same. Of the two, I much prefer the rose gold.

On the wrist that 41mm case is as elegant as ever, slightly larger than some dress watches but still svelte for a Complete Calendar. It feels downright lovely and with the new, contemporary aesthetic is a damn sight more eye-catching than previous Traditionnelle’s I’ve worn.

It just comes down to what you want from your Vacheron. If I were after something more modern, I’d probably opt for an Overseas and save a white-dialled Traditionnelle for dressier occasions. But there’s no denying the collection could use a bit of a refresh and the Openface might just be what it needs.

Price & Specs:

Model: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface
Reference: 4020T/000R-B654
Case/dial: 41mm diameter, pink gold case, openworked sapphire dial
Water resistance: 30m (3 bar)
Movement: In-house calibre 2460 QCL/2, automatic, 27 jewels, 308 parts
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 40h
Functions: Hours, minutes, complete calendar: day of the week and month display, date, moonphase
Strap: Grey mississippiensis alligator leather
Price/availability: £40,200

More details at Vacheron Constantin.

Over the past couple of years Vacheron Constantin has been making a big song and dance about the Overseas, and while there’s certainly a lot to love there, it feels like the Traditionnelle, the classic heart of the world’s oldest (continually operating) watchmaker has been a little side-lined. Well, no more as now the collection’s signature complication is getting an aesthetic makeover in a new Traditionnelle Complete Calendar.

The Complete Calendar is generally regarded as the poor man’s perpetual. It has all the various components – day, date, month – but needs to be adjusted every month. It’s still a solid piece of mechanical work of course, just not quite up there with annual.

Vacheron Constantin’s take on it however has always been a bit more interesting. Rather than having all the indications in apertures with wheels underneath, the Traditionnelle mixes things up. Both Day and month are pushed to the rim of the dial, while the date is marked off using a crescent moon-shaped hand around the edge. The result is a much cleaner, streamlined look when combined with the 6 o’clock moon phase.

This particular version isn’t mechanically new – Vacheron’s Complete Calendar has been around for a while now – but it is a new look, switching the previous pink gold case with white and giving it a slate grey dial. It’s a bit more modern, a bit less ostentatious but otherwise much the same watch.

That also means the same Calibre 2460 QCL/1 automatic movement, a more advanced version of Vacheron’s first in-house automatic number, the Calibre 2450. It has a 40-hour power reserve which with the number of indications isn’t too bad.

All in all, this new Traditionnelle Complete Calendar’s not breaking the mould; it does hint however that Vacheron hasn’t been neglecting their classic collection. Hints about next year’s Watches and Wonders? Let’s hope.

Price & Specs:

Model: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar
Reference: 4010T/000G-B740
Case/Dial: 41mm diameter x 10.7mm height, 18k white gold case, velvet finished slate grey dial
Water resistance: 30m (3 bar)
Movement: Calibre 2460 QCL/1, automatic, 27 jewels, 308 parts
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 40h
Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, day of the week, date, month, moon phase, age of the moon
Strap: Black Mississippiensis alligator leather with calf inner shell
Price/availability: £35,100, exclusively available at Vacheron Constantin’s’ E-boutique.

More details at Vacheron Constantin.

Every time a new Carl F. Bucherer hits our shores I endeavour to try it on. They’re not a watchmaker I get incredibly excited about, but I’ve yet to be disappointed. In fact, when it comes to their latest release, it’s one that I’m genuinely considering investing in myself – and for once, it’s not a Manero; it’s the Adamavi Full Calendar.

A full calendar is exactly the same thing as a complete calendar or a triple calendar; it just depends whose name is on the dial as to which terminology they use. It means it shows the date, here indicated around the edge of the dial; the day and month, shown through twin windows at 12 o’clock and a moon phase at six o’clock.

It basically has everything a perpetual or annual calendar does, minus the year, which is fine by me. If you need your watch to tell you the year, you’re either an unsuccessful time traveller or have just woken up from a coma. If the latter, don’t worry, you’ve not missed much.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a full calendar from Carl F. Bucherer, and not even the first using this movement as the CFB calibre 1966 was also used in the Manero Moonphase. In fact, the layout is exactly the same between the two. Yet while the Manero opts for a cool, retro racing kind of style, the Adamavi feels completely different.

The Adamavi is what I’d call a smart casual watch. The steel case feels nice and solid and the brushed finishing across the board is restrained and forgiving. At the same time, its 39mm sizing and gold indexes veer more towards eveningwear. As someone who’s insisted on shirts and jackets even throughout lockdown, it’s pretty perfect.

If there’s one downside to this particular full calendar layout, it’s the windows for day and month. They are incredibly small and make reading the lettering far harder than it needs to be. Sure, it keeps the elegant proportions of the dial and leaves room for that peripheral date, but I want legibility from my watch as a bare minimum.

Minor gripes aside, it is an incredibly handsome watch in both the black and silver dials. I’m a little split between the two dial variations though. I generally prefer the silver, which emphasises the brushed finish and trends closer towards the dressier end of the spectrum. The only downside though is that the day and month windows, already small, all but blend into the background.

Either way, I’d opt for bracelet over strap. Straps are fine and perhaps a bit more formal, but the key difference is that the case is slightly different between the two. The strap version is pretty standard with your usual, tapered lugs. The bracelet on the other hand opts for a module that connects directly to the case, stripping the lugs away. The result is a charming, more vintage feeling watch that emphasises the bold bezel. It’s downright lovely.

All in all, there’s a lot of watch here for what is, compared to other full calendars out there, not a lot of money: £3,200 to be precise. That puts them in the same kind of realm as Montblanc, though I’d probably go for one of these over, say, a Montblanc Heritage or Star Legacy.

In fact, if you’re insisting on a full calendar, the Adamavi is a solid choice – no matter what you stack it up against.

Price & Specs:

Model: Carl F. Bucherer Adamavi Full Calendar
Reference: 00.10324.08.13.21 (silver dial)
00.10324.08.33.21 (black dial)
Case/Dial: 39mm diameter x 10.10mm height, stainless steel
Movement: In-house CFB 1966 calibre, automatic, 21 jewels
Water Resistance: 30m (3 bar)
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power Reserve: 42h
Functions: Hour, minute, seconds, date, month, day of the week, moon phase
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet
Price/Availability: £3,200

More details at Carl F. Bucherer.

When one mentions Blancpain you might instantly think of their tough diver, the Fiftyfathoms, and for good cause as that is an iconic watch and known around the world for its submersible credentials. But what the casual watch fan might not know is Blancpain are masters of traditional, delicate watchmaking as well. 

Their latest release highlights this expertise throwing a new shade on their classic Villeret collection. Adding hues of blue to the dials of their complete calendar and the extra thin time and date version. 

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet Blue Dial

Both of these models come in a 40mm rose gold case and are available on either a blue alligator leather strap or a gold mesh bracelet, a personal favourite of ours. The complete calendar has a beautiful way of showing all of its vast amount of information with a serpentine hand pointing out the date on a ring that sits just inside the applied rose gold Roman numerals.

Inside that ring you’ll find the apertures for the day and month and the moon phase. And if you want to correct the moon phase you’ll find the adjusted hidden discreetly under the lugs. 

Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate Blue Dial

The simpler model is a fantastic example of a classic dress watch that keeps things sharp and refined. Here the star of the show is the deep blue dial that perfectly suits this shade of 18kt rose gold that can be found not only on the case but also for the indices and the skeleton hands as well.

Price & Specs:

Model Name: Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet Blue Dial
Ref: 6654-3640-55 / 6654-3640-MMB
Case/Dial: 40mm diamater x 10.94mm thickness, 18ct red gold
Water resistance: 30m (3 bar)
Movement: Calibre 6654, self-winding
Power Reserve: 72h
Strap: Alligator or “mille mailles” strap
Price: CHF 24,000 (6654 3640 55B – alligator strap midnight-blue) and CHF 42,000 (6654 3640 MMB – “mille mailles” strap/red gold)

Model Name: Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate Blue Dial
Ref: 6651-3640-55 / 6651-3640-MMB
Case/Dial: 40mm diamater x 8.70mm thickness, 18ct red gold
Water resistance: 30m (3 bar)
Movement: Calibre 1151, self-winding
Power Reserve: 100h
Strap: Alligator or “mille mailles” strap
Price: CHF 18,200 (6651 3640 55B – alligator strap/midnight-blue) and CHF 36,300  (6651 3640 MMB – “mille mailles” strap/red gold)

More details at Blancpain’s website.

Put plainly, I can’t dive. I’ve never learned nor had any real inclination to. For me therefore, the only reason to opt for a diving watch is the cool, bulky look of a sports timepiece. At the same time, I’m a fan of a moon phase. Yes, it’s a pointless complication, but it looks the part, even if it’s only normally found in a dress watch. What we have with the Bathyscaphe Complete Calendar is the sweet spot between the poles of watch design.

Purists need not worry; even if this isn’t a watch designed for the French navy, it’s still a professional standard diver. The case has been secured to 30 bar which is standard for the Fifty Fathoms in general. Most though don’t have the extra holes in the case to fit the calendar pushers. Thank God Blancpain found a way though, as setting day, date, month and moon phase any other way is painful.

If ever there was physical proof that nobody really wears a diving watch for diving, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Complete Calendar is it. A diving watch need indicate one thing and one thing alone: the time. When you’re in the dark of the deep, it’s the only thing you need to know; anything else can be a distraction. Well, I assume. You see, I’m pretty much the ideal audience for the non-diving diving watch.

At 43mm said case also sits nicely on the wrist, slightly smaller than many a large diver but perfectly in line with the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe’s whole retro look. It’s weighty though which isn’t too much of a surprise. We might be getting used to titanium and carbon fibre on every sports watch, but this is a big piece of steel.

In the light, the dial’s nice and elegant in slate grey with day and month at 12, a silver and blue moon phase at six and a hand-indicated date around the periphery. In the dark, none of that really matters as the same lume-laden indexes and syringe hands indicate the time alone.

The Blancpain caliber 6654.P movement is a great piece of watchmaking which, like most of Swatch Group’s prestige brands, uses a silicon balance spring. It’s got a decent 72- hour power reserve and, as I mentioned earlier, quick correction for the whole calendar. It’s great. Which is why the reverse of the watch is a little disappointing.

There’s next to no finishing on the movement. That’s fine when you’re at entry level, but this is Blancpain, so you’d expect a little more pomp and ceremony. Granted the Bathyscaphe is their entry level, but when you’re coasting around the £10K mark, I’d want a little bit more than a subtly branded rotor. That goes double when it’s a complicated piece like this. Still, that and the steel case keep the price down, making this seriously accessible as far as Blancpain goes. As far as most watches of this quality go, in fact.

Yes, to some out there this isn’t a true diving watch, but it functions as one. So what if there’s a bit of superfluity of function, but since when is more entirely bad? Either way, I don’t fancy donning a scuba tank – or taking the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Complete Calendar off – any time soon.

Price & Specs:

• • • Model Name: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Complete Calendar
    • Case/Dial: 43mm diameter, stainless steel case, grey dial with sunray guilloche
    • Movement: Caliber 6654.P, in-house automatic with silicon balance spring, 321-parts, 28-jewels
    • Functions: Day, date, month and moon phase
    • Power Reserve: 72h
      Water Resistance: 300m
    • Price: £10,780

For more information visit Blancpain’s website.

Like most guys working in the watch industry today, I consider myself a bit of an “horological elitist.” That’s not a bad thing. In fact it’s something I’ve actively cultivated over the years — carefully grooming with expensive beard oils and dressing in bespoke-tailored clothes.

My self-admitted elitism motivates me to constantly search for the most distinctive and compelling timepieces in the market. Speaking of which… please welcome my newest discovery — Filippo Loreti. 

Filippo Loreti seems to be one of the only watch brands that actually makes good use of quartz movements. I don’t mean technically — other companies make functionally-impressive quartz pieces. No, I mean actually making “good-looking” quartz watches.

Most quartz manufacturers go for quirky over quality, fun over fine. There’s a place for that. But not every guy wants to have to drop £5K to own a handsome, classic-looking timepiece. With Filippo Loreti, you’ll get exactly that for just £219 in the Venice Moonphase.

The most striking feature of this timepiece is revealed by its name — the moonphase complication. A small dial at the six o’clock position visually indicates the moon’s phase every day throughout the year.

By comparison, if you were looking for an authentic moonphase complication in a mechanical watch, you’d have to spend thousands for the privilege. For a mere fraction of the price, Filippo Loreti offers a gorgeous inlaid indicator against a canvas of white, black, or rich cobalt blue (depending on the watch color you choose) all of which are highlighted by contrasting metallic hour indices and hands.

And while the moonphase indicator is the headliner, by no means is it the only noteworthy feature of this timepiece. The Venice Moonphase also sports an annual calendar, complete with day, date, and month dials — plus an intuitive “quick change” pusher for setting each (no more fumbling to set the date after a battery change!). These indicators are artfully and elegantly inlaid around the watch dial at nine, twelve, and three o’clock respectively.

If Filippo Loreti stopped there, they’d already have a winner on their hands. Hell, the Venice Moonphase would still be a bargain if it cost a couple of hundred pounds more. But “stopping” is not the Filippo Loreti way. Instead, they’ve gone on to adorn the rarely-visible caseback with an impressive 3D “bas-relief” engraving of Venice, Italy’s breathtaking Basilica di San Marco — the architectural inspiration for the watch’s subtle design elements. This case engraving really elevates the timepiece to a true work of art.

I’m wearing the “Silver Mesh” version of the Venice Moonphase. It sports a white dial against a classic silver case, hour indices, and hands, and comes with a matching silver mesh bracelet. It’s a color combination that works for pretty much any occasion or wardrobe choice you can imagine — from t-shirt and jeans at the pub to a formal, black tie gala.

Looking for something a little bolder and attention-grabbing? You’re in luck because Filippo Loreti offers the Venice Moonphase in five additional color combinations including all-black, white on yellow gold, white on rose gold, cobalt blue on yellow gold, and cobalt blue on rose gold.

As you can see, whatever your personal taste and style, there’s a Venice Moonphase that’s a perfect match. And for the price, there’s absolutely no reason to own just one. As an added bonus, all mesh versions of the Venice Moonphase come with a free, colour-coordinated leather strap.

And let’s talk about the strap for a moment. It’s butter-soft, genuine Italian leather and comes custom-sized to your wrist measurements. A strap of this calibre from any other major manufacturer would cost more than Filippo Loreti charges for the entire watch! And this strap doesn’t just look the part, it’s also incredibly comfortable on your wrist.

The 40mm case is a pretty standard diameter for a dress watch — it fits well and feels substantial. The case is capped with a sapphire glass crystal which, I have to admit, makes the Venice Moonphase seem a little too good to be true. If you’re trying to suss out exactly where the compromise is… keep looking. I’ve searched high and low and have found only pleasant surprises.

If for any reason a quartz watch isn’t your thing and you prefer the sophistication and pedigree of a mechanical movement, I’m happy to report Filippo Loreti has you covered. In addition to their beautiful quartz lineup, they also offer a stunning collection of automatic pieces — including a Venice model with many of the features described above… plus the elusive sweeping second hand.

To add to the uniqueness of their automatic watches, Filippo Loreti produces each model in limited editions of 1,641 pieces — an homage to the “father of modern timekeeping”, Galileo Galilei. With so few watches in each batch and such a large customer base, you could go your entire lifetime without meeting someone wearing the same watch. Now that’s cool.

Whatever your preference, if you’re looking for an impeccably handsome-watch with all the trappings of “haute horology” but the price tag of a Swatch, look no further than Filippo Loreti.

Price & Specs:

• • Model name: Filippo Loreti Venice Moonphase
  • Dial/Case: 40mm diameter, stainless steel (316L Grade)
  • Movement: MIYOTA 6P00 (Quartz)
    Water resistance: 50m
  • Power reserve: 60h
  • Price: £175

More at: www.filippoloreti.com

Vacheron Constantin FiftySix Complete Calendar (Steel)

For a few years now Vacheron has needed an injection of something new, something a little more vibrant than their lovely but dated collections. Now it seems like they’ve found just that with their big SIHH release: the all-new FIFTYSIX Collection.

It’s about as modern as you can expect from one of the world’s oldest watch houses, especially when inspired by a 1956 piece. Bold applied numerals, dual-tone silver dials and far more contemporary case than we’re used to seeing from Vacheron, the wait for something new was worth it.

In total there will be three new watches joining the FIFTYSIX collection, each available in either steel or pink gold: the first with a three-hand and date function; a day-date model with power reserve indicator, and a more expensive calendar model with day, date, month, moon phase, and age of the moon indicators.

Vacheron Constantin FiftySix Self-Winding in steel (ref. 4600E/000A-B442) is priced at £10,500 or £17,400 for the pink gold model (ref. 4600E/000R-B441).

The FiftySix Day-Date in steel (ref. 4400E/000A-B437) is priced at £15,600 or £29,100 for the pink gold model (ref. 4400E/000R-B436).

The FiftySix Complete Calendar in steel (ref. 4000E/000A-B439) is priced at £19,400 or £32,100 for the pink gold model (ref. 4000E/000R-B438).

More details at Vacheron Constantin.