Audemars Piguet Celebrates 150 Years with New Ergonomic Perpetual Calendar
A COMPLICATION ROOTED IN THE COSMOS
NEW RELEASE | 380 WORDS | 3 MIN READ
25th February, 2025: Audemars Piguet has unveiled a revolutionary approach to the perpetual calendar, infusing ergonomic design into this classic astronomical complication. The result is three new 41mm self-winding perpetual calendar references, each equipped with a groundbreaking "all-in-one" crown for intuitive adjustments.
Image Courtesy: Audemars Piguet
A Complication Rooted in the Universe
Since antiquity, the celestial bodies have served as humanity's timekeepers. The perpetual calendar, a testament to this cosmic connection, has long captivated watchmakers, inspiring them to create intricate mechanisms that mirror the universe's rhythmic cycles.
"Calendar watches have evolved over time to capture the cycles of celestial bodies with a combination of small cams and gears," explains Sébastian Vivas, Heritage and Museum Director at Audemars Piguet. "Among them, the perpetual calendar – one of the most complex in this category – is like a small mechanical computer on the wrist capable of keeping the date correct for an entire century. Perpetual calendars have marked the history of Audemars Piguet since 1875."
An "All-in-One" Crown: Ergonomic and Intuitive
Building on its rich heritage, Audemars Piguet has reimagined the perpetual calendar with a focus on user experience. Engineers have developed an "all-in-one" crown, allowing for effortless adjustments without tools and minimizing the risk of damage. This intuitive correction system makes the high complication accessible anywhere, anytime.
One Movement, Three Distinct Aesthetics
The new Calibre 7138 makes its debut in a Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet and two Royal Oak models, all in 41mm.
The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar features an 18-carat white gold case and the collection's signature embossed dial in a smoked blue hue.
The Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar is available in two variations: a stainless steel case with a blue Grande Tapisserie dial for a two-tone aesthetic, and an 18-carat sand gold case with a matching Grande Tapisserie dial for a refined monochrome look.
Image Courtesy: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59
Image Courtesy: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Grande Tapisserie (blue)
Image Courtesy: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Grande Tapisserie (sand)
A Harmonious Dial for Enhanced Legibility
The dial display follows the European format, with the day at 9 o'clock, the date at 12 o'clock, and the month at 3 o'clock. Subdials and the inner bezel are harmonized to indicate the first day of the week, the month, and the year at noon.
A patented date disc with a progressive step at 12 o'clock adapts to the width of the digits, enhancing readability. A 24-hour indicator is incorporated into the day subdial at 9 o'clock, mirroring the leap-year indication at 3 o'clock.
Calibre 7138
Audemars Piguet's new in-house perpetual calendar movement, Calibre 7138, combines cutting-edge research and development with traditional horological expertise. It builds on patented innovations from 2018, integrating all perpetual calendar functions into a single layer within the movement. The end-of-month cam is combined with the date wheel, and the month cam with the month wheel. Crown corrections form a second layer, allowing for a slim 4.1mm profile.
Calibre 7138 is meticulously decorated with Haute Horlogerie finishes, including Côtes de Genève, satin-brushing, circular graining, snailing, and chamfering, all visible through the caseback.
"Calibre 7138 represents a major innovation in the design of perpetual calendars," says Lucas Raggi, Research and Development Director at Audemars Piguet. "By placing ergonomics at the heart of our research and development, we have created a unique correction mechanism that allows all adjustments to be made via the crown. In addition to making this high complication easy to use, we also worked on the overall aesthetics to combine high legibility with timeless refinement."
The Calibre 7138 represents a significant leap forward in perpetual calendar design, blending AP's rich history of astronomical watchmaking with modern innovation and user-friendly functionality. As Audemars Piguet celebrates its 150th anniversary, this revolutionary movement sets a new standard for excellence in haute horlogerie.
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Case:
Material: 18-carat white gold
Water Resistance: 30 m
Size: 41 mm
Dial: The smoked blue embossed dial combines a matching inner bezel and tone-on-tone subdials with 18-carat white gold hour-markers and 18-carat white gold hands with luminescent material.
Bracelet: The blue textured rubber-coated strap with calfskin lining is fitted with an 18-carat white gold three-blade AP folding clasp.
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Case:
Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 50 m
Size: 41 mm
Dial: The blue "Grande Tapisserie" dial with tone-on-tone subdials and a matching inner bezel is fitted with 18-carat white gold hour-markers and hands filled with luminescent material.
Bracelet: The integrated stainless steel bracelet is fitted with an AP folding clasp.
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Case:
Material: 18-carat sand gold
Water Resistance: 50 m
Size: 41 mm
Dial: The sand gold-toned "Grande Tapisserie" dial features a matching inner bezel and tone-on-tone subdials with black indicators, while 18-carat white gold hour-markers and hands filled with luminescent material complete the design.
Bracelet: The integrated bracelet is entirely crafted in 18-carat sand-gold and fitted with an AP folding clasp.
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Functions: Perpetual calendar with week indication, day, date, astronomical moon, month, leap year, hours and minutes.
Number of jewels: 41
Mechanism: Selfwinding
Power reserve: 55 h
Total diameter: 29.6 mm
Number of parts: 423
Frequency: 4 hz 28800 vph
Thickness: 4.1 mm
For further information, please visit audemarspiguet.com