To mark the beginning of its 150th anniversary celebrations, Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet presents a new generation of automatic perpetual calendar movement, Calibre 7138, which allows to make the corrections of all functions via its “all-in-one” crown. This new movement makes its debut on a 41 mm Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet in 18-carat white gold and two 41 mm Royal Oak models in stainless steel or 18-carat sand gold, which are also available in a limited “anniversary” editions. All details, live pictures and prices are below.
Audemars Piguet has reimagined the perpetual calendar mechanism with ergonomics in mind to adapt this classic complication to an ever-more flexible lifestyle. Five years of development went into the creation of this horological feat, which is protected by five patents and offers new creative horizons.
Traditional perpetual calendar wristwatches are usually equipped with correctors inserted in the side of the case, which are activated by using a small tool to adjust the various subdials. This age-old system can make it cumbersome to set the watch, especially when left unwound for some time. To enhance user’s experience and streamline the design of the case, AP’s engineers have developed an easier and more intuitive correction system entirely controlled via the crown, to make this high complication adjustable anywhere without tools and without risk of damage.
The new crown incorporates four different positions. The first enables to wind the watch clockwise. Pulling the crown out one step (position 2) allows to set the date clockwise and to adjust the month and the leap year in the opposite direction. By pulling the crown out again (position 3), the user can set the time bidirectionally. The last position is reached by pushing the crown back one step (position 2’) to set the day and week clockwise and the moon phases counterclockwise.
The simplicity of the new crown correction conceals, however, a complex mechanism driven by an innovative lever and wandering wheels system that meshes with the different calendar wheels in the 2 and 2’ positions. This innovation is protected by two patents: one for the crown correction system with a 2’ position and one for the month and date correction via the crown.
The dial and subdials have been rearranged to enhance legibility, symmetry and aesthetic harmony. The dial now features a European date display, with the day at 9 o’clock, the date at 12 and the month at 3 o’clock. The week numbers are printed on the inner bezel as for previous perpetual calendar models.
However, it is now the first week of the year (“1”) that appears at 12 o’clock (instead of week 52). In the same logic, “Monday” and “1” have been aligned at 12 o’clock in their respective subdial to mark the start of the week and the first day of the month. The dial also features a patented progressive step for the date display at 12 o’clock. The AP teams developed a date wheel with 31 custom-made teeth, the size of which varies to adapt to the width of the digits and enhance readability.
To achieve perfect symmetry with the subdial at 3 o’clock, which indicates the month and leap year, a 24-hour indicator has been inserted in the day subdial at 9 o’clock. In addition, a no-correction zone is marked in red between 21h and 3h to show when the watch cannot be set. However, if the user attempts to set the watch during this time, the date might not be corrected, but there is no risk of damaging the movement in the process.
The moon phase, which displays a realistic depiction of the moon based on a NASA photograph, remains at 6 o’clock as for previous references. However, the full moon is now centered on the 12 o’clock axis to strengthen the dial’s overall harmony.
Audemars Piguet’s new in-house perpetual calendar movement combines state-of-the-art R&D technology with age-old horological expertise. Calibre 7138 automatically takes into account the number of days in the month and correctly displays the date and week even in leap years. Assuming the watch is kept fully wound, the date will not require manual correction until the year 2100, when it will need to be adjusted to stay in line with the Gregorian calendar. 3 This perpetual calendar movement takes selfwinding Calibre 7121 as its base. It beats at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vph) and offers a power reserve of minimum 55 hours.
Calibre 7138 also builds on the patented innovations of Calibre 5133 launched in 2018 with the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin RD#2, which incorporated all perpetual calendar functions in one single layer within the movement. The end-of-month cam is similarly integrated with the date wheel, while the month cam is combined with the month wheel. Crown corrections form a second layer, enabling the movement to keep a thin 4.1 mm profile.
Calibre 7138 makes its debut with one Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet and two Royal Oak models, all available in 41 mm. The absence of correctors on the side of the case reinforces the refinement of the three models as well as their water resistance, which has been increased to 50 m for the Royal Oak models and 30 m for the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet compared to the previous perpetual calendar models offered in the two collections (20 m).
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar
For more live pictures, details, and pricing of the new Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar, check out this article.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
For more live pictures, details, and pricing of the new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, check out this article.
Three “Anniversary” Limited Editions
To celebrate the Manufacture’s 150 years, the three models presented above are also available in a limited “anniversary” edition of 150 pieces each. While their aesthetics are identical to those of the collection models, the three limited editions feature subtle design codes specially conceived for the celebration. These include a vintage “Audemars Piguet” signature inspired by historical documents, inserted in the moon-phase subdial at 6 o’clock, as well as two additional engravings on the sapphire caseback frame: the “150” logo, created for the occasion, and “1 of 150 pieces.”
More details about Audemars Piguet watches find on www.audemarspiguet.com
