F.P.Journe is adding to its repertoire with the unveiling of a Perpetual Calendar timepiece. The manufacture unveiled the Perpetual Calendar this year, a watch which displays the exact date by automatically taking into account the variable length of the months and leap-year cycle. It also displays the day, month and often the moon phases.
F.P.Journe is adding to its repertoire with the unveiling of a Perpetual Calendar timepiece.
The movement behind this watchmaking feat has a mechanical “memory” which makes it a truly perpetual watch. In the past, so-called perpetual calendar watches had to be corrected by one day on 1 March 2100 due to the Gregorian calendar, which rules that this year, as three centennial years out of four, will not be a leap year (normally the leap year occurs every four years). However, in F.P.Journe’s Perpetual watch, the exact date is displayed by automatically taking into account the variable length of the months and leap-year cycle. A small toothed planet wheel connected to the month’s mechanism performs a complete rotation in four years. This means that during the fourth year, the mechanism displays February 29 before moving on directly to March 1st. The months with 28, 29, 30 and 31 days are automatically taken into account and leap years recognised with years 1, 2 and 3 shown in black; 4 for the leap year shown in red at the centre of the dial under the hour and minute hands.
The dial of the F.P.Journe Perpetual Calendar boasts several large apertures; two for the day and month calendar, and a large date in two windows. The instantaneous jump is reinforced by an ingenious F.P.Journe system designed to accumulate energy and release it instantaneously when the date, day or month changes; and then slow it down at the end of its route. The time is set using a three-position crown, while months are set by a protected and hidden corrector lever beneath the lug at 1 o’clock.
The automatic winding movement, manufactured in 18K rose Gold, is constructed on the basis of the exclusive Octa calibre 1300.3. The Perpetual Calendar also features the exclusive off-centre F.P.Journe rotor in 22K red gold, which offers optimal winding of the watch for an effective power reserve by winding the movement in only one direction with an autoblocant ball bearing system. The result is a power reserve of 120 hours.
Only 900 pieces of the limited edition Perpetual Calendar will be produced, in either Platinum or 18K red Gold with a 40 or 42 mm diameter.
Photos courtesy F.P.Journe.
