As watch enthusiasts, we are a funny bunch. We either focus on the practical date-only complication, or the impractical perpetual calendar complication — impractical because it is one of the most difficult mechanisms to create, having been invented to automatically adjust the day, date and month, and account for leap years, essentially, in perpetuity. It is also prone to error and easily damaged. Its “sibling” complication, the annual calendar, is infinitely more reliable, yet just like Rodney Dangerfield, it gets no love.

Patek Philippe was the first watch company to unveil an annual calendar wristwatch, the reference 5035, in 1996. Simply put, this is a complication that can calculate day, date and month, but requires a manual adjustment at the end of every February. The adjustment can be done relatively easily, without too much worry about damaging the mechanism. The annual calendars’ rotating gear wheels remain in constant contact with each other, thereby eliminating potential errors. In contrast, perpetual calendars can be easily damaged because of the on-off interplay between levers and cams.

Glashütte Original PanoMaticCalendar

What I love about the Pano series by Glashütte Original is the unmistakable asymmetric design of the dial; the unique layout of the dial with off-centered hours and minutes, large date, and various complications over the years. The annual calendar is a refreshing complication within the Pano lineup. The long crescent calendar date is a brilliant design and puts a smile on your face. The addition of the moonphase not only balances out the dial symmetry, but also balances out the measurement of exact time and date with the whimsy of the lunar phases.

There are two versions of the PanoMaticCalendar — in red gold and in platinum. The red gold model exudes classic grace and elegance while the limited edition platinum shows the caliber’s edgier, more modern side.

The first version is encased in red gold that has been satin-polished for a soft matte finish. The dial is made from silver opaline for a soft, creamy setting to show off the features of the caliber 92-09. The offset hours and minutes dial appear on the left side with elegantly finished, Super-LumiNova filled hands in a delicate fluted shape and red gold applique indexes. At six o’clock is a cleverly overlapping small seconds subdial that allows the minute track to pass through the center uninterrupted and features a blued steel seconds hand. Just to the right is a Panorama Date with another first for Glashütte Original: a bold, red gold frame surrounding the large date numerals.

Situated between three o’clock and six o’clock, the month is indicated on a unique curved aperture window of gray-tinted sapphire with cut-out numbers that reveals the month highlighted in black with the turning of the subdial. The retrograde month display brings an element of contemporary design in an otherwise classical timepiece. The most eye-catching feature, however, is the moonphase complication at two o’clock showing a red gold moon as she waxes and wanes against a starry sky. The red gold version is paired with a brown Louisiana Alligator nubuck leather strap that is offered with either a butterfly-shaped folding clasp or a pin buckle in red gold.

The PanoMaticCalendar in platinum, meanwhile, is a limited edition production of only 150 pieces and is a skeletonized reimagining of the watch with caliber 92-10. The 42mm case is crafted from platinum that provides a high contrast to the black rhodium plated dial. On this version, the dial is given a skeletonized treatment in tones of black and silver for a watch that looks completely different. The off-centered hour and minute dial is a skeletonized ring of galvanic black with white gold indexes and blued minute and hour hands coated with Super-LumiNova. The small seconds subdial is a second ring layered above the dial with a skeletonized, rhodium plated seconds hand.

The month indication is reversed to a black aperture with the month highlighted in white to fit more seamlessly with the theme of the watch. The Panorama Date disk is visible under the dial with the date viewed through a simple cut-out window for a uniquely industrial look. Finally, the moonphase stands out with its silvery moon against a rich blue starry sky. The PanoMaticCalendar in platinum is complemented with a black Louisiana Alligator nubuck leather strap and a butterfly-shaped folding clasp in platinum.

The New Caliber 92

A new movement developed in-house by Glashütte Original is a slender 4Hz caliber 92 that measures only 7.65mm in height. The movement features a silicon balance spring, easy-to-use functions and an impressive 100-hour power reserve. This means that the wearer does have to adjust the date once a year on March 1st to account for the shorter February month. The moonphase complication accurately displays the phases of the moon for 122 years before it needs to be manually adjusted by one day with the provided corrector tool.

In the retrograde month display, the date advances automatically at the end of the month from the 30th or 31st to the 1st. The month wheel serves as this function’s “memory” and contains 38 tiny ball bearings made of hardened steel with a diameter of 0.5mm to ensure that friction is reduced to a minimum and the efficiency of mechanical processes improved. The cam disk at the top of the wheel completes one revolution per year, and its irregular rim triggers the switching process at the end of the month. Its indentations mark the months with 31 days. A small tooth on the underside of the wheel advances the month ring via a gear chain, thereby advancing the date in the retrograde display on the dial side.

Tech Specs

Glashütte Original PanoMaticCalendar Red Gold, Ref 1-92-09-02-05-62/02

Movement: Self-winding caliber 92-09; 100-hour power reserve
Functions: Off-centered hours and minutes, small seconds, moonphase, and annual calendar with Panorama Date and retrograde month display
Case: 42mm; 5N red gold; water resistant to 50m
Dial: Silver opaline, applied hour markers
Strap: Brown Louisiana alligator nubuck leather; 5N red gold butterfly-shaped folding clasp or pin buckle
Price: Starting from USD 26,600

Glashütte Original PanoMaticCalendar Platinum, Ref 1-92-10-01-03-62

Movement: Self-winding caliber 92-10; 100-hour power reserve
Functions: Off-centered hours and minutes, small seconds, moonphase, and annual calendar with Panorama Date and retrograde month display
Case: 42mm; platinum; water resistant to 50m
Dial: Skeletonized galvanic black; applied hour markers
Strap: Black Louisiana alligator nubuck leather; platinum butterfly shaped folding clasp
Price: USD 39,100
Availability: Limited edition of 150 pieces

Click here For more information