Most Complicated 20th Century Wristwatches

This was the passion project of New York watchmaker and importer James Schulz. He ordered a triple complicated 11’’’ movement from Victorin Piguet. Schulz’s wristwatch was the first to combine multiple complications, and the only one with a chronograph, minute repeater, and perpetual calendar until the 80s.Oh, and the case is only 29 mm.


AP Grande Complication Automatique (1987)

Europa Star 1987

Introduced at Basel 1987, and not to be confused with some very similar watches that came later. It’s also a minute repeating perpetual calendar, but adds a more sophisticated two button chronograph, a rattrapante, a leap year indicator, and automatic winding.

Audemars Piguet leaned heavily on Dominique Loiseau to bring this watch to life. The bridges and plates are rose gold, while the wheels are white gold, and the rotor in platinum. This version was unique or made in very small numbers, the AP Grande Complication Automatique that we know today was launched in 1996.

Blancpain 1735 (1987)

Antiquorum

Dominique Loiseau then went to Swatch group and worked with the folks at Frederic Piguet to develop the Blancpain 1735, which added a tourbillon into the mix. Tourbillons aren’t complications, but it works as a tie breaker. Why was it called the 1735? I don't know. If it was up to me, I would have named it the 1983, after the year the brand was launched.

Franck Muller Caliber 92 (1992)

Franck Muller

Franck Muller found a miniature grande sonnerie movement made by LEP, in the 1890s, and added a perpetual calendar on top. The clock watch has trip minute repeating, large strikes, and small strikes. The perpetual calendar module has a retrograde months display and indication of 24 hour time (first time we’ve seen either of these), It also has two non-complications, a thermometer and an “equation on time" which is actually just some dial printing. 

Gerald Genta Grande Sonnerie (1994)

Christie's

So this one is also a perpetual calendar clock watch, but with a few extras. A second time zone (that 24 hour dial), up/down, strike mode indicators, Westminster on four gongs, automatic winding, and tourbillon. You'd think the Westminster carillon would sound impressive, but in videos it sounds like someone shaking a sock full of nickels. Reliability is also not great, the one pictured here wasn't working at the time of sale, but has since been repaired.

Many variations were made, some with a retrograde perpetual calendar, some with jumping hours, and so on. Interestingly, these movements were made in Geneva, which historically isn't known for complications. All the other watches we've covered were from the Vallée de Joux. As such, they carry the Geneva seal, which has been engraved alongside leaves and grapes on the bridges.