Comments:
Bad - When the battery dies, it's extremely complicated to reset unless you swap the battery while it's still giving you a "low voltage" warning.
1. Reverso Perpetuel
Perpetual & Annual Calendars - Good & Bad / Pro & Con - Group Thread
We've seen some discussion recently about the pros and cons of perpetual calendars, by brand and by model.
Can we do a thread on this?
Please contribute your thoughts on watches you've owned, with images.
MECHANICAL
MIH Annual Calendar
Good - If running, it tells you what month and day it is (and AM/PM) . No pushers and no tool required. Can go back and forth when setting the date.
Bad - If not running, it shames you by displaying the date you last wore the watch. If you haven't worn it for awhile it can be hard to remember how to reset the date.
IWC Perpetual Calendar
Good - the date is explicitly displayed and you don't have to remember which of 4 years is the leap year, count back/forth, etc. There are no pushers in the side or between the lugs.
Bad - can't go backwards if you accidentally set it forward of the correct date. It also scolds you by showing the date of the last time you wore it.
QUARTZ
SEIKO Perpetual Calendar
Good - If running, it tells you the date (not month). No pushers and no tool required. Once set runs until the battery dies - 3-5 years. Much less expensive than mechanical perpetuals.
Don’t have any to join in…
But the MiH was s high on the to get list as would be an ochs & junior annual calendar. Both can be set forwards and backwards 😁
Yes, I have an O&Jr moonphase which is also an annual calendar (I think)
But I can never remember how to set the moon!
I will see if I can find the online directions for setting...
A few minutes later...
I will play
Thoughts on some I owned or still own
Good:
- Amazing design
- The indications which are not being used often are on the flip side
Bad:
Good:
- Manual wind with short power reserve
- Everything being adjusted via correctors, that feels fragile
2. Alain Silberstein Le Perpetuel
Good:
- One of the stealthiest perpetuals on the market. Only the date is on the dial side.
Bad:
- Svend Andersen's perpetual module on top of ETA movement is unreliable
- No quick adjustments
- Will be wrong after the year 2100 with no ability do fix it AFAIK (not that I expect to live that long)
3. Patek Phillipe 5004
Good:
Good:
- Design, brand.
Bad:
- manual wind with short power reserve
- Everything being adjusted via correctors, that feels fragile
- Not related to perpetual, but split second mechanism had issues which Patek wasn't able to fix at the time.
4. IWC Novecento
- Kurt Klaus's amazing design, everything can be adjusted without the crown, no correctors
Bad:
- Subdials indication, which is not everyone's taste.
- It is relatively small watch, so subdials are crowded and hard to read
5. Ulysse Nardin Perpetual Ludwing, Perpetual GMT, Aqua Perpetual
Good:
- Can be adjusted back at forth. Setting the calendar is not much more difficult than setting the date.
- No need to set to the factory in 2100.
- Very readable
Bad:
- Asymmetric window design could be not to everyone's taste
Related images mentioned above
Reverso
Silberstein Perpetuel
Silberstein Perpetuel
Patek 5004
IWC Novecento
UN Marine Aqua
I also have two Ludwig designed extended calendar watches (that you have). MIH... well you're correct that it's tricky to set but the all in line display which includes am-pm indication is
very cool. For me the only real downside to this watch is that to read the chronograph you have to take it off as its readout is part of the movement and on the back of the watch.
UN Marine Perpetual ltd... I love the display layout and the fact that the displays are not by hands but in windows. Everything is adjusted by the crown, no stylus needed. Like the MIH it can be adjusted forwards and backwards. There is no leap year indicator but to me that is not a huge negative. My only issue with this watch is that with only 500 pieces and as beautiful as it is it should hold value better (then again, I'll NEVER sell it so not a big problem for me).
UN Annual Calendar Chronograph.... This one is not a Ludwig so it can't be adjusted backwards. It's gorgeous with the best blued hands I've ever seen. Easy to read the time and (big) date. No stylus needed as everything is adjusted via the crown. 125m WR. But, there is no day of the week information and the month window is rather small.
Seiko quartz perpetual diver. This watch looks like a Seiko Monster diver but is also a perpetual. As you noted the setting of the calendar is insanely difficult (many people will need to send it to Seiko). I have a watchmaker who knows how to do it and once set you "should" be good to go for the duration of the batteries life. However, eventually mine started to jump around to the wrong date (as did the date in one belonging to a friend who also bought one after seeing mine). In a totally unpredictable fashion it would suddenly go forwards or backwards to a different date at any time of the day. Sometimes it would jump more than one day, or more than once in a day. I had my watchmaker put in a fresh battery and reset it (more than once) but it kept doing this (same with my friend's). Now it just collects dust in a drawer. It's one redeeming quality is how good looking it is but I don't have a pic. It has a pale yellow dial and is basically a Monster (in more ways than one!).
[Solve technical issue]
This message has been edited by cazalea on 2024-06-07 19:09:44
[Solve technical issue]
I forgot my Marine, shame on me
As long as we are doing Cat pictures... RIP Tiger
PS - I had a regular UN Marine too. Mine was blue with white hands. I can't fathom why I sold it; I loved this watch.
Yes, RIP Tiger! The watchmaker I mentioned has that same 1846 UN and he loves it. As far as forgetting your Marine Perpetual ltd, don't worry bro I got your back!
I would have bought that 1846 from you in a heartbeat!
I ran across the receipt - I sold it to a Linda on this website, back in August 2011
Now I just have to find what expensive watch I bought in the same timeframe 
The MIH was and is a great value for money AC that can easily be set with the crown and no need for impractical push buttons.
I’ll play.
GO Perpetual
Pros: Very legible dial, and scratch proof ceramic case. It can be set to any date with the use of case pushers.
Cons: Using the case pusher that advances the whole calendar ahead a day per push doesn’t advance the moonphase, so I often just advance the hands if is only a few days behind.
Rolex Skydweller Annual Calendar.
Pros: Very satisfying to adjust the time or date forward or backward using the bezel to change modes, and a subtle month indicator.
Cons: The glittering fluted bezel may be too blingy at times.
Pros: Very legible dial, and scratch proof ceramic case. It can be set to any date with the use of case pushers.
Cons: Using the case pusher that advances the whole calendar ahead a day per push doesn’t advance the moonphase, so I often just advance the hands if is only a few days behind.
Rolex Skydweller Annual Calendar.
Pros: Very satisfying to adjust the time or date forward or backward using the bezel to change modes, and a subtle month indicator.
Cons: The glittering fluted bezel may be too blingy at times.
The King
IMHO still the most elegant and ingenious PC that is AFFORDABLE to most watch enthusiast.
Robust and very reliable movement.
And that blue dial is unforgettable.
Simple to set, forwards or backwards, wheels only, no clicks and hard to read hands.
Only eight parts for the perpetual function. No Instant jump just gradual change over in about ten minutes.
And that blue dial is unforgettable.
The Prince
The best tool watch PC interpretation.
Very legible and combined with the most sought after complication , the chronograph.
Yet again very affordable.
Setting forwards only.
Hi Mike. Perpetual calendars are possibly the most useful complication. It has always fascinated me that the watch knows the year, month, day and date by way of gears.
Over the course of time I have had a few.
I had an IWC Portuguese Perpetual - WG, black dial. It wore big and the WG and black dial were hard to read.
I also had a JLC Master Perpetual - nice watch - maybe I shouldn't have parted with it but I did.
Present and cherished:
UN Perpetual GMT +/- Ltd edition - RG with RG dial - possibly the best perpetual on the market. Easy to set, able to be set forward and backward without ill effect, it will not be affected if by the 100 year correction (not a leap year). It also has a GMT function - forward and backward that is the best GMT function in the market by way of pushers.
Sven Andersen - Secular perpetual - a RG and white dial - see prior posts - it precedes by decades the IWC eternal perpetual - recognizes the pone hunger and four hundred year corrections.
Parmigiani Toric Perpetual - simply a beautiful watch
UN Marine Annual calendar - a beautiful dial - typical of UN of the time, can be set forward and backward.
MIH watch - otherwise discussed.
Mitch
It's pretty hard to adjust the calendar.
I already sold mine but thinking about get it back.
