Annual Calendars: That Beautiful “Little” Complication

Time doesn’t just fly when you’re having fun. Nowadays, everything in life is fast-paced; from living through the web and digitally facilitating your life with online orders, to working back-to-back meetings and being subjected to never-ending deadlines. Seasons pass and before you know it you’re another year older. That’s where an annual calendar comes into play and potentially saves the day; for example, by gently reminding you of that important anniversary you probably would have missed otherwise. None is more telling than a date on your wrist, especially one presented on a clear and concise dial.

Take the Girard-Perregaux Annual Calendar and Equation of Time, a classic timepiece with extremely useful complications. Encased in pink gold with a diameter measuring 40mm, the thin, polished, round case houses the calibre GP0330-0010 self-winding mechanical movement. Its functions consist of hours, minutes, centre seconds, date annual calendar and equation of time. The date is indicated in the sub-dial between 12 and 3 o’clock, with only odd numbers referenced in numeric form, allowing for uncluttered reading. The month marker sits at 7 o’clock, elegantly represented with an inverted-arch cut-out opening in the dial. Further refined details can be seen through the sapphire crystal back-case, revealing the Côtes de Genève, circular graining and bevelling finish. All in all, a well-represented calendar wrist watch which won’t let you down.

Another desirable annual calendar candidate comes in the form of A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Annual Calendar. Timeless in design, this handsome timepiece offers a balance of functions: analogue date, day and month indications as well as a moon-phase display. The sub-dial at 9 o’clock indicates the day and date, whilst the dial at 3 o’clock features months, with only the odd months shown in written form, simplifying the content for clear communication. The third and final dial at 6 o’clock acts as both a running seconds marker and a moon phase indicator. Each are beautifully presented on the argenté-coloured dial, and powered by the Lange calibre L051.3 which can be viewed under the sapphire case back. All calendar functions are easily advanced using the large pusher at 2 o’clock. For individual control, four small pushers can be used to separately adjust the day, date, month and moon phase. An understated timepiece, this A. Lange & Söhne Annual Calendar proves to be highly functional with comprehensive benefits for your practical needs.

For a masculine calendar watch with a sporty edge, the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Spitfire combines technical aptitude with class. Displayed on what is known as the signature slate dial of the Pilot’s Watch family, the month, date and day are displayed in that order, following the American date format, just under 12 o’clock. As with all annual calendar complications, the months are accounted for automatically, that is until the month of February where manual correction is required. This simple adjustment is easily made via the crown. The in-house 52850 calibre has two twin barrels, which are capable of supplying the watch with enough energy for 7 days’ worth of power reserve. Such a vast quantity to keep track of you might think. Well you won’t have to courtesy of the power reserve indicator represented in the slate coloured sub-dial at 3 o’clock. Yet another stylish timepiece offering up valuable functionality, helping you keep up with the day-to-day.