IWC Perpetual Calendar watches, 40 years of growth and innovation

Having a perpetual watch in a portfolio is a pinnacle achievement for any watchmaker. Hands down. There are several reasons why this is so. It takes courage to even venture into the idea of creating one, originality of design to make it stand out, the superior level of craftsmanship to see it through, and such a background and tradition that the end users will welcome and support it wholeheartedly.

Given a four-decade-long IWC perpetual watch journey, all these factors have been present throughout their perpetual calendar adventure. Let's briefly shed some light on the concept of perpetual calendars in wristwatches in general, and then discuss IWC's rich calendar in more detail.

There's no better way to complement a unique watch than with a unique strap. IWC Perpetual Calendar Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is paired here with a special edition from Gunny Straps, 22mm Gunny X MT MISSION POSSIBLE 1 Series Handmade Leather Watch Strap, praised for its tough but soft leather that provides perfect comfort and unlimited wearability.

A glimpse into the history of perpetual calendar wristwatches

A short explanation to begin with: a perpetual calendar is a special complication that enables the watch to account for leap years without the need to manually adjust the mechanism every four years. The first perpetual calendar implementation in watchmaking goes back to a pocket watch made by Thomas Mudge in 1762. Due to the mechanism's complexity, it took more than 1.5 centuries for the perpetual calendar complication to be housed in a wristwatch case.

This year marked the 100th anniversary of the debut of the first perpetual calendar wristwatch, Patek Philippe Reference 97975, crafted at the Patek Philippe headquarters in Geneva in 1925. The foundation of this major milestone in wristwatch horology craftsmanship was laid in 1898, when the 97975 mechanism was initially constructed for a custom-ordered female pendant watch. Since 1925, Patek Philippe has released many notable perpetual calendar watches, each with its own design and inspiration.

Talking about sport elegance that radiates comfort and class: IWC Big Pilot's Watch Antoine de Saint Exupéry IW503801 with Aviator Style Quick Release Brown Horween Chromexcel Leather Watch Strap. Known for its rich depth and durability, this great strap is also praised for its pull-up effect and comfort, and the tool-free quick-release spring bars make changes easy.

IWC perpetual calendar watches are part of four distinct current collections: Portugieser, Portofino, Pilot’s Watches, and Ingenieur, as well as individual special edition watches released over the years. Here’s a portrayal of select IWC perpetual calendar watches, highlighting the ongoing effort to push the boundaries of their masterful craft.

IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Collection

Released in 1985, the infamous IWC Da Vinci Ref. 3750 was the first-ever IWC perpetual calendar wristwatch. To opt for a premier perpetual calendar mechanism at a time when quartz mechanisms were about to take horology by storm was, many would say, a bold idea, if not a crazy one. But Kurt Klaus, whom IWC tasked with the project, knew that the only way to survive during those turbulent years was not to go with the flow but to set itself apart from the competition. Mr Klaus had another revolutionary idea in mind: to craft a perpetual calendar mechanism that used only a single crown to make day, date, month, and year, as well as moonphase adjustments.

Late 1980s IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 3750 - the world’s first perpetual calendar adjustable solely by the crown. Shown here is a Quick-release 19mm Tapered Polished Milanese Mesh Bracelet that perfectly blends vintage elegance with modern craftsmanship.

That was unprecedented, since all other perpetual calendar watches used a set of pushers and buttons to make those adjustments. Another novelty was that Ref. 3750 consisted of only 81 parts and was suitable for factory production, significantly less expensive to manufacture than those of all competitors. This made Da Vinci more accessible to the general audience, which was one of the biggest reasons IWC not only survived the quartz era unharmed but also grew even stronger despite never abandoning its mechanical tradition.

Over the years, the Da Vinci collection has undergone several iterations. Still, in 2017, IWC returned to the original round case design inspired by Da Vinci's innovations.

IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Collection

The Portugieser collection is probably IWC's most historically significant collection. It debuted in the late 1930s and has featured many legendary watches. One of those is the perpetual calendar watch, which has been made in several versions.

The first one appeared in 2003, a Ref. 5021, featuring a 42.3 mm round case in rose, gold, or platinum versions. The clean lines, thin bezel, and easy-to-read dial turned out to be a perfect background for the four dials it featured. Such harmony made this watch one of IWC's most durable and technically and aesthetically appealing watches.

Three breathtaking new IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendars from 2024: obsidian-black lacquer in Armor Gold IW503702, warm dune lacquer in white gold IW503704, and crisp silver-plated in Armor Gold IW503701. Pure wrist poetry.

In the years to come, a significant number of variations of the original Portugieser perpetual calendar watches saw the light of day, featuring different case sizes and designs, materials, dial colors, and mechanism refinements. This collection includes some of IWC's most notable watches, such as the infamous Portugieser Sidérale Scafusia and the IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar, widely regarded as the most complex and advanced watches ever produced by IWC.

IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar Collection

The story of Portofino perpetual calendar watches started when the first-ever model was released in the 1990s. It was a golden, 35mm case model, Ref 3541. The ETA 2892 powering it was combined with the perpetual calendar module from Kurt Klaus. Although it features a smaller dial, it boasts perfect readability despite housing 4 dials.

IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar Ref. IW344602 - 18ct 5N gold case, silver-plated dial, 40.0 mm, featuring Kurt Klaus's legendary perpetual calendar with moonphase, day, date, month, four-digit year, and leap year displays, all adjustable solely by the crown.

This iconic watch was revived in 2022 with two distinct models, Ref. IW344601 and Ref. IW344602. The former features a steel case and the latter an 18-carat 5N gold case. Both models mirror the iconic Ref 3541 in elegance and classic appearance, but this time in a slightly larger, 40mm case. Still, both models are currently the smallest perpetual calendars in the IWC catalog. There are also differences in dial design, and a different mechanism drives the 2022 editions, the IWC-manufactured calibre 82650.

IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Collection

Big Pilot is, overall, one of IWC's most prolific collections. When perpetual calendar models are in question, around 40 have been welcomed to the Big Pilot family so far. Among others, these include several limited edition watches and some special editions.

It all started in 2006 with the release of the premier Big Pilot perpetual calendar watch. It was a platinum, highly limited edition (only 25 watches produced) made exclusively for Sincere, a Singapore retailer.  Before Big Pilot perpetual calendar production became part of standard production in 2021, the most notable limited editions made included Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Ref. IW503801), Top Gun Edition 'MOJAVE DESERT' (Ref. IW503004), and the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire IW503601.

IWC Big Pilot's MOJAVE DESERT IW503004 with a state-of-the-art Gunny X MT '74' Light Brown Handmade Leather Watch Strap.

This 2-piece watch band allows for the pad and watch strap to be separated, so the watch can be worn with or without the pad.  Plus, the pad itself is reversible, a match made in heaven, and mirroring the innovative nature of the Mojave Desert.

For all fans of bold and unusual: IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun MOJAVE DESERT edition IW503004 and FKM Q.R. Firewave Resilient Curved End Rubber Watch Strap in sky blue color and futuristic design are a lovely match for all those who love to stand out for both vivid appearance and supreme quality.

These three watches feature stunning aesthetics and a bold presence, and have been in high demand since their release. One notable detail is that the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry watch is powered by the 52610, at the time the latest version of IWC's 7-day power-reserve perpetual calendar movement. At the same time, the Mojave Desert is housed in a unique sand-colored ceramic case modeled on the patterns and colors of the navy flight suit and the desert landscape. Finally, Spitfire IW503601 stands out for its striking bronze case and olive-green dial.

The mesmerizing green-and-bronze appeal of the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire IW503601's case and dial color palette is gently complemented by a Pam Collection, Vintage Brown Horween Chromexcel Leather Watch Strap. Such a combo also secures ultimately comfortable wearability and timeless elegance in any setting.

Another great choice for all those who love a bold and memorable blend of tradition and contemporary. Smooth bronze case of the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire IW503601 is both complemented and contrasted by a relief-surfaced FKM Chaffle Sand color  Rubber Watch Strap

IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Collection

There's no better way to complete this short review of the IWC perpetual calendar family than the Ingenieur collection. The fruitful integration of the perpetual calendar complication into the Ingenieur catalog began in 1985 with the IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar (ref. 9240). With its 37.5mm case, it was the largest Ingenieur watch at the time, and a solid yellow gold case with a striking white lacquer dial completed the memorable aesthetics. Great looks and the fact that it is driven by the Kurt Klaus module make it still one of the most coveted perpetual calendar IWC watches.

Over the next 40 years, the Ingenieur collection was enriched by notable models, such as  Ref. 9245, Ref. 3540, all the way to Reference IW344903 introduced this year. The latter is a standard production model, whereas most other Ingenieur perpetual models are limited editions.

Early 1990s IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Jumbo Ref. 9240 - yellow gold, applying Kurt Klaus's ingenious crown-adjustable perpetual calendar with moonphase to the robust, anti-magnetic Ingenieur line.

One of those that deserves a special mention is the Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Ref. 3792. It was in production from 2013 to 2016. This robust watch (46mm case) is a post-SL perpetual calendar watch that's particularly interesting because it combines proven classic solutions, such as the legendary crown-operated Kurt Klaus design, with innovative features, such as the digital date-month display, which takes the IWC perpetual calendar story to a new level.

 

Hats off to the IWC Perpetual Calendar team

Perpetual calendar complication is one of the most complex achievements in horology. The level of knowledge, expertise, and craft required to execute takes years to perfect, and only a limited number of production teams are capable of seeing it through with constant success.

When authentic and memorable aesthetics are added to the equation, there are only a few watchmakers out there who are capable of producing that number of perpetual calendar watches over the period of 40 years. With a constant influx of original ideas and a tireless search for innovation in play, the number of such capable watchmakers falls to a single figure, with IWC firmly holding its place among them.

 

Written by S.K, images by Toni and others as noted