Audemars Piguet has redefined perpetual calendar functionality with its groundbreaking Calibre 7138 movement, unveiled in celebration of the brand’s 150th anniversary. The innovation eliminates traditional corrector pushers, allowing all adjustments—date, month, day, moon phase, and leap year—to be controlled solely through the crown.
A Leap Forward in Perpetual Calendar Engineering
Perpetual calendars, or quantieme perpétuels (QP), have long been among horology’s most intricate complications, tracing their origins to 1762 with English watchmaker Thomas Mudge. Modern iterations from elite manufactures like Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin remain marvels of micro-engineering. AP’s latest advancement streamlines user interaction while preserving mechanical sophistication.
The Calibre 7138 introduces an intuitive crown-based system:
Position 1: Manual winding
Position 2: Date (clockwise) and month/leap year (counterclockwise) adjustment
Position 3: Time setting
”Position 2 Prime”: A hidden mode for day/week (clockwise) and moon phase (counterclockwise) correction
Notably, the movement prevents damage during the critical 9 PM–3 AM date-change window and features a protective “red zone” indicator.
Three New Models Showcase the Innovation
Audemars Piguet debuts the Calibre 7138 in three exclusive references:
Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar
Case: 41mm 18K white gold
Dial: Smoked blue PVD with artisan guilloché
Strap: Blue rubber-coated calfskin
Price: 109,300 CHF
Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Steel Version: Blue “Grande Tapisserie” dial (109,300 CHF)
Sand Gold Version: Proprietary alloy with tone-shifting dial (130,000 CHF)
All three models feature 150-piece limited editions with vintage-inspired cursive branding and commemorative caseback engravings.
A Farewell to Legacy: The Openworked 150th Anniversary Edition
Concluding the QP releases is the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked (175,000 CHF), limited to 150 pieces. This titanium and Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) timepiece houses the retiring Calibre 5135—a 374-component movement with a neo-vintage blue dial inspired by AP’s 1990s platinum pocket watch.
Industry Impact and Future Prospects
CEO Ilaria Resta emphasizes the Calibre 7138’s balance of technical mastery and accessibility: “No more setting tools—everyone can enjoy this romantic complication.” With the 5134/5135 lineage now retired, collectors anticipate a skeletonized 7138 iteration may follow.
For now, these anniversary creations cement Audemars Piguet’s legacy as a perpetual calendar pioneer—from Jules Louis Audemars’ 19th-century school project to today’s crown-controlled revolution.
