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Annual calendar watches often reveal their true value only on closer inspection. Plenty of other watches display at least the current date, and some the day of the week as well, but most of them run for three months at most before a manual correction is needed. If you want a little more convenience, there is hardly any way around an annual calendar watch. Below, we introduce this complication and take a look at our five favorite watches equipped with it.
What exactly is an annual calendar?
A watch that really shows nothing but the time almost stands out these days. Most watches at least tell their wearers the date, and many models also display the current day of the week. But whether this is done with a date scale and an additional hand or with numerals in a dedicated date window, the 92 days from July 1 to September 30 are, for most watches with a date display, the longest stretch during which they show the correct date without having to be reset by hand. The reason lies in the varying lengths of the months. The date display has to go up to 31, yet four months of the year have only thirty days, and February has just 28 or 29. That is why the date has to be advanced manually after every month with fewer than 31 days, so that, for example, the watch doesn't show November 31 on December 1. If you would rather skip this chore, an annual calendar watch is the right choice.
In these watches, the date mechanism is designed to automatically account for the different month lengths throughout the year, with the exception of February, so a manual correction is only needed at the end of February to advance the watch to March 1. Mechanical annual calendar watches are generally more expensive than models without this complication, but they are considerably more affordable than watches with a so-called perpetual calendar, whose mechanism can display the date accurately at least until the year 2100 without any intermediate corrections. Below, we present five different annual calendar watches that we particularly like.
Longines Master Collection Gents XL with annual calendar and moon phase
Within the Longines lineup, the Longines Master Collection Gents XL belongs to a collection explicitly dedicated to watchmaking tradition. Thanks to its wealth of functions, it ranks among the most technically sophisticated models in the collection. Its 42 mm stainless steel case houses the automatic caliber L678, which offers a power reserve of up to 48 hours. Even at first glance, the white dial with its black Arabic numerals and blued hands reveals the sheer amount of information this watch provides. In addition to hours and minutes, it features a chronograph function, a small seconds, and an annual calendar with pointer date, day of the week, and month. A moon phase display adds a special eye-catcher. This small technical masterpiece is worn on a sturdy alligator leather strap with contrast stitching.
Breitling Aerospace Evo – a clever blend of digital and analog
If you prefer a decidedly modern, functional design over the classic look of the Longines Master Collection Gents XL, the Breitling Aerospace Evo is an interesting alternative. This pilot's chronograph is also an annual calendar watch and stands out for its combination of analog and digital displays alone. At 43 mm, the current model is slightly larger than its predecessor and also differs from it in its engraved bezel, beveled crystal, and reworked numerals. These modifications make it look even more powerful and dynamic. The robust titanium case is fully satin-finished. The watch is powered by a certified SuperQuartz movement that is ten times more accurate than conventional quartz movements. The simple operating concept is also remarkable: despite its considerable range of functions, the watch needs no additional pushers, and all settings are made simply by turning, pressing, or pulling out the crown. In addition to the annual calendar, the Breitling Aerospace Evo displays a second time zone and can also serve as an alarm when needed.
Omega De Ville Hour Vision Annual Calendar - an elegant dress watch in many versions
Gentlemen looking for an annual calendar watch to wear primarily as a refined dress watch might shortlist the Omega De Ville Hour Vision Annual Calendar, for example. It impresses with its luxurious finish and is available not only in stainless steel but also in solid 18-karat gold. It is a classic three-hand watch with a blued central seconds hand, understated baton indices, and a minute track around the edge of the dial. At 3 o'clock sits a small double window, with the current month shown on the left and the date on the right. The watch is powered by Omega's automatic caliber 8611, whose Co-Axial escapement provides greater durability and long-term precision. Two barrels mounted in series and a bidirectional winding mechanism that speeds up winding are further features of the Omega De Ville Hour Vision Annual Calendar. This certified chronometer has a power reserve of up to 55 hours.
Rolex Sky-Dweller – the innovative and elegant travel companion
For frequent travelers and pilots who regularly move between time zones, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf once created the GMT-Master, which, in an updated version, remains part of the brand's core collection to this day. Today, however, the same brand offers this classic target group another option that impresses with both technical innovation and elegance: the Rolex Sky-Dweller. Its notable details include the ability to set the hour hand and the 24-hour display independently of each other and, above all, its ingenious, multi-patented annual calendar. Particularly original is the idea of using the twelve hour markers to display the months as well. Between each Roman numeral and the edge of the dial is a small aperture in which a colored marker appears for the current month. All settings are made using the screw-down crown and the Ring Command rotatable bezel.
Zenith Pilot Montre D'Aéronef Type 20 Annual Calendar – a highlight for aviation nostalgics
Annual calendar watches with nostalgic pilot's watch charm can be found in the Zenith lineup. The Zenith Pilot Montre D'Aéronef Type 20 Annual Calendar impresses with its size alone: its stainless steel case measures a full 48 mm. Inside beats the in-house caliber 4054 with a 1/10th-of-a-second chronograph. For the annual calendar, with digital displays for date, day of the week, and month, Zenith's watchmakers needed just nine moving parts. The mechanism was developed in collaboration with the International Museum of Horology (MIH) in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Ludwig Oechslin.
