Audemars Piguet, while grounded in traditional heritage and past developments, looks to the future by reinterpreting the perpetual calendar mechanism with ergonomics in mind, allowing this classic complication to better suit a more flexible lifestyle.
Swiss luxury watch brand Audemars Piguet celebrated its 150th anniversary by unveiling the next-generation self-winding perpetual calendar movement, the “Caliber 7138.” This new model introduces an innovative “all-in-one” crown, designed to adjust all functions through a single crown, maximizing user convenience while setting a new standard for perpetual calendar watches.
Audemars Piguet has modernized the traditional adjustment method of perpetual calendar wristwatches by adopting a more intuitive and ergonomic approach. Previously, date and month settings required a small tool to operate adjustment devices on the case side, but the Caliber 7138 is designed to allow all adjustments with just one crown. This new adjustment system enables easy setting of the watch without tools and adapts more flexibly to the user’s lifestyle.
The perpetual calendar watches equipped with Caliber 7138 are first introduced in the 41mm Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet model crafted from 18-carat white gold, and two 41mm Royal Oak models made from stainless steel and 18-carat sand gold. This movement will also be featured in special limited edition models commemorating the 150th anniversary, with each model produced in a limited run of 150 pieces.
This new product was born after five years of research and development and features a sophisticated mechanism based on five patented technologies. The core element of the crown adjustment system includes four position adjustment functions that intuitively control winding, date and day adjustment, month and leap year adjustment, time setting, and even the moon phase. This technological advancement greatly enhances the user experience while focusing on optimizing the watch’s legibility and design.
Additionally, the newly arranged dial offers improved legibility. The day is positioned at 9 o’clock, the date at 12 o’clock, and the month at 3 o’clock, with the week number printed on the inner bezel to enhance intuitiveness. A distinctive feature compared to previous models is that the number “1” is displayed based on the first day of the week. The moon phase indicator is harmoniously placed at 6 o’clock, featuring a refined design inspired by NASA’s lunar photographs.
The new perpetual calendar models also feature enhanced water resistance. While the previous models offered 20 meters of water resistance, the Royal Oak models now provide 50 meters, and the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet models offer 30 meters, simultaneously strengthening elegant design and functionality.
The 150th anniversary limited edition models maintain the same aesthetic elements as the existing collection but add special design details. The moon phase subdial at 6 o’clock includes a vintage-style “Audemars Piguet” signature inspired by historical documents of Audemars Piguet, and the sapphire caseback frame is engraved with the “150” logo and “1 of 150 pieces.”
The Caliber 7138 embodies a technical innovation that maximizes user convenience and intuitiveness while preserving the intricate mechanism of the perpetual calendar. Audemars Piguet harmoniously combines tradition and the future, opening new horizons in watchmaking technology.
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