An annual calendar watch is a type of mechanical watch that displays the date, day of the week, and month, and only needs to be adjusted once a year, at the end of February. It is a step up from a regular calendar watch, which requires adjustment for months with fewer than 31 days, and a leap year.
The first annual calendar watch was created by Patek Philippe in 1996, with their model 5035. The mechanism of an annual calendar watch is more complex than a regular calendar watch, as it requires a system of levers and gears to track the varying lengths of the months. However, it is less complicated than a perpetual calendar watch, which accounts for leap years and only needs to be adjusted once every hundred years.
The history of calendar watches goes back several centuries, with the first pocket watches featuring calendar displays in the 16th century. However, it wasn't until the 19th century that calendar watches became popular among the general public, with brands such as Breguet and Patek Philippe producing some of the earliest models.
Today, annual calendar watches are produced by many luxury watch brands, including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. They are prized by watch collectors for their combination of practicality and elegance, and their ability to display the date, day of the week, and month with accuracy and reliability.
The first annual calendar watch was created by Patek Philippe in 1996, with their model 5035. The mechanism of an annual calendar watch is more complex than a regular calendar watch, as it requires a system of levers and gears to track the varying lengths of the months. However, it is less complicated than a perpetual calendar watch, which accounts for leap years and only needs to be adjusted once every hundred years.
The history of calendar watches goes back several centuries, with the first pocket watches featuring calendar displays in the 16th century. However, it wasn't until the 19th century that calendar watches became popular among the general public, with brands such as Breguet and Patek Philippe producing some of the earliest models.
Today, annual calendar watches are produced by many luxury watch brands, including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. They are prized by watch collectors for their combination of practicality and elegance, and their ability to display the date, day of the week, and month with accuracy and reliability.