Audemars Piguet (AP), founded in 1875 in Le Brassus, Switzerland, celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. To begin this milestone celebration, AP has unveiled Calibre 7138, a new generation automatic perpetual calendar movement. All calendar corrections are performed via the “all-in-one” crown, without the need for any pushers on the side of the case.
Image: Calibre 7138. All functions are via the crown.
“Looking to the future, the brand has rethought the perpetual calendar, which mechanically reproduces the movement of the celestial bodies, with ergonomics at its heart to adapt to evolving lifestyles and open up new technical and design avenues. The result? An intuitive complication Looking to the future, the brand has rethought the perpetual calendar, which mechanically reproduces the movement of the celestial bodies, with ergonomics at its heart to adapt to evolving lifestyles and open up new technical and design avenues. The result? An intuitive complication.”
Calibre 7138 debuts on a Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet, two Royal Oak models in stainless steel and 18K sand gold, and on three “anniversary” models which will be limited to 150 pieces each. The “anniversary” models will feature “subtle aesthetic details that pay homage to the Manufacture’s 150 years of uncompromising craftsmanship.”
Image: Teaser image of one of the “anniversary models.” Notice the old font for the brand name.
Calibre 7138 is a result of five years of development and secured by five patents.
“Launched in 2015, Calibre 5134 adapted the perpetual calendar movement to a larger 41 mm case diameter, while maintaining a thin profile of 4.3 mm. It was first housed in a new Royal Oak model with a dynamic aesthetic, bringing renewed attention to this classic complication, which had been in decline since the end of the 20th century. This revival was confirmed in 2017 with the release of the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 26579CE in black ceramic, which caused a sensation. This calibre powered numerous perpetual calendar wristwatches across the Manufacture’s collection until 2024, when it retired. It was last featured on the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “John Mayer” Limited Edition, bringing down the curtain on a story that began in 1978.”
“In 2018, the Manufacture opened yet another chapter in its history of perpetual calendar timepieces with the launch of the revolutionary 41 mm Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, known as RD#2 – the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch of its time. This 6.3 mm-thick watch houses Calibre 5133, an ultra-thin movement measuring just 2.89 mm in height, which was fully redesigned to incorporate all the perpetual calendar functions on one single level, heralding a new generation of astronomical watches. Building on the patented inventions that made RD#2 possible, Calibre 7138 pushes the limits of feasibility once more by offering an intuitive, user-friendly complication that can be set and corrected anywhere, without tools. An ergonomic complication that opens up new horizons for Audemars Piguet in terms of both technology and aesthetics.”
Perpetual Calendar
Image: Typical perpetual calendar. Except Calibre 7138 incorporates a week indicator and a 24-hour time display. (The latter is a lot more common than a week indicator).
A perpetual calendar is one of three classic grand complications (the tourbillon and minute repeater being the other two). It typically displays the day of the week, date, months, and leap year and a moon phase. “Perpetual” means that the movement automatically adjusts for months that have 30 days (April, June, September, and November), 28 days (February), and Leap Year (February 29, once in 4 years). An annual calendar does all this except adjust for the Leap Year.
Key Features
Calibre 7138 and Operation
Image: Moon phase is based on a NASA photograph.
Calibre 7138 is an automatic perpetual calendar movement that drives the hours, minutes, 24-hour time display, week indication, day of the week, date, months, leap year, and astronomical moon phase.
Total diameter: 29.60 mm (12 ¾ lignes). Total thickness: 4.10 mm.
Parts: 423. Jewels: 41 mm.
Frequency: 28,800 vph or 4 Hz. Power reserve: 55 hours.
“Traditional perpetual calendar wristwatches are usually equipped with correctors inserted in the side of the case, which are activated by using a small tool to adjust the various subdials. This age-old system can make it cumbersome to set the watch, especially when left unwound for some time. To enhance user’s experience and streamline the design of the case, AP’s engineers have developed an easier and more intuitive correction system entirely controlled via the crown, to make this high complication adjustable anywhere without tools and without risk of damage.”
All operations are via the “all-in-one” crown at 3 o’clock.
Image: Assembly of Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (18K sand gold version).
“The new crown incorporates four different positions.”
First position: Manual winding of the watch (clockwise).
Second position: Pull the crown out one step (position 2). This enables setting of the date (clockwise) and adjusting the month and leap year (anticlockwise).
Third position: Pull the crown out second step (position 3). This enables setting of the time (both clockwise and anticlockwise).
Fourth (and last) position: Push the crown back one step to position 2. This enables setting of the day of the week and week indicator (clockwise) and the moon phase (anticlockwise).
“The simplicity of the new crown correction conceals, however, a complex mechanism driven by an innovative lever and wandering wheels system that meshes with the different calendar wheels in the 2 and 2’ positions. This innovation is protected by two patents: one for the crown correction system with a 2’ position and one for the month and date correction via the crown.”
Functions
Image: The “all-in-one” crown adjusts all functions as displayed on the dial.
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet and two Royal Oak models have the same functions.
Central hours and minutes.
24-hour time display via an arrow-shaped pointer on 9 o’clock inner subdial.
Week indication on inner bezel by central pointer.
Day of the week on 9 o’clock subdial.
Date at 12 o’clock subdial.
Months on 3 o’clock subdial.
Leap year via an arrow-shaped pointer on 3 o’clock inner subdial.
Astronomical moon phase display at 6 o’clock subdial.
“The dial and subdials have been rearranged to enhance legibility, symmetry, and aesthetic harmony. The dial now features a European date display, with the day at 9 o’clock, the date at 12 and the month at 3 o’clock. The week numbers are printed on the inner bezel as for previous perpetual calendar models. However, it is now the first week of the year (“1”) that appears at 12 o’clock (instead of week 52). In the same logic, “Monday” and “1” have been aligned at 12 o’clock in their respective subdial to mark the start of the week and the first day of the month. The dial also features a patented progressive step for the date display at 12 o’clock. The AP teams developed a date wheel with 31 custom-made teeth, the size of which varies to adapt to the width of the digits and enhance readability.”
“To achieve perfect symmetry with the subdial at 3 o’clock, which indicates the month and leap year, a 24-hour indicator has been inserted in the day subdial at 9 o’clock. In addition, a no-correction zone is marked in red between 21 h and 3 h to show when the watch cannot be set. However, if the user attempts to set the watch during this time, the date might not be corrected, but there is no risk of damaging the movement in the process.”
“The moon phase, which displays a realistic depiction of the moon based on a NASA photograph, remains at 6 o’clock as for previous references. However, the full moon is now centred on the 12 o’clock axis to strengthen the dial’s overall harmony.”
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar
Dial
Image: Code 11.59 has a complex case design.
“Smoked blue embossed dial” featuring concentric circles.
Blue “tone on tone” subdials with a snailed pattern. White and black markings.
Skeletonised hour and minute hands are made from 18K white gold and coated with luminescent material.
12 hour-markers are made from 18K white gold.
Matching blue inner bezel.
Case and Strap
Image: Skeletonised automatic winding rotor provides greater view of Calibre 7138.
Case is made from 18K white gold.
Diameter: 41 mm. Thickness: 10.60 mm.
Dial side features a sapphire crystal, curved and glare proofed.
Caseback is made from 18K white gold and is screwed to the main case. Features a glare proofed sapphire crystal.
Water resistant up to 30 metres.
Watch comes with a “blue textured rubber-coated strap with calfskin lining.” It is fitted to a “three-blade AP folding clasp” made from 18K white gold.
Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (Stainless steel version)
Dial
Image: The Royal Oak is defined by its Gerald Genta designed octagonal case with 8 screws on the bezel. It is among the most iconic designs in watchmaking and sought after watche collections in the world.
Blue dial featuring “Grande Tapisserie pattern.”
Blue subdials with a snailed pattern. White markings.
Royal Oak hour and minute hands are made from 18K white gold and coated with luminescent material.
8 hour-markers are made from 18K white gold and coated with luminescent material.
Matching blue inner bezel.
Case and Bracelet
Image: Slim profile and among the best integrated bracelets in the world.
Case is made from stainless steel.
Diameter: 41 mm. Thickness: 9.50 mm.
Dial side features a glare proofed sapphire crystal.
Caseback is made from stainless steel and is screwed to the main case. Features a glare proofed sapphire crystal.
Water resistant up to 50 metres.
Watch features an integrated stainless steel bracelet. It is fitted to an AP folding clasp.
Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (18K sand gold version)
Dial
Image: I love the sand gold version.
Sand gold toned dial featuring a “Grande Tapisserie pattern.”
Sand gold toned subdials with a snailed pattern. Black markings.
Royal Oak hour and minute hands are made from 18K white gold and coated with luminescent material.
8 hour-markers are made from 18K white gold and coated with luminescent material.
Matching sand gold toned inner bezel.
Case and Bracelet
Image: Royal Oak clothed in an 18K sand gold case and powered by a new generation Calibre 7138.
Case is made from 18K sand gold.
Diameter: 41 mm. Thickness: 9.50 mm.
Dial side features a glare proofed sapphire crystal.
Caseback is made from 18K sand gold and is screwed to the main case. Features a glare proofed sapphire crystal.
Water resistant up to 50 metres.
Watch features an integrated 18K sand gold bracelet. It is fitted to an AP folding clasp.
Our Thoughts
Image: Assembly of Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar.
You know it is important when a brand of Audemars Piguet’s stature unveils a new generation perpetual calendar movement. They did not have to as they already have perpetual calendar movements. My guess is that perhaps no one was really complaining or seeking a new user-friendly perpetual calendar movement. Yet they developed the Calibre 7138, now debuting in five models (two yet to be unveiled). This sort of forward thinking makes Audemars Piguet such an elite watchmaker, and a reason why they are a part of the Holy Trinity (the other two being Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.) 150 years is a milestone birthday and it will be exciting to see what else they unveil. We look forward to it.
Additional Details
Name: Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar
Reference: 26494BC.OO.D350KB.01
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF): 95,200 (non-binding public price in Switzerland, VAT included)
Name: Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Reference: 26674ST.OO.1320ST.01(Stainless steel version)
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF): 95,200 (non-binding public price in Switzerland, VAT included)
Name: Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Reference: 26674SG.OO.1320SG.01(18K sand gold version)
Price: Upon request
Please visit the Audemars Piguet website and Instagram page for more information.
Recently we covered the brand’s new watches for the Middle East. Read here.
