When it comes to watches, the first thing that many people think of may be fashion and luxury, but you know? A perpetual calendar watch is not just a timekeeping tool, it is also an inheritor of culture and history. At this year’s GPHG Awards, IWC’s Portuguese series IW505701 watch became the “Best Complex Function Watch” with its complex movement and precise moon phase display. What kind of craftsmanship and story is behind this? Keep reading and you will discover the depth and charm of the world of watches.

IWC’s outstanding achievements and exquisite craftsmanship

At this year’s GPHG “Golden Hands” award, the IWC Portuguese series IW505701 perpetual calendar watch won the “Best Complex Function Watch Award” in one fell swoop, becoming the “best” in the minds of many watch fans and collectors. This watch not only has the most accurate moon phase profit and loss display, but also has the most complex movement structure. The 52640 movement not only has complex functions such as a perpetual calendar, Geneva area time display, and dual moon phase display, but also increases the power reserve to 7 days. You can imagine the difficulty.

The cultural symbol and inheritance of perpetual calendar watches

From December to February every year, when we open the calendar for the new year and write down our goals for the new year, the perpetual calendar watch will also become a bright color on our wrists. These watches are not only recorders of time, but also carriers of culture and history. They are a “sense of ritual” that we can feel every year. And when we wear these heirlooms during the New Year, the passage of time and the inheritance from generation to generation become particularly precious.

The reflection of multiculturalism in watch design

In addition to perpetual calendars, there are many watches with different calendar functions that are also worthy of attention. What they carry is not only the passage of time, but also the exchange and collision between Chinese culture and world culture. Just like the application of Hijri and Chinese calendars on watches, it is the integration and inheritance of multiculturalism.

The application of Hijri and Chinese calendars in watch design

Take the Parmigiani Fleurier TONDA PF Hijri watch (model PFH9831020001100182) as an example, which focuses on the application of the Islamic calendar. As one of the oldest calendars in the world, the origin of the Hijri calendar can be traced back to 622 AD. Unlike other calendars, the Hijri calendar is a purely lunar calendar. The length of the year is calculated based on the period of the moon’s revolution around the earth. Each month starts with the new moon and ends with the new moon when the entire month ends. The length of each year in the Hijri calendar is not fixed, but is roughly between 354 and 355 days. Since the Hijri calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, it does not correspond to the solar year, which is why each year the Hijri calendar is approximately 11 days earlier than the previous year.

On this Parmigiani Fleurier TONDA PF Hijri calendar watch, in addition to the hours, minutes and seconds at 6 o’clock, we can see an independent pointer at 9 o’clock, which points to the numbers 1 to 12 on the edge of the dial. It is this combination of hands and numbers that helps the wearer determine the Hijri date. For example, when the pointer points to the number 7, it means that it is the seventh month of the Hijri calendar, which is Ramadan. The entire dial is decorated with exquisite textures, which are inspired by Islamic art. It is worth mentioning that this watch is equipped with the PF009 self-winding movement. In addition to the Hijri calendar function, it also has a 48-hour power reserve.

High-value watch as symbol of New Year’s goals

So, what exactly are we doing when we wear these complex function watches such as perpetual calendar, Hijri calendar, and Chinese calendar every year on the occasion of the New Year? In addition to recording time and passing it down from generation to generation, there is another important purpose, which is to set goals for the new year. This goal is often achieved by purchasing these high-value, high-complexity, and highly collectible watches. These watches are not only recorders of time and date, but also important testers of whether we have achieved our New Year’s goals.

The combination of modern watch technology and traditional calendar

With the development of modern technology, there is not much difference between the movements of these complex function watches. Take Blancpain’s Chinese Almanac Year of the Snake limited edition watch (model 08883432C55B) as an example. It not only has the elements of the traditional Chinese calendar, such as the stems and earthly branches, the yin and yang, the five elements, and the four seasons, but also makes the movement very complex and has a 168-hour power reserve. Moreover, in terms of design, Blancpain also fully considered the characteristics of the Year of the Snake, and the snakes on the disk were meandering, cleverly combining Chinese culture and history.

This watch also has collectible value, because it is sold in limited quantities, and each one is specially polished and engraved, so no matter how you look at it, it is an heirloom.

Whether it is a perpetual calendar, Chinese calendar or Hijri calendar, these complex function watches carry not only the passage of time, but also the carriers of culture and history. Their unique designs and complexity make them irreplaceable in the collection world.

Conclusion

This article allows us to see that a watch is not only a tool of time, but also a symbol of culture, history and personal goals. Behind the design of perpetual calendar and Hijri watches, there is rich cultural connotation and inheritance significance, which is indeed worth cherishing and collecting. What do you think is the value of these watches? Welcome to share your views in the comment area, and don’t forget to like and support!