Quantième Perpétuel au Grand Balancier Accounts for February 29th

Antoine Martin Quantieme Perpetual au Grand Blancier

If you are on  my side of the International Date Line, it is still February 29th, 2012 and that means one of two things. Since it is a leap year, the date on your mechanical watch requires adjusting or it does not.  If the date on your watch does not need adjusting chances are it is a perpetual calender.  A perpetual calender is a highly complex watch complication, which accounts for differing lengths of months and leap years.  Many of the high end perpetual calender timepieces needs no adjustment until the year 2100.  Only highly skilled watchmakers craft perpetual calender, as this particular complication requires many additional components and extreme watchmaking know how, thus it is quite astonishing the brand ,Antoine Martin, debuted only last year, should present a perpetual calender as its start-up collection.
The company's focus is on functional perfection provided by unique technologically advanced movements and signature designs. This watch has been something of the brands flagship design, proving Antoine Martin is a new brand breaking old barriers and making  innovative strides in the world of horology.

Martin Braun

Don't be fooled by the brand's age,  the skill and watchmaking experience is 30 years old.  Martin Braun, the brands founder, who needs no introduction to the world of horology,  is not only experienced in watchmaking, but highly talented.   Entrepreneur Antoine Meier is a critical part of the team.  The brands CEO, Bruno Jufer has an impressive resume from a number of high end watch companies such as Maurice Lacroix, Jaquet Drois, Zenith and Carl F. Bucherer.

Bruno Jufer

The Antoine Martin Quantieme Perpetual au Grand Blancier is already breaking world records by incorporating the largest balance wheel (17.55mm in diameter) in a wrist watch crafted from grade 5 titanium as well as a cutting edge silicon escapement increasing efficiency and requiring no lubrication.  The in-house caliber AM39.001 has 60 jewels, beats at 18,000 vph, comprises of 324 components and is equipped with a 6 day power reserve. The Bauhaus design is all form giving way to function with a large amount of elegance. 
Elegance increased by a clever combination of polishing and satin finishing on the 18k rose gold case  The case itself is comprised of 85 components, including a unique and useful AM and PM indicator, leap year indicator at the 12 'o'clock and a day of the month indicator straddled by two bold screws.  The different levels of the face incorporating a silvered dial and long sweeping hand indicators display resolute efficiency and functionality with uncanny elegance.

The 18k white or rose gold case as well as the steel version is fixed to the wrist by a genuine Alligator mississippiensis (Louisiana alligator) strap and matching 18k rose or white gold folding clasp.
This style is also available is a rugged steel black DLC case with a black rubber strap and DLC folding clasp.

The timepieces Antoine Martin has presented so far integrate all factors leading to a successful watch company. The Antoine Martin Quantieme Perpetual au Grand Blancier is crafted for the person who relish complicated watch movements as well as appreciating clear functional and efficient time display.  


Visit Antoine Martin's debut of its latest TOURBILLON QUANTIÈME PERPÉTUEL collection from March 8th to 15th, 2012 in Baselworld Hall 4.1 Booth A15.  This is a brand to be watched. 

Vacheron Constantin on Madison and 64th, New York, NY

on June 23rd, 2011, Vacheron Constantin  arrived in New York, and if you don't believe me just check out the tell tale signs of the yellow cabs, blinking walk sign ... and "oh Yes" how could I forget - the street sign above the One Way sign reading "Madison Avenue".  Yes! Vacheron Constantin has definitely come to New York.

For this momentous occasion - this is the first boutique Vacheron Constantin has opened in USA - the 256 year old company - is selling an exclusive Overseas Chronograph Perpetual Calendar “New York”. The dial, of course, is in the American Red, white and blue colors, looking as busy as rush hour in New York.  It is quite intriguing that Vacheron Constantin opted, for the first time, to add a perpetual complication to its chronograph function within its stainless steel 42mm Overseas case.
Vacheron Constantin obviously wanted to make a big impression on a big city.   A Perpetual calender complication  adds many components to the movement, as the calender accounts for the differing lengths of the months as well as leap years. This watch contains 228 parts and oscillates at 21,600 vph.  Most perpetual calenders need no adjustments until the year 2100.  (Remember to tell that to the great grand kids), unless of course the power reserve of 40 hours diminish.  A 48 month counter with a leap-year indication keeps one up to date.  On the dark blue sun ray satin finished dial, 12 applied trapezoid hour-markers in 18K white gold coated with white luminescent material enable excellent read out in dim conditions. A sub dial at 6 o’clock position accounts for the seconds accompanied ,in the same sub dial, by a moon phase display. The dial is protected by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, coated on the inside with anti-reflective treatment.  In addition, this watch is quite protected from the hustle and bustle of New York, with its 150 meter water resistance - in case one is caught in a heavy rainstorm or gets splashed at the curb by a careening yellow cab through a melting mound of snow. A soft iron cage surrounding the movement protects the watch from wandering magnetic fields.  (truthfully I must do more research into the anti-magnetic properties of a watch)
On the screw down case back emblazoned with a sea vessel ( found on all "Overseas" collections), the number of the watch out of 20, is depicted.  This watch is limited to just 20 pieces.  In addition the location of the new Vacheron Constantin Boutique " Madison and 64th"  is clearly marked on the dial.

A hand-stitched, saddle finished, large squale-scales strap in dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather with a red leather inner shell completes the "American" look.  Costing $57,900.00, the watch is securely fixed around the wrist with a stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp sporting double security with buttons and Vacheron Constantin's polished half Maltese cross.

Why Invest in a Patek Phillipe Luxury Watch?

Patek Phillipe Watches are highly coveted by collectors and bring in the most money at Auction Houses. As to the exceptional craftsmanship and extreme longevity, one only has to glance at the results of this years Sotheby's Geneva Sale of Important Watches where an extremely rare ,circa 1960, Patek Phillipe Chronograph sold for $815,637. No one can deny the investment attributes of this timepiece.

The more complications incorporated in a single timepiece will have exponential effects on the resale value of the timepiece. This particular timepiece has
a Perpetual Calander, which is one of the most difficult complications to master; requires the most components and is the most time consuming to craft.
The perpetual calender complication is not as eye catching as a tourbillon or as playful as a sonnerie or as insistent as a minute repeater, but it is a master of mechanical manipulation. And the master of mechanical manipulation is undoubtedly Patek Phillipe since 1839.

A Perpetual Calender provides the date, day and month ,while automatically making allowances for the different lengths of months, as well as accounting for leap years. A majority of the Perpetual Calender mechanisms utilize a differential gear mechanism from the hour wheel and this mechanism can comprise of several hundred gears, levers, and other parts. Thus you will notice that the parts listed on a Perpetual Calender Watch is substantially higher than on a regular watch or on watches with other complications.

A Chronograph Complication is currently in hot demand making a Chronograph Watch more desirable than a watch without a chronograph function. The Chronograph watch especially in the world of sports. The 1960's Patek Phillipe is a chronograph making it all the more desirable to collectors.

A Patek Phillipe Luxury Watch holds its value, as it is a known brand, with top sales at auctions, which proves Patek Phillipe has a high resale value. In addition, a Patek Phillipe mechanical luxury watch is timeless and does not bow and scrape to the constraints of technology.

In 2004, a Patek Phillipe Calibre 89 sold at a Sotheby's Geneva Auction for over 6.6 million Swiss francs. Only four Patek Phillipe Calibre 89 watches were produced to mark Pateck Phillipe's 150th anniversary. Crafted in 1989, in 18k gold this 2.4 lb pocket watch contains a total number of 1728 parts and 24 hands. Complications include: Day of the month, Day of the week, 12-hour recorder, Hour of second time zone,moon phase display, winding crown position indicator;century, decade and year displays (I suppose Patek Phillipe expects this watch to last quite a long time), Leap year indicator,Power reserve, month, thermometer,Date of Easter, Time of Sunrise, Equation of Time, Star Chart, Sun Hand, Time of Sunset and split second hand.

In 2002, Patek Phillipe crafted the most complicated watch integrated into a single timepiece -
Sky Moon Tourbillon.


Patek Phillipe is constantly raising the bar of watch craftsmanship, and making possible the seemingly impossible. To purchase an investment, purchase a Patek Phillipe at THE WATCHERY