IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 2017

The Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph (Ref. IW392101/IW392103) is the first watch from IWC to combine the well-known mechanical chronograph with a perpetual moon phase display on a subdial in a new complication module. The moon phase is displayed by a disc, partly silver- or gold-plated, partly dark blue, which rotates to show the shadow of the earth and the waxing or waning moon below an aperture in the dial.

In order to achieve this, IWC’s watchmakers had to design the in-house 89630 calibre that powers the perpetual calendar’s other functions: the date, month, day and four-digit year display.

The moon remains still against the dark blue night sky while the moon-phase indicator disc beneath the dial acts as the earth’s shadow and imitates the waxing and waning of the moon. The perpetual calendar’s extreme precision is made possible by the in-house 89630 calibre. The moon phase display diverges by just 1 day in 577.5 years from the actual phase of the moon.

The hour and minute counters are combined in a totalizer at “12 o’clock”, enabling stopped times to be read like a second time of day. Thanks to the flyback function, this watch allows ongoing chronograph time measurements to be instantly “deleted” and a new measurement started without an intermediate stop.

• Red gold case
• Automatic, self-winding
• Dark brown alligator leather strap by Santoni
• Diameter 43.0 mm
• Perpetual calendar with displays for the date, day, month, year in four digits and perpetual moon phase
  Chronograph function with hours, minutes and seconds
• Hour and minute counters combined in a totalizer at 12 o’clock
• Flyback function
• Sapphire glass, arched-edge, antireflective coating on both sides
• Small hacking seconds

Movement:

• 89630 Calibre
• Automatic, self-winding
• Frequency 28800.0 vph (4.0 hz)
• 51 Jewels
• 68 hours Power Reserve
• Côtes de Genève, perlage

The Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Steel is available for $29,900 and the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Gold is set at $40,200.  Get the official brochure here.

ABOUT THE PERPETUAL CALENDAR

The perpetual calendar is one of the most fascinating haute horlogerie complications. Originally developed by former chief designer Kurt Klaus and continuously improved since then, it is mechanically programmed for 577 years.