Rewind: 1996 saw the introduction of the first wristwatch with a secular perpetual calendar. This rare complication encompasses all the variations of our Gregorian calendar, surpassing the classic perpetual calendar in terms of precision. Indeed, the perpetual calendar, though a fascinating complication in its own right, comes with certain limitations. If leap years are taken into account, secular years (one secular year = 100 years) are not. An adjustment is thus necessary to correct for this – every 100 years.

The secular perpetual calendar, on the other hand, accounts for both leap and secular years. The next secular year is 2100. This complication will identify the fact that this is a special year and therefore automatically pass from February 28th, 2100, to March 1st, 2100 – whereas the date change on a classic perpetual calendar would be from February 28th to February 29th, considering it a leap year. The secular perpetual calendar complication, quite complex as its name implies, has until now defied simplification.

The oscillating weight is cut and beveled by hand by Dominique Renaud – a nod to his beginnings as a chamferer.

The entire secular perpetual calendar is machined, adjusted and finished by Julien Tixier. The plate is delicately sandblasted, then electroplated with a coat of 18K gold. The gears are circular grained and the date cams black polished by hand. The steel springs are straight-grained and beveled by hand, too.

Made of silver, turned and machined by hand entirely, the secular perpetual calendar has an-ultra thin profile of 9.6 mm including a 1.25mm module. The total thickness including the glass is 11.3mm for a 39 mm diameter case.