Hands-on review of the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar with exclusive pictures. Full specs and price: €38,700
Through continuous refinement, the German watchmaker has consistently enhanced the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar, blending technical innovation with aesthetic elegance.
The complex mechanism of a perpetual calendar guarantees a precise display of the date, weekday and month, taking account of leap years and ensuring automatic date correction whatever the number of days in a month (28, 29, 30 or 31). Assuming that the watch runs continuously, it requires one correction per century, as century years, unless divisible by 400, are not leap years.
We recently had the pleasure of wearing and testing one of their latest interpretations, unveiled at the end of 2023. In this review, we’re excited to share our impressions alongside live photographs.
The new Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar is available in stainless steel with a galvanic grey dial featuring blue elements or in red gold with a galvanic silver dial accented by ivory tones.
For our hands-on experience, we opted for the red gold version, pairing it with a bold orange synthetic strap for a contemporary twist. Of course, classic leather strap options are also available, along with other synthetic strap colours.
Crafted in 18k red gold, the new timepiece comes in a 42 mm x 12.8 mm round case whose lines are highlighted by its meticulous finish alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces.
A thin, polished bezel leaves space to the beautifully executed dial, ensuring optimal legibility at a glance. Its concave profile not only adds to the watch’s visual appeal but also offers a practical advantage, being less susceptible to scratches compared to a convex design.
Ergonomically designed lugs ensure a comfortable fit on the wrist, making it a pleasure to wear. For reference, the wrist in our pictures measures 17.8 cm / 7 inches.
Along with hours, minutes and seconds, the galvanic silver dial of the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar presents the signature Panorama Date, a finely worked moon phase, and weekday, month and leap year indicators, cleverly arranged under the anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
The hour and minute poire hands are fashioned in red gold, as are the hand-applied, raised Roman numerals.
The elegant, thermally blued central seconds hand is adorned with the distinctive double G-logo, a recurring element also featured on the crown and the rotor of the movement.
Setting of the date can be monitored directly in the display window, while discreet correctors on the case sides enable the individual adjustment of weekday, month and moon phase displays.
Water resistance is ensured up to a pressure of 5 bar (approximately corresponding to 50 metres / 165 feet).
A separate display at 12 o'clock indicates the leap year with the hand moving counter-clockwise across a scale of 1 to 4.
Once adjusted, the calendar indications will not need manual correction for more than one hundred years to come (assuming the watch runs without interruption).
For the display of a gold-coloured moon against heavenly blue skies, a thin bronze disc serves as the base. Stars are printed on its polished surface using a protective lacquer. After the surface is matte-finished through sandblasting and given a blue galvanised layer, the lacquer is dissolved to reveal the shining stars.
Next, two round moons are cut with precision diamond-tipped tools. The interim lacquer is then replaced with a final protective layer.
The moon wheel, with 59 teeth, moves one position daily to represent the 29.5-day lunar cycle. The two moons alternate seamlessly in the curved display at 8 o'clock, ensuring the transition is invisible to the wearer.
At 4 o'clock, Glashütte Original's signature Panorama Date features two concentric date discs with black numerals against an ivory-coloured disc.
The numerals are seamlessly displayed without a central vertical bar, as the two discs are mounted on the same level.
Through the transparent sapphire crystal caseback, the most recent development based on the proven Calibre 36, the Calibre 36-12, is revealed.
Operating at a frequency of 4 Hertz (28,800 vibrations per hour), this advanced automatic movement delivers an impressive power reserve of at least 100 hours, or more than four days.
This is made possible by an optimised spring barrel, featuring an enlarged diameter and a smaller spring core, which allows for a longer mainspring with significantly more windings.
The movement features a silicon balance spring, offering enhanced resistance to magnetic fields and temperature fluctuations, which contributes to improved accuracy.
Defined by its signature three-quarter plate architecture, the calibre showcases exquisite finishing, including Glashütte stripe decoration, perlage, blued screws, and a bidirectional skeletonised rotor featuring the double G-logo and a 21-ct gold oscillating weight.
The galvanised balance cock with swan-neck fine adjustment is meticulously hand-engraved, adding a final touch of craftsmanship to this high-performance calibre.
The Calibre 36-12 also boasts exceptional stability and durability, thanks to its compact design and the use of an innovative bayonet mount that securely fastens the movement within the case.
All Senator Excellence models undergo a rigorous 24-day testing process by Glashütte Original, exceeding the standards of the German chronometer test. This applies to all models, regardless of their complications. A "Q" engraving on the case back certifies each watch's quality, and future owners can access detailed test results through the brand's online platform.
The orange synthetic strap fitting the watch is secured to the wrist by a red gold triple folding clasp with security push-buttons. These synthetic straps are not only durable and comfortable, but they also align with Glashütte Original’s commitment to sustainability, being crafted from innovative yarn made entirely from recycled fishing nets.
The new Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar (ref. 1-36-12-02-05-62) has a suggested retail price of €38,700.
Successfully blending traditional stylistic elements with contemporary design sensibility, this timepiece stands out for its flawless execution of one of watchmaking’s most prestigious complications, powered by a state-of-the-art in-house movement. glashuette-original.com
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A dream watch. That orange strap works well! Thanks for the review.
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