IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed)
Feb 26th 2009 at 12:02PM

This IWC presents a first (in my knowledge) complication for watches. This is the first perpetual calendar with a "big" date and month display. I really like how this looks on the face, having the two large display windows polarized horizontally on the dial. While it is easier for me to read the month as a three letter abbreviation, this style will be more convenient when you write out the date in the European style: "25/8/09," as for us Americans, we will have to switch around the numbers in our head. While this Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar watch does not display the day of the week, if you aren't aware of that, you've got other problems. Instead, there is a tastefully small leap year indicator at 6 o'clock, and a full 12 hour chronograph to satisfy you. The chronograph combines both the hours and minute counter into one dial (with two hands) in the 12 o'clock position. This is one of the most simple looking, complex watches out there.

The watch comes in a limited edition of 500 with pieces in 18k rose gold or platinum. The newer Da Vinci style tonneau case measures 44mm wide by 16mm tall. This watch has an automatic in-house IWC caliber 89800 movement that has 474 parts (very complex) and a massive power reserve of 68 hours. Knowing this will help you justify the price of this beautiful IWC Da Vinci watch, which is likely to be $40,000 plus.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: Chronograph, Da Vinci, DaVinci, IWC, Perpetual Calendar, PerpetualCalendar, sihh 2009, Sihh2009, timepiece, watch