This year’s SIHH is full of complicated revelations. And, even more surprisingly, we have found at least five perpetual calendars at the fair, all of which are very different in approach, design and even price.

Greubel Forsey and Cartier have both come out with perpetual calendar systems that are not only easier for the wearer to use than traditional calendar styles (also protecting the gearing from accidental mishaps that may happen from trying to set them at the wrong times), but also allow the functions to be set and adjusted via the crown rather than using the complicated recessed pushers generally found on the cases of such complicated timepieces.

Greubel Forsey Perpetual Calendar with Equation of Time

Greubel Forsey
The Greubel Forsey Perpetual Calendar can be quick-set both forward and backward; all functions – winding, time setting and calendar setting – are operated by a single crown (no pushers). And it happens to also feature one of my personal favorite complications: an equation of time indication on the back.

Cartier Astrocalendaire

Cartier
Likewise, the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire offers these same functions, but packs them in typical Cartier dress with a technical twist as Joshua Munchow explains in this post.

A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar Terraluna

A. Lange & Söhne
The Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar Terraluna not only offers a unique orbital moon phase embedded in a view of the northern hemisphere on the back of the highly luxurious timepiece, but also fourteen days of constant-force power reserve within the beautifully finished caliber from Glashütte. On the regulator-style display on the front, we find Lange’s characteristic large date for the first time in the Richard Lange family. This symbolizes the fact that a perpetual calendar is also at home in the unique timepiece.

IWC Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar

IWC
IWC quite unexpectedly added a perpetual calendar to a sporty diver’s watch in the Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date Month model, a 50-piece limited edition. At 49 millimeters in diameter, this is the second largest IWC model to ever be included in the collection (the first largest being the truly iconic pilot’s watch from 1940).

Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar on the wrist of CEO Jérôme Lambert

Montblanc
Finally, we arrive at Montblanc‘s authoritative new Meisterstück Heritage watch collection, which not only celebrates the 90th anniversary of what is the most recognizable pen line in the entire world (an assertion confirmed by specialized pen journalist Nancy Olson), but also the debut line orchestrated by new CEO Jérôme Lambert.

Lambert’s vision with this classically styled “link” line positioned between the Timewalker and the Villeret lines is to both attract budding enthusiasts and please existing clients. The Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage perpetual calendar’s movement was custom-designed and assembled by specialist movement maker Dubois Depraz for Montblanc, which allows the venerable brand to offer these classic beauties at breathtakingly fair prices: the stainless steel model retails for a modest $12,800, while the gold version comes in at $21,600.

For more in-depth information on new products launched during the 2014 SIHH, please come back in the next few weeks as we unfold the most interesting stories.