The Annual Calendar is often thought of as the less glamorous sibling to the more complicated perpetual calendar. Knowing how particular many watch enthusiasts are, this statement might ring true to some, but it?s not all doom and gloom for fans of this 23-year-old complication. In fact, there have been a number of releases over the past few years focused on innovative time displays and accessible price points that have made the concept of owning an annual calendar more enticing than ever before. If these six releases from 2018 are any indication, the annual calendar will be in strong standing moving forward and should attract former naysayers and longtime admirers alike.
Patek Philippe 5205g-013
Patek Philippe patented and released the first annual calendar only 23 years ago, in 1996. Placed in the middle ground between the common date and the potent ? and pricey ? perpetual calendar, the annual calendar seemed to promise new terrain for enthusiasts, one that would provide desired horological ?cred? without breaking the bank. Since its introduction into the Patek portfolio, the annual calendar has been released in dozens of iterations but its most recent update, announced at Baselworld 2018, is perhaps its most appealing appearance so far. The 5205g-013 takes the recognizable dial layout of the 5205 series, with the day, date and month spread across apertures in the upper half of the dial, and adds a vibrant gradient blue dial to complement the white-gold case dressing wit...