Sumptuous Seconds

Perpetual Addiction

Following A. Lange & Söhne’s first Grand Complication last year, the company ups the ante again with another extremely complicated model, the Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar Terraluna. Housed in a 45.5mm case that comes in white or pink gold, the Terraluna is equipped with regulator-type time display and a perpetual calendar with Lange’s signature big date, an orbital moonphase display on the movement itself and has 14 days of reserve power. The L096.1 movement features a constant force escapement based on the Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour le Merite (released in 2010).

The talking point for this watch is its orbital moonphase display, which shows the relative locations of the sun, moon and earth, including the rotation of the earth on its own axis. There are three discs, the first of which displays the earth, which shows the northern hemisphere and rotates once every 24 hours. A second disc, for stars, features a window showing the moon, rotating once around the earth each month. The third disc features two bright moons rotating in the opposite direction, offering an accurate moon phase display in the aperture.

Another dashing perpetual calendar from the show is Greubel Forsey’s QP à Équation, which also features a tourbillon and equation of time. The brand wanted to simplify the displays and make the watch very easy to set and operate, and this is successfully done via a bi-directional winding crown that allows the wearer to turn forward or backward to set the date. There are no individual pushers for each of the indications, so once the calendar is set, the month, day and date all move in tandem. The watch comes in white gold and measures 43.5mm, with a power reserve of 72 hours.