Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar in rose opaline and dark blue
The Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar can trace its origins to 1999, albeit it has received various makeovers over the years. The current model, updated in 2017, is housed in a 42mm case and has proved to be a resounding success for the German brand. Now, the Saxony-based company has released a limited-edition version of the model, equipped with a rose opaline and dark blue dial.
For some time, the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar has imparted much information in an elegant and intelligible format. Would-be owners have been able to select their perpetual calendar with a silver-grainé dial and either a steel or red gold case. Now, the German firm has released a new variant, the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar in rose opaline and dark blue.
Having worn numerous watches from Glashütte Original, I can attest the brand from Saxony has an incredible knack for saying much in an explicit and succinct way. The Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar perfectly illustrates my point. For example, it is endowed with slender Poire-style hour and minute hands that enunciate the prevailing time, free of ambiguity. However, despite its efficient proclamation of time, this German beauty still upholds the marque’s reputation for understated elegance.
In addition, the high-end brand has skilfully used dial apertures to frame specific parcels of information such as the day, the month and the Panorama Date. There is no need to play the role of a film director, with hands outstretched, framing a scene at the exclusion of extraneous details. On the contrary, the watch gets straight to the point; one glance at 10 o’clock and the current day is lucidly shown. Furthermore, the circular and recessed leap year indicator, sitting below noon, is wonderfully legible. Likewise, the moon phase articulates the age of the moon using a tasteful depiction of stars.
While Glashütte Original has a Manufactory in the eponymous watchmaking enclave of Glashütte, its in-house capabilities extend beyond making movements. Indeed, the firm also has its own dial production facility in Pforzheim. From experience, I know this production site makes some of the finest dials I have seen. Differing dial depths, textures and colours are skilfully employed, culminating in highly legible and aesthetically pleasing horological vistas.
The Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar in rose opaline and dark blue taps into the horological zeitgeist of the moment with its rose/salmon hues. The date, day and month discs position white numerals and text atop blue discs. The resultant appearance proves practical and handsome.
In my opinion, this is the prettiest version of the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar to date and with only 100 pieces planned, I suspect these straight-talking models will sell out very soon.
The brand’s press release
Glashütte Original’s perpetual calendar lifts timekeeping into the realm of art. In its latest version this mechanical masterpiece is already a rarity: the new Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar with a rose opaline dial and a dark blue leather strap will be issued in a limited edition of only 100 pieces. The mechanisms in motion within the virtuoso composition are no less compelling than the watch’s external beauty. A hand-crafted and finely finished automatic movement from the ateliers of the renowned Saxon manufactory honours every day of the year – from now to eternity (almost).
Harmonious colours: rose opaline meets dark blue
The latest timepiece from German watchmaker Glashütte Original adds a modern and sophisticated couple to the classic business partners black/white and grey/brown: rose/dark blue! The galvanic rose opaline dial is crafted and decorated in an elaborate process with numerous individual steps. Its silken hue contrasts splendidly with the hand-mounted blue hour appliques, which in this case consist exclusively of Roman numerals. The deep blue hue is taken up by the finely stepped calendar windows and moon phase display, and by the elegant poire hands and Louisiana alligator leather strap.
The Perpetual Calendar: precision without compromise
The perpetual calendar grand complication has it all. Day of the week? It goes without saying. Panorama Date? A Glashütte Original specialty. Month and leap year? Absolutely! All calendar indications are precisely tailored to suit the various lengths of the months, lending the watch a new look day after day. Thanks to its astonishing mechanical memory, Glashütte Original‘s Perpetual Calendar won’t need to be reset (in theory, at least) until the year 2100 – which in timekeeping, as in life, amounts to nothing less than a minor eternity.
Made in Glashütte: a watch with character
As a true child of its Glashütte home, the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar combines filigree decoration, sophisticated mechanics and robust workmanship. The transparent sapphire crystal case back offers a clear view of the highly refined finishing of the automatic movement, its skeletonized rotor and skeletonized Double-G, which renders the rotor even more delicate. Watch connoisseurs will discover additional typical Glashütte decorations and construction features: the characteristic three-quarter plate with refined Glashütte stripe finish, the hand-engraved balance cock, delicate perlage finishing, blued screws and fine decorative finishes on the wheels and rotor track.
A first class movement: the manufactory calibre 36-12
The priority governing development of this movement was to maximise user friendliness and ease of maintenance. A silicon balance spring guarantees exceptional precision, while a single spring barrel offers a power reserve of more than 100 hours. Robust stability is assured thanks to an innovative bayonet mounting, which secures the movement in the case. In addition, a conscious effort was made to make it easy to use the watch: the practical universal corrector allows the wearer to set the day, date and month at the same time – which may seldom prove necessary, since the exceptional power reserve maintains the correct interplay of the displays for a long time, even after the watch is set down.
A noble family: Excellence à la Glashütte Original
All models in the Senator Excellence family score points for exceptional precision, stability, running time and beauty. And they all back up their qualities with an exclusive certificate confirming that each and every Senator Excellence has undergone 24 days of comprehensive testing in the Saxon manufactory. A special engraving on the case back guarantees the quality of each watch. An exclusive online portal also gives owners access to detailed test scores for their watch along with information regarding the individual test procedures.
The new Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar in rose opaline and dark blue is limited to 100 pieces and available from end of October exclusively at Glashütte Original Boutiques and authorised dealers.
Further reading