Affordable (or at least not huge $$$) Annual Calendar Watches

Annual calendars have only existed for the last 25 years -- they were invented by Patek in the late 90s. There's nothing in the sub-$1K realm that works as an annual calendar. I think the best that you can do is the Longines Annual Calendar for $2,500.

That’s interesting about Patek. Did a bit of a deep dive and so far it looks like while we have had the first perpetual calendar pocket watch movement (by Thomas Mudge) back as far as 1762, I can find no reference to pocket watches with annual calendar complication.

Also Patek Philippe under Swiss patent law had patents on mechanism employed for 25 years (so by my maths until 2021 as from 1996). Other companies such as A.Lange used a different system for their annual calendar watches.

So maybe we might see more affordable watches in the future. Thanks for the heads up on the Longines.

I've always found it odd as to why anyone would WANT an annual calendar over a perpetual calendar...

I guess for PP and ALS customers they are the more ‘affordable’ option.

Because they're a fraction of price?

That's largely brand dependent. A JLC or IWC perpetual calendar is less expensive than a PP annual calendar. Fredrique Constant makes a perpetual calendar that can be found for about the same price as an entry level JLC.

Looking at the second hand prices of Frederick Constant and Mont Blanc perpetual calendars I think your point is valid.

I guess it's not the most visual interesting of complications compared to tourbillons and wandering hours.

A module system coupled to an interesting display of the month would be neat (maybe something like the red mark on the outside of the hour marker like in the Skydweller, but in a less fussy looking watch).

Check out the Kurono Tokyo Calendrier and the Maen Brooklyn 36. I believe these use the same Miyota movement.

Two nice looking watches and relatively affordable. For the moment the most affordable annual calendar at rrp is the Longines. So for affordability triple calendars are the way to go ,you get the look of the watch, but need to change the date five times a year rather than once.

I think the problem with both annual and perpetual calendar is that you have the watch kept wound. That's fine if you wear it all the time (barely an option for most of us). Otherwise, keep those watches on watchwinders. If you need to adjust the calendar each time you put the watch on, you might as well get yourself one of those Lobinnis with a calendar display.

A clever modular system modifying an existing work horse movement that would allow rapid cycling through calendar year forward and backwards would be the dream.

I guess there probably isn’t a huge market for such a watch at the affordable end to warrant the trouble.